from the Foreword ...When Standardbreds reach the age of 15, they must retire from racing. Many of them do not make this honorable retirement age, leaving the racing world as young as two or three, because they lack the speed or the talent for competition. What becomes of these young horses? Some mares go to the breeders, geldings pull carts for the Amish, or go to the killer trucks and become meat. With more and more people aware of these smart and sturdy horses, an increasing number go to work as pleasure horses. As my friends say, these horses win the lottery. They join the ranks of pets and show horses, working at dressage, jumping, trail riding, carriage driving, all the skills of any other breed. Many of them show great versatility and excel at more than one equine skill... I first met a Standardbred when I was twelve, but like many people I had no idea what I was seeing. Not until my own children were grown and I had time to hang around the local track, did I really learn about the breed. And not until I acquired my own Standardbred could I fully appreciate these wonderful animals. I cannot imagine ever owning another breed of horse. But then I cannot imagine owning any other horse but the one I have. The stories in this book illustrate the process by which a middle-aged woman, who thought she had no athletic ability, became what she had always dreamed of, a partner with my horse in an endless adventure of growth and health. Nothing focuses the muscles or the attention and makes the rest of the world go away like sitting on top of a thousand pound animal with a mind of his own.