Pony tales aren't always pretty

I never intended to write a breakdown story.

My short story, "Expendable," which Bushwick Daily published on Sunday is not a sunshine and rainbows horse story. I have to be honest, I really wanted to write one of those. I'd love to write something that changes people's preconceived notions of what it's like at the racetrack.

But when you sit down with your pen and your notebook, you can't do anything but write down what comes into your head. And this is what came into my head. I spent six months at the racetrack (here I am below, shipping a horse to a race) and I saw many beautiful things - but I saw dark things, too.

I do think that "Expendable" redeems the racetrack a little by admitting that it works both ways. There are bad trainers, there are good trainers. There are people who see horses as expendable, sure, but not everyone looks upon them that way. Just as it would be wrong to paint everyone at the racetrack as evil, though, it would be wrong to pretend that it's anything other than what it is.

For the most part, horse racing fans are not oblivious to the tragic side of the sport. "Lord of Misrule," the National Book Award winner set at a crumbling racetrack, was well-received despite its faithful portrayals of horses on their last legs, running beyond their ability and soundness, and the organized crime element which is an inevitable part of a sport based upon wagering. No one likes the truth, but at least they are honest with themselves and admit that there are serious problems in the business of racing.

More than just horses!

I'm very excited that this past month was spent researching and conducting interviews for an article based in... cheerleading. 


Cheerleading, it turns out, isn't all that different from horse showing. Let's face it, when you have a large group of competitive adolescent girls (and a couple of boys, too) there are going to be rivalries, tears, and lots and lots of glittery make-up.

It's just that in cheerleading, the girls are wearing the glittery make-up, instead of their horses.

Glitter is universal.

And the troubles that both gyms and stables face, trying to be a part of the lives of families who are being pulled in every direction, economically and by the relentlessly ticking clock, are pretty similar, as well. There isn't as much money to throw around these days. People have to make choices. Competitive sports for kids, especially ones as removed from school life as cheerleading or hunter/jumper shows, are often the first to go.

I'm really happy to have stepped out of the box this month and been given the opportunity to write about something new. In the process, I was able to meet some great people who are very anxious about their ability to stay involved in the lives of children, and witness their forward-thinking approach to changing the way they do business.