Olympic eventer Liz Halliday continues to make strides in her recovery following a head injury sustained in a cross-country fall on Aug. 29, during the USEA American Eventing Championships (Kentucky). Halliday has been hospitalized at the University of Kentucky Medical Center since having surgery to relieve pressure on her brain, but according to an update posted by her friends and family on Monday, she “has started reaching for our hands when we sit next to her bed and is making purposeful movements.”

Halliday developed a fever over the weekend, but her temperature has now returned to normal, and she continues to keep her eyes open while awake, according to the update. Her family and friends have also toured the rehab facility where they hope Halliday will be transferred later this week.

A physical therapy team started working with Halliday on Friday, Sept. 6, and manually sat her up for roughly 20 minutes.

“The doctors told us that the waking up process varies from person to person, so we were very happy to be able to see this process begin,” the Friday update read.

“We know this is going to be a day by day to full recovery but from every doctor we have talked with, they are optimistic and her fighting spirit is certainly coming through each and every day.”

After posting near daily updates on Halliday’s social media pages, her family and friends have established a page on her website where they will continue to post updates.

Since her accident, the updates have encouraged well-wishers to continue to send messages, voice memos and cards, all of which have been read or shared with Halliday and established the #KeepFightingLiz hashtag. Yesterday, Foxfire Eventing, a nonprofit organization focusing on growth mindset, responsibility, leadership, peer mentorship, volunteerism and animal welfare through horses in Goochland, Virginia, announced the establishment of a “Lap for Liz” during each of their rides starting Thursday at 7 p.m. Eastern until she has recovered and has encouraged others to join them.

“During our lap, we will harness all of the horsepower energy from our equine partners to super-boost our prayers, hopes, and best wishes for her rapid and complete recovery!” their post read.