Chosen by a Horse by Susan Richards Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Chosen by a Horse
Book Review: "Marley & Me" about Horses
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is a touching story about a woman (the writer) who learns the lesson of unconditional and devoted love from an abused horse that she rescued. Amazing insight into people and horses alike. Reminds me of a "Marley & Me" story about horses. Very tearful ending, but all the books that touch my heart are. I will be keeping this book to read again and again!Book Review: "To love without an echo is the death knell of the soul."
Summary: 3 Stars
Chosen by a Horse is a memoir about a forty-three year old divorced woman named Susan Richards. Although she does share information about her childhood (death of a parent at a young age, victim of child abuse), it specifically focuses on the time in her life during which she was the caregiver of an abused horse (seized from its owner by the ASPCA) named Lay Me Down. From her experiences with her charge, she learns important lessons about life. Ultimately, she loses a friend but gains perspective. The author provides an honest, heartfelt view of her own personal issues and interesting (and often sad) details about her experiences with Lay Me Down - probably best appreciated by horse lovers.
Readers that enjoy this book may also like: Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand, Lighting Up by Susan Shapiro, and All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy.
Book Review: A Beautiful Story, Beautifully Written
Summary: 5 Stars
What a beautiful story! A friend sent me this book and I finished reading it within a day. The author really knows how to write in a flowing, easy-going manner with plenty of wit and intelligence, making it easy to do so.
"Chosen By A Horse" refers to one pre-named Lay Me Down whom the author, Susan Richards rescues through the SPCA and brings back to health and a better life.
Ms. Richards had already been through a hauntingly rough childhood. In her later years, she indulged in her love of horses and had three to take care of before bringing Lay Me Down to the herd. She knows and writes about her horses as another might describe the personalities, antics and endearments of human children. One can easily picture and imagine each horse - especially Lay Me Down - the sweetest and most trusting of horses in spite of what the brood mare had suffered in her past life.
When a tumor develops near Lay Me Down's eye, Ms. Richards writes about Lay Me Down's reaction to the vet's visit and tests, "She sighed over the bucket and licked the lid of the sonogram machine. Everything she did seemed precious to me, precious and tender. For me, her terrible past was always a presence, a reminder of what it was that had survived: this sweet, kind nature, qualities so lacking in my human family they seemed like miracles to me now."
When death seemed imminent, this is written: "It was as though Lay Me Down and my childhood had merged into the same thing: losing what mattered, losing love. In a crazy way, it felt like Lay Me Down had been taking care of me ever since I got her, bringing to life parts of me that had died with my mother. By her gentle affection I felt restored to the status of someone who mattered, someone who was needed. She gave me that, a sense of family. We both had belonged to nobody, nobody who cared, and now so late in our lives, this miracle had occurred. We had come together on my farm, and for the first time, we had both been free from our fears."
The ending is especially poignant and touching.
Book Review: A Christian family's review
Summary: 2 Stars
This is a very interesting story, but as my daughter read it she disagreed with some of the morals demonstrated in the book. There are several instances of bad language. The main character had a difficult life before and after divorce. She finds new love, but it is with a married man who is himself going through hard times. She buys lingerie with the intention of having a premarital affair. My daughter is almost 17 and loves horse books, but stopped reading at chapter 11.
This book is definitely not written from a Christian perspective and not for young adults.
Book Review: A HORSE story that Matters
Summary: 5 Stars
THIS is a wonderful story. I couldn't stop reading this, and read it through my oil change and dinner. WOW. This story really hits on the relationship with another animal. I loved this, and only wish I could have this relationship with my own horse. But, of course, each animal, like each person, is different. I love Lay Me Down and I love Susan. What more can I say without giving away this wonderful story.