“I’ve been out since Sunday”
For those wondering why I’ve not been riding this week, I’ve been on the sidelines after I picked up a knock to my collarbone from being unseated by Windtothelightning at Haydock on Saturday. I managed to carry on with the rest of my rides on the card, but the following day, my collarbone was very sore.
I’ve had falls in the past where I’ve had my right shoulder and collarbone pinned down, meaning that there isn’t much movement in that part of my body these days. That means when I get a heavy fall to my right shoulder, the pressure can only go to my sternum, which results in my collarbone coming off my sternum and pulling all the muscles in that area.
Falling off a horse is never enjoyable, and you get a variety of different falls. You normally know your fate before you touch the ground. I have done a bit of training to try and help you land correctly, but you only have a split second to react. When you hit the ground, you try to tuck up into a ball as small as you can to protect yourself. However, sometimes when you hit the ground, you think, damn, I’ve got 17 horses coming right at me from behind, so this could hurt. In that moment, you just have to sit tight and brace yourself, and sometimes you can get lucky. Afterwards, all being well, you just have to move on and focus on the next ride.
All of us jockeys seem to have a way of falling off horses, and I always seem to go on my right shoulder, which is why it’s knackered. The fall last Saturday could have been a lot worse, and I’ve experienced some bad ones over the years.
This week, to try and help speed up the healing process, I’ve been in my ice bath three or four times a day, which is below zero degrees. The water is absolutely freezing cold, but it all helps repair the muscles quickly. I’ve also been doing a lot of physio to try and keep my body moving, along with going on some long walks. The team helping me at Jack Berry House have been very supportive, and they are an incredible bunch of people who are there for jockeys in times of need.