The June selection for my church’s women’s book club was Chosen by a Horse by Susan Richards, a book that honestly I was not looking forward to reading, for two reasons. Firstly, I’m not a big fan of abuse memoirs, which Richards’ book appeared to be, and secondly, I’m not that interested in horses, or books about animals period. Yes, I have cats and like dogs and other animals, but that doesn’t automatically translate into wanting to read about them. So, I put off reading until just a few days before the book club met. Then, I was surprised and pleased to discover that the book is neither maudlin nor dull. Instead, it is a humorous and touching account of one woman’s personal journey and the horses she loves.

Richards takes home Lay Me Down, an abused, starving and sick mare, and the two forge a deep and emotional bond that transcends the simple role of animal and caretaker. There were several times, particularly near the end of her story, that Richards had me in tears, yet I never felt that she was playing for sympathy. She is obviously intelligent, witty, strong and resilient, but what I admired most was her ability to finally open up to the pain of loss, to experience it fully rather than turn away and try to hide from it. Too often, I think we are guilty of subverting those emotions such as anger, grief and sadness, pushing them down deep and avoiding them, so then they manifest themselves in self-destructive behavior and even illness. Richards finally comes to realize that strength and emotional wellbeing lies not in denying those feelings, but in allowing yourself to have them.

This book, which I had looked to reading with a mild sort of dread, instead provided one of the more lively and interesting discussions at our book club, as the women of the group shared some of their own experiences, both equine and personal. And once again, a book club selection broadened my reading horizons and exposed me to a book I would have passed by otherwise.