CHELTENHAM Festival-winning jockey Jerry McGrath is still unable to walk more than one month on from his terrifying pile-up.
McGrath initially feared he was paralysed when unable to feel his legs after the fall at Lingfield on January 18.
He suffered a broken and dislocated hip and shoulder when sent hurtling from even money favourite Vegas Blue in a jumpers’ bumper.
One of the three horses involved in the incident ended up on top of one of McGrath’s legs.
McGrath, 29, needed two operations, the second lasting eight hours as doctors pinned and plated his broken body back together.
The jockey, who rides for Nicky Henderson, still cannot put any weight on his injured side.
He told the Irish Examiner: “I’m getting there. Things are going the right way hopefully.
“I’m going to see a shoulder specialist and then the week after I have to go and see a hip specialist, so I’ll probably know more after that.
“I’m not actually back walking on two feet yet, so by the end of this week or early next week I’ll be back walking with a bit of luck.
“I’m doing plenty of rehab and stuff at the moment, but it would be a big bonus if I was able to walk.”
McGrath reckons it will be six weeks before he can put weight on the leg
McGrath told the Racing Post how in the initial aftermath of the fall he ‘didn’t feel anything’.
He said: “When I was on the ground one of the horses was on top of me on my leg and when they took him off I didn’t feel anything.
“I couldn’t feel my legs – so to be honest anything better than that is a bonus.
“I hit the all-weather and you don’t bounce on it. Something has to give and it could have been worse.
“I can’t thank the doctors enough. I was conscious and I remember being in the ambulance with the blue light flashing and it was fairly humbling. It brings you back to reality.”
Fellow jockeys Alexander Thorne and Jordan Nailor were also caught up in the fall but they avoided serious injury.
And all three horses were unhurt.
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