John Mills

The Life of a Racehorse John Mills

The Life of a Racehorse is a fictional biography detailing the life of a British racehorse from the horse's point of view. This book was republished by Cosimo in 2015 in honor of American race horsing, which got a shot in the arms when American Pharaoh became the first horse to win the "Grand Slam" of American horse racing (the Triple Crown, for the first time since 1978, and the Breeders' Cup Classic.) In this book, the horse, Sheet Anchor, narrates his life, from his time as a colt, through his training and racing days, to his sale as a stud from Tattersall's and his retirement. The story is revealed through Sheet Anchor's experiences and the dialogue of the humans he interacts with, including trainers, grooms, jockeys, and his master, Sir Digby. The Life of a Racehorse was highlighted in a 2015 New York Times article bringing attention to the use of the riding crop; it was cited as one of the only references to how horses might feel about its use. As such, horse lovers and race enthusiasts alike can look to this book for better insight into how horse racing has developed over the ages. John Mills (d. 1885) was a 19th-century British author. His works include *The Life of a Foxhound* (1865), The Life of a Racehorse (1890), D'Horsay, Or the Follies of the Day (1844), and Stable Secrets; or Puffy Doddles, His Sayings and Sympathies (1863), among others.