The story revolves around a retired cavalry officer who buys an old horse from a peasant and decides to train it for riding again. The officer's goal is to prove that even an old horse can be trained, but his efforts are met with failure. As the officer struggles to train the horse, he reflects on his own life and the futility of human endeavors. He realizes that his attempts to control the horse are similar to his own futile attempts to control life. The story is a commentary on the human condition, highlighting the inevitability of decline and the futility of trying to defy it.
By Leo Tolstoy · Genre: Fiction, Coming-of-Age, Animal Fiction