When my current dressage horse wants a change in career, I visit Nonette, a beautiful wannabe-retired racehorse at the track with great dressage potential. I find her stuck in a dark, hot stall. I have no room for her at home and have promised my husband I won’t buy another horse until I sell the one I already have. But poor Nonette! Having seen the conditions in which she lives, I feel obliged to rescue her. However, my husband mustn’t find out what I’m doing -- he’ll never believe I don’t intend to keep another horse. Read on to discover how rescuing the pretty mare becomes a nightmare!

How Not to Rescue a Racehorse

Nonette trotted up perfectly sound. It wasn’t much to go on, but at least she’d passed that test.


Next, a tiny piece of leather-covered felt—a racing exercise saddle—was placed on her back. I asked if I could groom her before she was saddled up, but was told the grooming kit was locked in the tack room. I wondered why her tack wasn’t locked up in the tack room, too, and guessed Nonette didn’t have a grooming kit.


A bridle was put on her and the halter thrown over it. The lead rope chain was placed across her nose while I adjusted the stirrup leathers from their two-inch racing shortness down to a dressage length. Next, I mounted Nonette from an upturned muck bucket right there where she stood in the aisle. I have never mounted a horse underneath a roof!


Chapter 3