In Beyond the Homestretch, Lynn Reardon shares an unlikely story. In
2002, she quit her Washington DC–area office job and moved to rural
Texas to open the racehorse adoption ranch LOPE (LoneStar Outreach to
Place Ex-Racers). Since then, LOPE has helped transition more than
725 thoroughbreds into new homes. Though now the director of this
high-profile organization, Reardon didn’t learn to ride until she
was an adult. Here she presents a vivid inside look into the world of
horse racing, complete with colorful horses, jockeys, trainers, and
gallop girls, depicting the insights horses can offer when we
reevaluate our relationship with them.

In this riveting account, Reardon encounters dozens of unruly
racehorses, all with special needs, unusual histories, and distinct
personalities. As she fumbles to help them find new careers, they
return the favor by becoming her most memorable mentors in
horsemanship and life philosophy.

Horses such as Tawakoni, the son of a Kentucky Derby winner, and
Endofthestorm, the speedy bay who required an emergency tracheotomy,
give Reardon an apprenticeship in facing fear and finding a new life.
Reardon may have saved these horses’ lives, but she points out that
they saved hers as well. She takes readers for a thrilling ride
filled with fiery racehorses, offbeat horse people, colorful Texas
culture clashes, veterinary melodramas, and surprising lessons.

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