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Chosen By A Horse
by Susan Richards

Truth be told, I did not know what to expect when I picked up this book. It’s been at the top, or near top anyway, of several book recommendation lists for animal-lovers which, I must confess, is what helped to draw me in. After all, there is nothing worse than to pick up a book written by a self-proclaimed animal lover, only to find out that the term could never be applied to them. Thankfully, this wasn’t such an occasion, and for once, the recommendation lists were spot on.

Chosen By A Horse opens up with with Richards standing in the cold March drizzle outside of a coral where forty horses, rescued by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, are awaiting new and loving owners. She questions why she’s there, especially since she already has three Morgans of her own to care for, and yet Richards still came to adopt a mare and her foal. All of the horses are rightly terrified and the volunteers are having a hard time locating the horse that Richards picked off of a list, let alone herding it into her horse trailer. In the end she tells them that she’ll take whoever will get in the trailer easiest. From the terrified herd a single horse calmly trots up and into the trailer, her foal not far behind. Once the mare and her foal were secure in the trailer, a worker called off the horse’s number and Richards was informed of the name of her new horse; Lay Me Down.

Chosen by a Horse is not just another tale about a singular animal who had a lasting affect on their owner. Rather, Richards does a remarkable job of reliving her past moments spent with Lay Me Down for her reader’s benefit. Intertwined with Lay Me Down’s story is Richard’s own struggle to pick herself back up and live again after a failed marriage and despite her gaining in age. In the process, Richards and Lay Me Down develop a bond that is unlike any that Richards has ever had with any of her own horses, even her beloved Georgia, a Morgan whom she dotes upon.

Initially, Lay Me Down is a horse who has Richard’s sympathy and understanding, yet as time passes, it becomes quite obvious that Lay Me Down not only has Richard’s respect but also manages to teach her own owner a few lessons about life. The need to keep going, to pick oneself up, to be patient and gentle, but never submissive or a doormat – these were all things that Richards observed in Lay Me Down and her interactions with the other horses in Richard’s stable.

Despite having a sense of where Lay Me Down’s story is heading throughout the tale, one cannot help but feel a sense of loss, regret, and slight anger when Lay Me Down’s tale comes to an end. Loss and regret that such a beautiful spirit was taken away and anger at the circumstances that led to this loss. After finishing the book I couldn’t help but to feel that Richards was incredibly lucky to have met such a horse and been able to take care of her and watch over her for that period of time. There were many different messages and themes in this book, however the most important one was simply to keep moving forward no matter the obstacles or hardships and enjoy what you can while you can.

For the most part I found the book to be an enjoyable read. Richards manages to insert a fair amount of wit into the book while still managing to convey the emotions felt at the same time. As a result the author manages to allow us a chance to not only live the moment in her shoes, but also allow us a glimpse into her thoughts as well. Something I haven’t seen many authors manage to accomplish, with regards to memoirs and biographies.

There were, however, moments where I was lost with regards to horse-terminology. For the most part the author gives a very brief explanation of what purpose certain tools and terms are, and yet there were times where the author completely neglected to do so. In those moments I found myself floundering about, trying to not only grasp the full purpose and meaning of the term, but also to picture the scene in my mind. Other than those instances however, I found the book enjoyable and I highly recommend it for any person who calls themselves an animal lover. Regardless of whether or not you know a thing about horses, this book will definately reach out and touch you.

Joana’s Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)