Singer Una Healy and her boyfriend Aidan Coleman stepped out in style last night at The Irish Post Awards - but Aidan is no stranger to media attention because he was a champion jockey.
Aidan, who rode more than 1200 career winners as a jockey, was forced to retire from racing earlier this year after he suffered a devastating fall at Worcester racecourse last year.
The 35 year old injured his knee due to the fall and sadly never recovered, despite several surgeries.
Read more: Una Healy debuts new boyfriend Aidan Coleman at first public appearance together
"It is frustrating. It was almost 18 months ago. I just had my third operation and another to be done," he said. "Then a knee replacement to have at some stage. I can’t do normal activities like running or kicking a football or any sport. I can get round and ride out a little bit.
"It is not like a disability. But the little things, like if I see a football I’d normally just kick it, but I can’t now. I like football but I'm no good at it."
Aidan also said it has been hard to adjust to life away from the saddle because he never expected to retire so soon. "The life of a jockey is fast paced. Ultimately, you thrive off the organised chaos. One day in the south of England, then Scotland and then maybe Wales, you are here, there and everywhere and riding out in the mornings. It is mental.
"I haven’t had time to prepare for it [retirement]. Even though the injury was very bad and the prognosis was never great, in my head I was always going to get back. Up until March this year, I was certain I would come back even if it took a little longer," Aidan told BoyleSports, who offer the latest horse racing odds.
The jockey also revealed he wouldn't follow in Una's footsteps by going down the reality TV route.
"No! I can’t dance and especially with my knee now. That’s the perfect excuse. My brother trains Flat horses in Ireland so I’ve relocated back there. I’m there a lot in the mornings and I enjoy that. He’s doing pretty well, but that’s a base. After that, I don’t actually know."
Aidan added that retirement is tricky. "If I had had time to set something up or wanted to do and get my teeth into whilst I was still riding, I would have adapted to life outside the saddle pretty well. The fact is that I don’t. I would love to have something I’d really love to do."
That being said, Aidan says you have to accept where you are at in life. "You have to take the rough with the smooth. I’d much rather be riding, don’t get me wrong.
But you can’t lose perspective when you see what has happened over the last year, not least with Graham Lee [fellow jockey who was paralysed from the neck down while racing]. In the grand scheme of things, I wouldn’t want to be a victim about it."
There are also plus sides to being away from the saddle. "I eat when I want to now. I got to about 12st and now about 11st 7lbs which is my natural body weight. I was riding at about 10st 2lbs. I didn’t have a weight problem when I was riding but you always had to watch what you ate. I was fortunate I never had to starve myself!"
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