The Adventures of Hot Wheelz the Horse: Lessons from a Majestic Beast
Lori McIntosh (Author), 2023
Lori was often hushed as a young girl, the youngest of four with busy parents who sometimes didn’t notice her. With three much louder and bigger older sisters, Lori didn’t have much say in what she wanted. It would be years before she could be herself, develop self-worth and self-esteem, and use her athletic skills to their fullest. Yet, she persevered throughout her life to become as independent as possible. She discovered horses at age eight, where she could sense how their energy, loyalty, and sereneness helped mold her into a successful leader as an adult. 30-plus years later, her life collided with Hot Wheelz, which led to big adventures.
Hot Wheelz was a lonely, neglected horse, too hot, too difficult to handle, with a mind of his own, and too quick for his own good. Many friends suggested that Lori sell him because he was a bit dangerous on the trail. He had several accidents, lost too much weight, nearly lost his life, was bullied by other horses, and rarely stood up for himself. Today he is the leader of his herd, and Lori is in full charge of her life with the support of her husband, Nigel. Together they all share the joy of day-to-day ranch living with their family of best friends.
About the Author
Lori McIntosh has been riding horses since she turned eight, starting as a camper at Triple R Ranch in Chesapeake, Virginia. She rode one hour every day over six days when at camp. The other hours she spent waiting for those six hours of riding.
After moving from Virginia as one of the most popular girls in junior high to a high school in Dallas, Texas, she became one of the most unpopular girls in school. Later, after graduating, she competed for the intercollegiate team at the University of Texas at Austin. Soon, she did a foolish thing, or not, and bought her first horse, Sorab, an experienced chestnut Thoroughbred using a brand new credit card she magically got as a student. She was judged in the arena for equitation and handling of the horse at Universities in Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, and all over Texas.
She and her husband, Nigel, enjoy horse camping vacations. Lori “stole” Hot Wheelz from Nigel and rode three 100-mile races with him, plus many 50-mile rides along with several other disciplines. The family of horses expanded to Groovy, Jasper, Johnny Cash, and Donkey Oti. Sadly, Finn passed away in 2019.
Lori lives in Northern California, surrounded by trails. She rides her horses and has a business called Lori McIntosh Properties, helping people live in the country with their horses like her.
Find out more about Lori and her adventures at
www.lorimcintosh.com.
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