A Manitoba jockey faces a long road to recovery and may be left with permanent injuries after falling from her horse during the sixth race at Assiniboia Downs on Saturday.
Jockey Alyssa Selman could not hold on after the horse she was riding clipped its heels and stumbled.
Her husband Rumesh Selman was the first to arrive at her side on the track before she was taken off on a stretcher.
"Her neck was one way and her torso was the other way, it wasn't a pretty scene," Rumesh said outside HSC where his wife is recovering from surgery.
Doctors told the family she has a fractured T-5 vertebrae and her spinal cord has suffered some damage.
At this time, Selman has no feeling in her legs and also has fractures to her face.
"It's kind of hard seeing her lying there like that, you know? Not being able to move, a person you're so used to seeing bouncing and frolicking," said Rumesh.
Selman, a mother of two young children, is known at the track as hardworking and passionate.
"I've been at Assiniboia Downs for 35 years and I’ve never seen an accident like this before, but it's not out of the realm in our sport," said CEO Darren Dunn.
Selman's husband is still holding out hope for a full recovery for his wife who lived to be around horses.
"I guarantee you if she recovers and she's able to walk she'll be back on a horse in no time," he said.
He says her spinal cord is still intact and with time her body may heal meaning Alyssa could eventually walk or even get back in the saddle.
- with files from CTV's Michelle Gerwing
