Newly released horse book started from essay in The Texas Thoroughbred magazine

In August 2006, Lynn Reardon approached The Texas Thoroughbred magazine with a short article about Spider, a young Thoroughbred who had recently wrangled with a rattlesnake. Reardon was well known to the publication – her nonprofit racehorse adoption group, LOPE (LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-racers), had placed many Texas racehorses into new homes after their racing careers were over. The Texas Thoroughbred Association had also sponsored LOPE for its charitable work with the horses.

Denis Blake, editor of The Texas Thoroughbred, liked the article and decided to run it in the magazine. “Spider’s Bad Day” appeared in the November/December 2006 issue.

“Taking care of ex-racehorses has always been very important to the Texas Thoroughbred Association and its members, so we’ve run many stories about it but never had a reaction like we did after this article,” said Blake.

Many readers contacted Reardon after the story ran – they wanted to know more about Spider and the other horses at LOPE. The strong response led Reardon to take on a surprising new project.

“People kept telling me how much they liked the article,” she said. “Over and over, I heard ‘Hey, you should write a book about the horses at the LOPE adoption ranch.’ And that’s what I finally did.”

“Spider’s Bad Day” became the first chapter of Reardon’s newly released book, Beyond the Homestretch (ISBN: 978-1-57731-580-3). At the LOPE adoption ranch near Austin, Texas, Reardon encountered dozens of unruly racehorses, all with special needs and vivid personalities. As she helped them make the shift to new careers, they returned the favor – by becoming her most memorable mentors in horsemanship and life philosophy. The horses themselves are a central focus of the book, with their fascinating racing careers, spirited natures, and gripping veterinary needs. Reardon’s own story, that of a stressed-out office worker turned capable ranch hand, is told through her experiences with the horses.

“Without the enthusiastic encouragement from The Texas Thoroughbred magazine and its readers, I never would have thought to write an entire book,” said Reardon. “And the fact that I had been published in such a quality magazine really helped attract publishing industry interest in my book project.”

For more information about LOPE, visit www.lopetx.org , and for more information about the book, visit www.beyondthehomestretch.com .