FIVE months after the horror fall which could have left him paralysed, jockey Ryan Winks has been forced to retire from the sport that has been his ‘whole life’.
Speaking to the Chronicle this week, the 38-year-old looked back on his career and discussed his difficult rehabilitation and his desire to stay in the sport in another capacity.
“My body wouldn’t let me carry on, it’s as simple as that,” he said.
“I didn’t want to hinder myself or have another fall and end up in a wheelchair.
“It’s a long road trying to sort myself out and I’ve got to have people behind me.”
Ryan started riding in 1995, progressing from Arab racing to riding 27 winners under rules - including Chestnut Ben, who he led to victory in the Scottish Champion Chase in 2016.
“It’s been my whole life, just about, so I haven’t got anything else to fall back on,” said Ryan.
“When you’re so passionate about something and then it all changes, it is hard.
“When you see retiring sportsmen talking about their mental health, and even wanting to kill themselves, I can fully understand where they’re coming from now.
“It’s quite brave to keep going.”
Ryan was racing at Sedgefield on Presenting Streak, trained by his father Peter, in October when the horse misjudged a hurdle and fell - crushing the jump jockey.
He underwent surgery to insert two rods, two plates and screws into his back, and went onto rehabilitation at Jack Berry House in Malton, the centre for injured jockeys.
Ryan initially hoped to get back in the saddle, but the ‘couple of seasons’ he thought he had left in the sport will now be spent preparing for the next chapter in his career - training horses.
“I want to start training by the end of this year,” said Ryan. “That’s all I can do, it’s the only thing that would give me as much pleasure as riding.
“It’s worse than a drug, you’re always after that buzz.
“All the older trainers are ex-jockeys, but a lot now go into coaching jockeys.
“But my training is better than my riding. I know when a horse is ready and I feel like I’m good at reading form.
“I think it would be a good opportunity for a backer who wants to own a few horses.”
Ryan admitted struggling to come to terms with the decision.
But in a career whch has brought dislocated shoulders, a broken back, broken ribs and torn leg and neck muscles, he says any further injuries could leave him in a wheelchair - or worse.
Ryan says: “It’s part and parcel of the job. Ninety nine per cent of people couldn’t be a jump jockey, most give up after their first fall.
“A lot don’t make it to my age. But a select few have that love of the sport, and desire to fund themselves and their families.”
Ryan believes he and his father have ‘probably been some of the most successful trainers in Barnsley’.
He will begin training alongside his father at their stables in Little Houghton, but says he wants to do it ‘on his own’.
“Everything is in place,” he added.
“I’m about to finish my level three training badge.
“I’ve still got a lot of knowledge and a lot of contacts and it would be a shame to turn my back on the sport.
“With the right backing, and the right horses, I could compete with the big lads. I could go to the top.”
