Tales from the Tail

TALES FROM THE TAIL: A SHORT STORY ANTHOLOGY OF EQUINE SPORTS From the thundering hoofbeats of the Grand National to the precise elegance of dressage, Quentin Drummond Anderson's anthology plunges readers into the captivating world of equestrian sports. Drawing on his experience as a former Joint-Master of Foxhounds, Anderson crafts ten riveting tales exploring the complex moral terrain where human ambition meets equine majesty. In "The Master's Revenge," young groom Tommy Wilkes investigates his master's mysterious death, uncovering troubling connections to the new landowner. "Blind Corners" follows team chaser Eliza Bennett as past and present collide during a championship, revealing long-buried secrets and calculated revenge. "Four Chukkas to Midnight" places polo player Dominic Walsh in an impossible dilemma before the prestigious Cavendish Gold Cup final, while "The Perfect Distance" sees show jumper Sophia Morris's Olympic dreams threatened when her brilliant mare inexplicably begins refusing jumps, leading to discoveries about those closest to her. Dressage judge Margaret Holloway questions her own impartiality in "The Half-Pass," and event rider Kate Preston confronts uncomfortable truths in "Three-Day Reckoning" as she progresses through Olympic selection trials amidst anonymous threats. "The Last Fence" follows veteran jump jockey Mike Tanner as he faces a long-buried secret during his final Grand National, while apprentice jockey Rachel White navigates corruption and moral quandaries after unexpectedly riding the Derby favorite in "Under Orders." In "Blood Money," stud owner Victor Hastings confronts an ethical dilemma when his aging stallion becomes more valuable dead than alive, and "The Huntsman's Horn" sees retired huntsman Gerald Pickering bridging tradition and modernity when a tech billionaire bans hunting on his estate. Gallop into the darkness.