New Zealand jockey Sophia Malthus reveals life after accident which left her a quadriplegic

It took just a split second for Sophia Malthus’ world to be flipped upside down forever, when she was flung from a rogue racehorse and broke her neck.  

The brief moment in November 2016 changed not only the then-19-year-old’s life, but each interaction she has with the world around her since. 

Suddenly faced with an uncertain future, the New Zealander was forced to grapple with a new identity, one forged following an accident by the sport she had dedicated over a decade to.  

Sophia, now 21, sustained a C4-5 level spinal cord injury in the fall – causing quadriplegia, leaving her with almost no sensation or motor skills from the collarbone down. 

But two years on, she has come to use the platform garnered from her burgeoning Instagram account and feature in a documentary which aired across New Zealand earlier this year.

Sophia Malthus’ world to be flipped upside down forever, when she was flung from a rogue racehorse in November 2016 and broke her neck

The brief moment in November 2016 changed not only the then-19-year-old’s life, but each interaction she has with the world around her since 

Having so far gained several thousand followers, she regularly shows other spinal cord injury survivors across the globe the possibilities of life post-injury.

However, despite this pragmatic attitude Sophia is sure not to gloss over the realities of quadriplegia – especially on her well-preened social media presence.

‘Something I definitely struggle with on Instagram is how honestly I should be portraying a spinal cord injury,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.  

‘I know that my Instagram account gets shown to other young girls who have just had a spinal cord injury and I want them to know that you can still have a happy and fulfilling life.  

‘But people should also realise that I didn’t just break my neck and go back to life – I haven’t been to school or work in two years. 

‘I haven’t been out, it’s had a massive impact on everything there isn’t one part of my life that it doesn’t affect – but I still want people to know that I’m still happy.’   

In addition to its life-altering impact, the accident marked the end of a fledgling equestrian career, which saw Sophia move from New Zealand’s South Island to Auckland in order to train.

‘I always thought I would become a jockey even though it’s a lot of work, we would work 13 days on and one day off from 4:30AM – it was my whole life,’ she said. 

The fall resulted in a C4-5 level spinal cord injury – causing quadriplegia, leaving Sophia, now 21, with almost no sensation or motor skills from the collarbone down 

Life after the accident presented a hugely altered world for Sophia, one which now included a string of personal carers, physiotherapists and public insurance officials who fund much of her new medical needs

‘Then it was completely taken away from me in half a second – which is unbelievable.’  

On what began as a normal day at the racing stable soon turned terrifying when the horse Sophia was riding ‘spooked’ and propelled her into a fence. 

‘The horse broke away from my control and once we got to a bend we both flung up and that’s how I landed on the fence and the horse went through the fence,’ she explained.  

After a six-day stint in intensive care, Sophia was moved to a spinal unit for 12 weeks and then onto a residential rehab for a further nine months while her family scrambled to find a new, wheelchair accessible home. 

Upon leaving rehab, post-accident life presented also a hugely altered world for Sophia – one which now included a string of personal carers, physiotherapists and public insurance officials who fund much of her new medical needs.

‘Before you’re in a wheelchair you have no idea what it’s like to live in a wheelchair,’ she said.  

Upon leaving rehab, post-accident life presented also a hugely altered world for Sophia – one which now included a string of personal carers, physiotherapists and public insurance officials who fund much of her new medical needs

Upon leaving rehab, post-accident life presented also a hugely altered world for Sophia – one which now included a string of personal carers, physiotherapists and public insurance officials who fund much of her new medical need

‘I was lying in hospital looking up at the ceiling and I just thought, s*** I’m going to be lying down for the rest of my life. 

‘Then when I realised that I would be in a wheelchair I just thought “oh God, I’m never going to be able to do anything” but I can actually do quite a lot of stuff, there are just a lot of challenges.’ 

According to Sophia, it was this perspective which enabled her to accept the comparatively grim prognosis and come to terms with her new life.   

‘So many people get really hung up on the fact people are relying on others to get them dressed and stuff but it’s just like it’s really a waste of time,’ she said. 

‘But if I just let it be I can just enjoy the good times and get on with it.’

And despite the severe nature of her injury, Sophia says recovery also came with a range of unexpected perks.

‘We always say, thank God I’m the person and we’re the family that had the injury happen to them because not many people could have dealt with it,’ Sophia said (pictured with her step-father James) 

Despite her pragmatic attitude Sophia is sure not to gloss over the realities of life with quadriplegia – especially on her well-preened social media presence, saying: ‘I want (other young people with spinal cord injuries) to know that you can still have a happy and fulfilling life’

‘It was summer when I was in (the spinal unit) with a group of guys so I was there with seven young guys and it was just the funnest time of my life,’ she said.

‘That experience was like really good for my emotional well being, to be around such a cool group of guys who I’m still such good friends with,’ she said.  

This new reality has also seen Sophia shift her role in New Zealand’s horse racing industry from a would-be apprentice jockey mucking out stables, to presenting awards at some of the country’s most prominent races. 

‘Now I’m with the higher up officials whereas before I was more with just someone picking up s*** and riding horses and it nice to be with the big rich people but I want to be picking up s*** and doing the s*** work,’ she revealed.   

Much of this positive facilitation has been due to Sophia’s relentlessly supportive parents, including her mother Flick and step-dad James.

She told the Daily Mail Australia: ‘We always say, thank God I’m the person and we’re the family that had the injury happen to them because not many people could have dealt with it.’ 

‘I know that my Instagram account gets shown to other young girls who have just had a spinal cord industry and I want them to know that you can still have a happy and fulfilling life,’ Sophia told Daily Mail Australia 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk