Victorian jockey Laura Lafferty has opened up about her arduous journey to recovery after a devastating race fall that left her in an induced coma. The 25-year-old's life took an unimaginable turn during a race at Ballarat in October, where she sustained multiple severe injuries.

Lafferty was leading aboard The Praised One in a 1400m race when the incident occurred. As the field surged past her, she fell off her mount, suffering a range of traumatic injuries. Her list of injuries included two collapsed lungs, Grade 4 lacerations to her liver and spleen, severe body bruising, concussion, a broken foot, and two broken ribs.

Looking back on that fateful day, Lafferty remembers the weather vividly. "It was a really nice, sunny day," she recalled. She also remembers the conversations she had with people behind the gates before the race began. However, everything shifted in an instant.

“The last thing I remember was coming out of the gates and making my way to the front of the field,” she told Racing.com. “I had thought that the fall had happened 200m out of the gates, but I don’t really remember. But my horse had shied at something on the inside, and I’d come off the side of it. That’s the last thing I remember.”

The aftermath of the accident is a blur for Lafferty. “I don’t remember making it from Ballarat Racecourse to Ballarat Hospital. I woke up again at Ballarat Hospital, where they had said they were going to put me in an induced coma, and then obviously don’t remember until I’d woken up in Melbourne Alfred.”

Despite the horrifying nature of the fall, Lafferty expressed immense gratitude toward those who played crucial roles in saving her life. Among them, trackside paramedic Mick holds a special place in her heart. “It’s still pretty new, pretty raw,” she admitted, sharing that her family avoids revisiting the accident.

While her physical injuries were extensive, Lafferty revealed that the mental toll has posed the most significant challenge. “My biggest challenge is definitely mentally coming to terms with not being able to even run, let alone work,” she said.

In the face of these obstacles, Lafferty has adopted a proactive approach to her recovery. She has enrolled in a course at RMIT and maintains a strict schedule of weekly physiotherapy appointments to stay focused. “That’s why I’m putting steps in place to be able to get through the next 12 months. Just doing a course at RMIT, setting those goals, booking physio every week just gets me through every week. It’s a mental game at this stage.”

Encouraging signs of improvement have emerged in her physical recovery, a feat she attributes to the unwavering support of her medical team and loved ones. “The doctors and specialists have been really happy,” she said. Among her supporters, her mother stands out as her pillar of strength.

“My mum, she’s stayed with me, taken me to all my appointments. She’s just literally done everything, so I wouldn’t be as far along in the recovery journey if it weren’t for her.”

Although Lafferty is setting ambitious goals for her future, horse racing is not her immediate focus. Instead, she is turning her attention to a triathlon next year. “My goal in regards to horse riding would be to get back show jumping in beyond six months,” she said.

Lafferty’s story is one of resilience and determination. While her journey to full recovery continues, her courage and optimism in the face of adversity are a testament to her character.