Beyond the Homestretch: What I've Learned from Saving Racehorses
“Again and again Reardon shows us the magic that can happen when the right horse meets the right person. Terrific tales of second chances that will lift your heart with joy.”—Susan Richards, author ofChosen by a Horse“InBeyond the Homestretch, Lynn Reardon shares a personal journey to which many horse lovers secretly aspire: leaving the safety of the office cubicle and embarking upon a career working with horses. Her mission to find loving homes for ex-racehorses brings with it challenges aplenty, but also a richness of experience that she relates with style and good humor.”—Rick Lamb, author and TV/radio host ofThe Horse Show“A wonderful, wonderful journey that inspires us all to live our lives with purpose, on purpose. Nothing lifts the human spirit like sharing, caring, relating, and fulfilling. With this book, Lynn Reardon is making positive differences in the world and demonstrating how we can do so as well. An enchanting read.”—Joe Camp, author ofThe Soul of a Horseand writer, director, and creator of the films starring the canine superstar Benji“In Lynn Reardon’s world, the horses have as much personality as the people, and most all of them are real characters, author included. Lynn’s real gift is making the day-to-day chores and the simplest interactions poignant, meaningful, and insightful. After reading this book, you won’t look at horses — or life — in the same way again.”—Linda Kohanov, author ofThe Tao of Equus“Beyond the Homestretchis a fascinating read for horsemen and horse lovers alike. Lynn writes eloquently about her equine adventures, really bringing out the individual characters of her horses while also vividly depicting life on a Texas ranch. Lynn’s organization, LOPE, and her work on the Texas racing circuit provide a wonderful model for others to emulate.”—Alex Brown, creator of AlexBrownRacing.com“Every now and again — all too rarely — a book crosses my desk that is a must-read.Beyond the Homestretchis one of them. When we watch horse racing, we experience only the tip of the iceberg. We don’t see the behind-the-scenes details of who the horses and humans are, their individual and engaging personalities, the ups and downs of their daily routines, and their charming quirks. Lynn Reardon has done us and the horses a big favor by writing this easy-to-read account and by adopting ex-racers so that they can live out their lives with dignity, respect, and love. Read and share this book widely. It is that important.”—Marc Bekoff, author ofThe Emotional Lives of Animals,Wild Justice, andThe Animal ManifestoPraise for the work of Lynn Reardon:“In the horse racing industry, there is no work more important than that done by Lynn Reardon. Through her nonprofit organization, LOPE, Reardon has rescued, rehabilitated, and retrained hundreds of former racehorses and found them loving, lasting homes. Her comprehensive, innovative, and exhaustive efforts have saved the lives of innumerable horses and fostered new partnerships between horse lovers and former racehorses. She is truly a hero.”—Laura Hillenbrand, author ofSeabiscuit: An American Legend