NZ HARNESS NEWS
Invercargill horseman Nathan Williamson is in the spelling paddock for a while after a horse stood on his foot, breaking some bones, early last week.
Williamson’s foot is in a caste for four weeks and he could be on the sidelines for up to two months.
“Your feet get stood on all the time when you’re training horses and you don’t think too much about it,” said Williamson.
“I thought it was just a bad bruise but when it wasn’t coming right by the end of last week, I thought I’d better get it look at and it turned out there were some small broken bones.”
This is the first time Williamson has been laid up by an injury and he admits it took a few days for him “to get his head around it”.
“I’ve got a good staff of four but that’s just for the mornings and I normally do the afternoons by myself.
“The wife and father-in-law have been very helpful but I’ll have to get something more organised with a lot of horses coming back into work over the winter.”
If there was any consolation, the broken foot could have happened at a much worse time.
“I was lucky in that respect because I got through Diamonds Day and I don’t have a big team in work for the winter, what with the Southland season winding down now.
“And I don’t have a horse or a drive in the Jewels at this stage.
“If something came up I could hope for a speedy recovery and look for an early clearance from the doctor.”
Williamson had drives in the three features on Diamonds Day at Ascot Park and finished third in the Southern Supremacy with stable runner Franco Santino, his best pacer at present.
Williamson has joined his best trotter Dark Horse in rehab though.
She suffered a hind suspensory ligament injury earlier this year and has had an operation.
“She’s still being boxed and just walked daily and is three months away from jogging.
“She’s still a young mare so if we’re patient now, we should get two to three more seasons of racing with her.”
- NZ Harness News
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