I recall watching an interview with Michael Flatley during which he spoke about his sacking from Riverdance. He admitted that while he was in a very dark place at the time, he was determined to bounce back. “I was down but I was not out,” he said. Those words stuck with me and, following recent events in my own life, they now hold even greater significance.

My introduction to horses came about in the form of an old pony that my friend and I used to pass on the way home from school every afternoon, so that eventually we began climbing over the gate and using our school jumpers as reins to ride him.

A neighbour kept horses for eventing and hunter trials and before long I was going along to all the shows with his family. At seven years of age I began mucking out and doing odd jobs for Marion Breen, getting payment in the form of riding lessons.

I left school and began working for Homer Scott and it wasn’t long before I was riding in point-to-points and progressed to bumpers on the track. Homer had some very exciting young horses at the time, like The Iliad and Kisain. It was a very eventful time to be working in the yard: I was there at the time Homer was kidnapped which fortunately was quickly resolved.

BROKEN NECK

I moved on to work for Teresa O’Neill up North, and later I joined Ian Ferguson. During that time I had a very bad fall in a point-to-point at Tyrella where I broke my neck. Luckily for me a retired surgeon, Miller Bell, was standing at the fence where I fell. I have little doubt that his subsequent actions saved me from more serious damage. Miller knew that I had most likely broken or dislocated my neck, so he made certain that I wasn’t moved. The racecourse medics carefully loaded me onto a scoop stretcher with blocks on either side of my head and taped me in so that I was secure while I was taken to hospital.

In Belfast, surgeons had to drill holes in each side of my head and insert weights in order to pull my neck down and prevent further movement. This procedure was done under local anaesthetic, so although I could feel no pain, it was like they were using a jackhammer inside my skull!

After three days it was clear that further surgery was required but this time the operation was more risky. The surgeon had pioneered a new technique, spinal fusion, which he believed was the best option available to me.

I was moved to the Royal Victoria Hospital, where I underwent a nine and a half hour operation, during which I was opened from the back of my head to the base of my spine. The operating team then took bone from my hips and fused it with my vertebrae in order to repair the damage and my broken collarbone was replaced with a metal plate and pins.

When I came round, I found myself lying in bed, wearing what resembled a suit of armour: all that was visible were holes for my eyes, nose and mouth. I spent months in hospital, not knowing if I would ever walk again.

LONG RECOVERY

One day I asked the doctor how I was coming along and he told me to try and click my fingers with my left hand. Although I struggled at first, over time I began to manage it and eventually reached the point where the medical team felt enough movement had returned to allow for my discharge.

In all I spent nine months lying paralysed in a hospital bed; I basically had to learn how to walk all over again.

As part of my recovery I was taken to visit TT racer Robert Dunlop, who had broken his neck in a fall a couple of years previously. Robert proved a great inspiration, recovering from his injuries to race again at Grand Prix level. My doctors also recommended that I spend time in a warmer climate, so a friend kindly arranged for me to go to Tarrega in Spain for 12 weeks.

On my return I met with my friend Alfred Buller, owner of Scarvagh House Stud, and I told him I wanted to train horses. He organised a month’s trial with Martin Pipe, which turned out to be a life-changing experience.

Martin Pipe had reinvented the way racehorses were trained and had brought their fitness to a new level. He had a huge influence on my career. After a trial period, I was given a full-time job which I kept for two seasons.

Some exceptional horses passed through the yard during that time, including one in particular who the boss had claimed off the flat at Leicester. After the horse began to show some promise, I suggested that maybe he would be an ideal type for the Galway Hurdle. Pipey just looked at me and said this horse would win the Champion Hurdle. The following March, Make A Stand fulfilled that prophesy!

I wanted to gain as much experience as possible so, after leaving Pipe’s, I applied for a visa to work for leading trainer Janet Elliot in America. Initially I lived in a house with a gang of Mexicans but, fearing for my life, I had a word with the boss who arranged for me to go and stay in a nearby Amish community!

After leaving the States I got a job in Australia, through Jamie Evans, an Australian rider I had met at Martin Pipe’s.

STARTING UP

Armed with an extensive education, I began training point-to-pointers back home. I was fortunate to be sent a number of nice young horses, who I produced to win their points, before going on to race on the track. Very Very Noble became my first racecourse winner when winning a hunter chase at Downpatrick in 2000.

I enjoyed a very successful three or four years training between the flags, using high-class riders such as John Thomas McNamara, Davy Russell and Brian Hamilton. Brian is a very close friend of mine and when he retired I shifted focus as I saw an opening to win races with older horses in the north of England.

Horses who had previously raced on the track but improved in points and then returned to racing under rules often did so off lenient handicap marks. I did really well with such types, training over 100 winners, with A.P. McCoy partnering over 20 of those.

As my stock as a trainer began to rise I was sent better horses. Sir Ector, Silk Hall and Hunting Tower took me to the next level but then I made a big mistake by taking a job as an employee trainer.

While I enjoyed a lot of success in that new role, I am far happier now doing my own thing and being my own boss. I know racing is never going to make me a millionaire but I don’t do it for the money, I do it for the love of horses.

STRESSFUL TIME

All the hard work was quickly wiped out when the Yachvili case made headlines in 2013. Despite being completely exonerated after a lengthy investigation, the whole episode was a very stressful time in my life - one I am still battling to recover from.

The case didn’t do me any favours and, while I fully appreciate that the relevant authorities had a job to do, I feel my reputation and good name suffered as a result.

I acknowledge that I am not, or never was going to be, champion trainer, but I lost a lot of business because of the uncertainty surrounding the case and it will take me a long time to regain that trust.

From the outset I was determined to clear my name and, having endured endless interviews and investigations, I have battled back and am still doing what I love most, training horses.

Thankfully, I continue to have the support of many loyal owners and leading figures within the racing community.

I am extremely grateful to all those that have stood by me in those dark days and hope to repay their faith by rebuilding my career and showing that I am an honest, hard-working individual.

Having already faced and beaten adversity in recovering from serious injury and learning to walk again, I am determined to do so a second time, so that once again I can enjoy my racing and do my best for my owners and staff.

James Lambe was in conversation with John O’Riordan