A Photo Finish

After witnessing his father die during a horseback racing accident, Cole experiences considerable anxiety about the danger of the sport. While he spends many years avoiding horses and racing, first by enlisting in the military and then working by in his family’s mining operation, upon his return to Gold Rush Ranch he’s unable to entirely stay away from horses. He ultimately learns—even before his relationship with Violet develops—that he doesn’t really want to live a life totally separate from horse racing, since his memories of his father inextricably link to it. Only when Cole begins to develop a relationship with Pipsqueak, however, does he acknowledge that he wants to spend more time around horses—not merely because of his memories but because he finds Pipsqueak’s presence therapeutic in itself.

Finding a relationship with Pipsqueak helpful doesn’t mean that Cole immediately finds her presence comfortable. Initially, he resists her strongly. He nearly refuses to allow Billie to leave her at the paddock adjacent to the farmhouse due to his fear, relenting only because he sees Violet’s excitement over caring for the horse. He tries to avoid Pipsqueak, but her relentless affection for him wears him down. This resistance to the difficult emotions that Pipsqueak inspires parallels Cole’s experiences in therapy; like with Trixie, his therapist, he finds Pipsqueak’s refusal to let him push her away an effective strategy for breaking down his emotional walls.