Stay Light in the Saddle: The Challenges of an Endurance Rider in Namibia

Golden Girl’s dam was a cart horse. Not the greatest recommendation for an endurance horse, who must compete in rides of up to 160 kilometers over demanding terrain of mountains and desert. But Frankie Francis fell in love with her unusual blaze and her trusting eye.  Could Goldie take her to the winner’s podium, where other horses had failed?

At the age of forty-something, Frankie started a journey that led her to the heart of the sport of endurance riding.  She discovered that it satisfied her need for competition, for the companionship of horses and for adventure.  But at what cost?

As she entered her middle years, arthritis set in. By then she’d become addicted to the adrenalin rush of the winning tape. Her joints were degenerating, but she refused to give up. She had first one and then a second hip replaced. Medication could keep pain at bay, but what she couldn’t foresee, or avoid, was a freak accident that tested her courage and her resolve to the utmost.

Stay Light in the Saddle will enthral those who love horse riding, and it will also appeal to those who have never laid a hand on a saddle. For the traveller, this book highlights the austere beauties of Namibia’s desert country.