Ruby Walsh: A broken leg is one of the many perils of jump racing

Saturday’s not going to be a day I forget for a while. Every time I look down at my leg I’m reminded of it.

But that’s the peril of jump racing. There’s no good time to break your leg, but this is a particularly bad time. It’s just one of those things.

I knew when Let’s Dance began to roll over that I hadn’t gotten far enough away from her. I didn’t get hit up the arse, and consequently we never got the chance to part company on the way down.

And so I ended up going all the way to the ground with her, which meant I was very close when she flipped over and she ended up landing and twisting on top of my leg.

There was no head injury. When she rolled, she hit the goggles, which cut me over the eye. There was blood, but it was only superficial.

It’s unfortunate – but that’s what happens.

Now it means 12 weeks on the sidelines. But with 16 weeks to go until the Cheltenham Festival, I feel that as long as I’m back in the saddle by then, that’ll do.

That’s my realistic aim. The doctors are happy enough with what they saw, so fingers crossed the recovery will go to plan.

Thankfully, there’s no surgery required. The fracture was undisplaced, which is positive – a displaced fracture can be very troublesome. The fact that the bones stayed in line is a big help.

I have a cast on the lower part of my leg. But the injury isn’t half as bad as the one I sustained at Down Royal after Corrick Bridge hit the deck in November 2010. That was a double fracture – I really smashed my leg badly. There were several breaks and some pretty severe damage. This one is far more straightforward.

On that occasion I was back in time for Cheltenham as well, so that gives me hope.

I’m not looking to Leopardstown in February – the Festival is my only target. Keeping fit shouldn’t be an issue. I should be out of the cast by Christmas, so that leaves all of January and February to get fit.

It’ll be tough, but I’ll be back.