Michael Schumacher's wife tells magazine he is 'getting better slowly' and steadily improving

Corinna Schumacher, the wife of Michael Schumacher, has revealed that the Formula One driver, who’s been in a coma since December, is ‘getting better slowly’.

She was speaking at a riding event in her native Switzerland last weekend after Michael was recently transferred from a hospital in Grenoble, France, to a unit near his Swiss home.

Corinna has spent months by the bedside of her husband Michael, 45, as he was kept in a medically induced coma after suffering a major head injury when he fell while skiing in France. 

Hope: Corinna Schumacher, pictured at a riding event in her native Switzerland, has said that her husband (right) is getting better slowly

Just weeks ago experts warned Corinna was on the cusp of making herself gravely ill with her worries over the future for her husband Michael

She told Neue Post: ‘It's getting better, slowly certainly, but in any case it's improving.’

She was pictured laughing and handing out chocolates at the event.

'This smile is a message about fate,' said Germany's Bild newspaper. 'It means: we will fight. For every happy moment in life.' 

Just weeks ago experts warned Corinna was on the cusp of making herself gravely ill with her worries over the future for her husband Michael, 45, as the Formula One ace struggled to come out of the six month induced coma.

She was warned to find downtime for herself otherwise she risked succumbing to depression.

The picture she presented of herself at the weekend at her western-style ranch in Givrins, Switzerland, shows she took the advice to heart.

Michael Schumacher, 45, (pictured with his wife Corinna) suffered a major head injury when he fell while skiing in France in December and was kept in a medically induced coma for six months after the accident

Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm was with her as she held a western-style riding tournament called 'reining' at the ranch. Corinna became an expert in the pursuit several years ago and has won prizes for her skill around the world.

At the CS Ranch - the initials stand for her name - Corinna, 45, was 'the epitome of grace and charm. A life on hold has now flooded back to her. This was a statement to the world that she is comfortable with the progress Michael is making and knows that life must always go on,' said a Swiss radio station.

Riders from more than a dozen nations turned up at the ranch for the day's events at the ultra-modern arena that Corinna bought in 2004.

Bild quoted a guest as saying: 'Ms Schumacher radiated an incredible warmth. She was not so mighty that she couldn't push away a wheelbarrow with manure from the stables. She had kind words for everyone there.' 

Doctors warn Michael Schumacher still has long recovery

Schumacher (pictured in May 2012) was recently transferred from the hospital in Grenoble, France to a unit near his Swiss home

She was said to be thrilled that her son Mick, 15, who usually likes racing karts like his father did before he graduated to F1, mounted one of her horses to give a display of his equestrian skills before her and his sister Gina-Maria, 17.

Corinna - who spent upwards of ten hours a day at her husband's bedside at the University Hospital Grenoble since his accident on December 29 last year - now visits him daily at the rehab clinic in Lausanne where he has been for the past three weeks.

His carers hope he may make enough progress to sit in a wheelchair before the summer is out.

DM