Hall of Fame trainer/driver Clint Galbraith is in an upstate New York rehabilitation facility after the horseman sustained a serious head injury
on May 16.
Galbraith had returned home from racing four horses at Tioga Downs when he was knocked over and fell to the ground, striking his head. He was admitted to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester and placed in an induced coma for several days.
Barbara Galbraith, his wife, reports that Clint is ambulatory, can care for himself, is awake and alert, but has some cognitive organization problems.
“He’s confused right now. We’re trying to find a place to move him because the rehab he’s in is really for acute care people. He now needs someplace different because he’s stronger.”
The horses are still tops on his mind, though, reports Mrs. Galbraith, who is trying to juggle 25 horses in training and about 75 broodmares on her own.
“He spotted a clipboard and asked, ‘Is that my clipboard?’ I said, ‘No, that’s the nurse’s.’ He said he needed his clipboard because I have to organize everything. He has a clipboard at the farm where he writes the schedule for tomorrow. All these things he’s done for a zillion years, it’s all there, but he just gets a little mixed up about things.
“They told us that’s what’s going to happen. He’s going to get mixed up like that. It should get better as we go along, but it could take up to three months. It’ll take about three months for his mind to clear, between the drugs they gave him and the actual incident.”
Galbraith’s long term memory is in great shape, says Mrs. Galbraith.
“One of the therapists brought her husband in and he was a guy who worked for Clint at Monticello, 25 years ago. He took care of two of Niatross’ brothers and sisters. Clint knew him and talked to him, he remembers all that stuff. They ask him the same questions every day and he says he’s getting sick and tired of it and I don’t blame him -- what day is it, where are you? He gets them right all the time, but on other things, it’s like the wires get crossed. He knows that and it frustrates him.”
Mrs. Galbraith reports that Clint would very much like to receive get well cards and they can be sent to him in care of Rodney Farm, P.O. Box 902, Scottsville, NY 14546-0902.
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit ustrotting.com.