Off to the Races

Double Diablo—or DD, as Billie insists that he be called, fearing that his name reinforces his reputation as a troublesome mount—is a prized horse in Vaughn’s stables and contributes significantly to Billie’s professional development. By remaining patient with the stubborn horse, she helps transform him from a mount that nobody dares ride into a champion. This feat only takes her a few short months, and Vaughn can clearly see and appreciate Billie’s competence as a horse trainer.

DD also serves as a symbol for Billie and Vaughn’s shifting relationship. Although Billie immediately extends DD the compassion that other trainers have denied him, it takes her a bit longer to extend the same courtesy to her boss. On her first night at Gold Rush Ranch, she drunkenly tells the horse, “You guys really are like the same person, DD. You can’t continue to greet people that way either. It’s unbecoming, you know? People will mistake you for being a mean boy rather than just a sensitive one” (68-69). Despite her perception of the parallels between the horse’s irascible temperament and Vaughn’s tendency to lash out when hurt, she does not immediately trust Vaughn enough to lend him the same grace that she does the horse.