Paralysed Tylicki plans riding lesson next week

Freddy Tylicki is to sit on a horse for the first time since his life-changing fall in a riding lesson planned for next week.

The 30-year-old, paralysed from the waist down after a fall at Kempton in October, has slowly been recovering from his injuries and feels he is now ready to get back on a horse.

"It's not going to be a racehorse – it'll be something slower – but life goes on and you've got to make the most of it," said Tylicki. "There's only two ways you can go in this situation and I've decided to go forward. Somehow, life goes on again."

Explaining his reasoning to BBC Look East, he added: "It's like a drug – once you start with it, you can't stop."

Tylicki, who can no longer move the lower half of his body after a T7 paralysis, still has not watched a replay of the incident that also left him with 18 broken ribs.

"In some ways I am lucky to be here," he continued. "I remember everything from the fall, and unfortunately that's racing. It's a very risky job and you know that as a rider.

"Apparently it was a horrible fall, I haven't seen it. I was there, so there's no point looking at it again. You are going to have falls, and when you do fall it's how bad it is afterwards. I got away with it a few times and unfortunately I didn't this time."