Phase 1: First Meetings

When Elanor made her way to the paddock assigned to her Loshenka, she could hardly believe her eyes.
“A perfectly healthy mare—with a flawless coat, too. Why would anyone give up on a horse like this?” she wondered. There hadn’t been much time to read the horse’s report before driving to the rescue center.

Just as Elanor reached for the mare’s report card, her phone rang. It was her husband, Adam, who had stayed home to care for the rest of their horses.

“Hi, honey! How was the drive? Did you make it? Did you find our beloved project? What is sh—”

“One question at a time, dear,” Elanor interrupted with a smile. “The drive was fine. I got here about 30 minutes ago. And yes, I found her. She’s... perfect.”

A chuckle sounded on the other end. “Elanor, honey, if she were truly perfect, she wouldn’t be there. What does her report say?”

“I was just about to read it when you called. Give me a second, honey,” she said playfully. A pause, then the rustle of paper. “Okay—here it is. Her main issues: she won’t stand still, and she refuses to be tied for the farrier or the vet.”

“Oh, this is going to be so much fun,” Adam replied, bursting into laughter.

Elanor rolled her eyes. “Yes. Super fun.”