Lenore Mitchell, a Colorado native, is a lifelong horse lover and has competed in over a thousand total miles of competitive trail rides, each 60 miles long. She has also enjoyed occasional pair-pace two-mile jumping competitions — as well as relaxing rides through shady forests. She also enjoys amateur botany, leading hikes with the Colorado Native Plant Society and teaching field-based Native Plant Master courses through CSU the past 20 years.
SunLit: Tell us this book’s backstory – what’s it about and what inspired you to write it?
Lenore Mitchell: I was bitten by the “horse bug” at an early age, but didn’t have my own horse until age 26, married and mom to a toddler.
This mystery combines my lifelong love of horses with the universal need for human connections. I’ve been fortunate to have shared my life with several horses, but in particular one very special Half-Arab mare, Babe, who came to me at age 3 and was part of our family until age 40.
UNDERWRITTEN BY
Each week, The Colorado Sun and Colorado Humanities & Center For The Book feature an excerpt from a Colorado book and an interview with the author. Explore the SunLit archives at coloradosun.com/sunlit.
She schooled me and my daughters about life and about love during well over a thousand miles of NATRC (North American Trail Ride Conference) competitive trail rides in 60-mile increments over two days. These are not races, but rather timed events overseen by a veterinarian and a horsemanship judge. At the end of a weekend spent on horseback, you learn a lot about yourself while cementing the bond with your horse.
SunLit: Place the excerpt you selected in context. How does it fit into the book as a whole and why did you select it?
Mitchell: The first chapter sets up the elements that develop as dual mysteries unfold and then come together.
SunLit: What influences and/or experiences informed the project before you sat down to write?
Mitchell: I love mysteries, so this second book of the Everything Equine Series combines the mystery element with equines while throwing in the rewards and hazards of friendship. In addition, I believe that mustangs continue to be abused and I hope to influence readers to care even more about equines in general and mustangs in particular.
“Wild Ride”
Where to find it:
- Prospector: Search the combined catalogs of 23 Colorado libraries
- Libby: E-books and audio books
- NewPages Guide: List of Colorado independent bookstores
- Bookshop.org: Searchable database of bookstores nationwide
SunLit present new excerpts from some of the best Colorado authors that not only spin engaging narratives but also illuminate who we are as a community. Read more.
SunLit: What did the process of writing this book add to your knowledge and understanding of your craft and/or the subject matter?
Mitchell: Writing a book takes a lot of time and effort to complete. I even enjoy revision, although I have a tendency to spend too much time on this!
SunLit: What were the biggest challenges you faced in writing this book?
Mitchell: I began the manuscript years ago and worked on it in fits and starts. While that helps with seeing mistakes and areas to revise, it also slows the process way too much.
SunLit: What do you want readers to take from this book?
Mitchell: My goal is to enhance readers’ appreciation for horses in general and mustangs in particular whether they own a horse, wish they did or have memories of a single ride that ended with rider in the dirt, horse galloping away.
SunLit: How do you react when you see a horse in a field or a barn or even in a movie?
Mitchell: We all know what a horse is, at least physically. But what do we understand about their nature, how they perceive the world, why we admire them, why they allow us puny humans to dominate them?
Horses do best in a herd. They’re miserable all alone. They need companionship, preferably that of other horses. They sure do communicate. The swish of the tail, an arching neck, eye movements, and many other cues. Snorts may warn, while nickering shows affection and whinnies greet.
But what really intrigues me is why these powerful animals allow us puny humans to dominate them. I suppose that’s largely due to their generally docile disposition and also to their intelligence and need for companionship. The term “breaking” a horse is beyond disgusting, however.
Fortunately, most trainers now utilize gentling techniques which not only benefit the animal but also bring better results. It’s easy to see that a full-grown horse is always more powerful than any full-grown human. Muscling them into submission may create what appears to be a “broke” horse, but that animal will harbor resentment which may erupt when least expected.
While it’s clear that horses intrigue humans, it’s challenging to express the reasons why. Having contributed immeasurably to early human mobility, horses now serve as everything from pasture ornaments to the muscular portion of competitive duos. They’re powerful, yet vulnerable. We take them for granted. We shouldn’t.
Perhaps Winston Churchill summed it up best: “The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a human.” I’d add that there’s nothing quite like a full-out gallop on a wonderful horse.
A few more quick items
Currently on your nightstand for recreational reading: “A Memory of Sorts” by Margaret Atwood (one of my favorites); “The Best Mystery Stories of 2025,” Mysterious Press.
First book you remember really making an impression on you as a kid: “Misty of Chincoteague” by Margaret Henry
Best writing advice you’ve ever received: Keep at it!
Favorite fictional literary character: Anne of Green Gables
Literary guilty pleasure (title or genre): My guilty pleasure is visiting book stores!
Digital, print or audio – favorite medium to consume literature: Print!
One book you’ve read multiple times: “Black Beauty” by Anna Sewall (as a kid)
Other than writing utensils, one thing you must have within reach when you write: Tea in the lovely blue teapot my daughter gave me
Best antidote for writer’s block: I wish I knew! But a great general quote: “The next step beyond failure could be your greatest success,” attributed to Debra Allen
Most valuable beta reader: Jennifer, my youngest daughter