Young Hastings jockey Katie Bothamley remains unconscious in Wellington Hospital today, after falling from her horse during a race in Wanganui last week.
Katie's mother, Tina, said her daughter, 17, underwent a tracheoctomy yesterday, to allow her to be ventilated from a new position.
Katie was taken to hospital after falling from
her horse Rancherie in the second race of the day at last Thursday's meeting.
She had shown little response to attempts to revive her, after initially being placed in an induced coma. Scans have shown no sign of brain damage.
Other jockeys riding in the race have subsequently reported seeing the girth of Katie's horse come loose, causing her saddle to slip.
Katie moved to Hastings from Gisborne eight months ago to ride for trainer Diane Sergeant. The ride was her first outside her trainer's stable and only the eighth in her career - a career which is now expected to have come to an end.
Mrs Bothamley said the family was receiving plenty of support and were "hanging in there".
Doctors were still taking Katie off her medication, but Mrs Bothamley said it was a slow process.
"They've got to take it slowly, as they don't know how she's going to react."
Katie's family were remaining positive, but were expecting a long vigil at the hospital.
"They've (doctors) said it's going to be a long, long road," Mrs Bothamley said.
