Chosen by a Horse

"Two kindred spirits find each other in this beautifully written memoir about the human-animal bond."-Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation

The horse Susan Richards chose for rescue wouldnt be corralled into her waiting trailer. But Lay Me Down, a former racehorse with a foal close on her heels, walked right up that ramp and into Susans life. Weak from malnutrition, Lay Me Down had endured a rough road, but somehow her heart was still open and generous. Then fate brought her into Susans paddock, where she taught this brokenhearted woman how to embrace the joys of life despite the dangers of living.

"Susan Richards thought she was rescuing a starved, abused and abandoned mare . . . Turns out Lay Me Down was rescuing Susan Richards. An incredibly moving story, beautifully written and insightful." --The Roanoke Times

"Important lessons about courage, kindness and grief." --The Hartford Courant

Susan Richards has a B.A. in English from the University of Colorado and a Master of Social Work degree from Adelphi University. She lives in Bearsville, New York, and teaches writing at SUNY Ulster and Marist College.

The horse Susan Richards chose for rescue wouldnt be corralled into her waiting trailer. Instead Lay Me Down, a former racehorse with a foal close on her heels, walked right up that ramp and into Susans life. This gentle creature—malnourished, plagued by pneumonia and an eye infection—had endured a rough road, but somehow her heart was still open and generous. It seemed fated that she would come into Susans paddock and teach her how to embrace the joys of life despite the dangers of living.

An elegant and often heartbreaking tale filled with animal characters as complicated and lively as their human counterparts, this is an inspiring story of courage and hope and the ways in which all love—even an animals—has the power to heal.