A Plains State governor was spending time with his family over the weekend when an accident occurred that caused serious injuries.

Republican Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, 68, was hospitalized on Sunday for injuries sustained after he was thrown off a horse he'd been riding, the New York Post reported.

Pillen was initially taken to a nearby hospital in Columbus but was later transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, where he is expected to remain for the next several days as part of his recovery process.

Suffered "serious but not life-threatening" injuries

"Gov. Pillen was transported to Nebraska Medicine Sunday afternoon after a horseback riding accident while riding with his daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter near Columbus," a Monday press release from the governor's office said.

"The Governor’s injuries included minor lacerations to his spleen and kidney, seven broken ribs, a partially collapsed lung resulting from the rib damage, and a minor fracture in one of his vertebrae," the update continued. "There were no injuries to his neck, head, nervous system, or additional internal organs."

The statement noted that a "minimally invasive procedure" was performed to halt the bleeding of Pillen's spleen, which had him placed under anesthesia for less than an hour and involved a brief transfer of power to Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly.

The procedure was successful and the governor was later joking with others as he watched a basketball game, and the office noted, "In summary, the Governor’s injuries were serious but not life-threatening and could have been much worse."

Likely to remain hospitalized for "a few days"

"Gov. Pillen is in stable condition and is expected to remain in the hospital a few days for observation, particularly for the recovery of his rib injuries," the governor's office said. "He has made arrangements to conduct work from his hospital room."

"Gov. Pillen, First Lady Suzanne, and their family are enormously grateful to the teams at Nebraska Medicine, Columbus Community Hospital, and the EMS professionals who transported him after the accident," the statement added. "The Governor looks forward to returning to his office soon after Christmas and wishes a blessed and safe holiday to all Nebraskans."

In an X post that linked to the statement, the governor's official account stated, "The Governor's office expresses its deep appreciation for the well-wishes shared with Gov. Pillen and his family."

Governor has a "very good prognosis" and recovery has been "very impressive"

Fox News reported that doctors at the Nebraska Medical Center said Monday that Gov. Pillen had "a very good prognosis" for recovery and was in stable condition but was expected to remain hospitalized for at least another day or two for observation.

Aside from the procedure to address his bleeding spleen, Pillen also received treatment for the fractured ribs and partially collapsed lung while the minor vertebrae fracture and minor kidney injury were expected to heal on their own.

One of the doctors, trauma surgeon Hillman Terzian, said he found the fact that Pillen had already gotten up and walked around was "very impressive" and explained, "We don't expect anyone with his injuries to be up and running a marathon the next day, but we like them to be out of bed, to show us that they can pick up small objects, that sort of thing."

It is unclear when Pillen, a former veterinarian who owns a livestock operation, will be sufficiently recovered to be released from the hospital to return to the office he has held since the 2022 election.