• Chosen by a Horse

  • How a Broken Horse Fixed a Broken Heart
  • By: Susan Richards
  • Narrated by: Lorna Raver
  • Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (1,421 ratings)

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Chosen by a Horse  By  cover art

Chosen by a Horse

By: Susan Richards
Narrated by: Lorna Raver
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Publisher's summary

The horse Susan Richards chose for rescue wouldn't 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 Susan's 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 Susan's paddock and teach her how to embrace the joys of life despite the dangers of living.
©2006 Susan Richards (P)2007 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This is a bracing and likable book, highly recommended for backyard horsewomen and their admirers." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Chosen by a Horse

Average customer ratings
Overall
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved, loved, LOVED this book

As a lover of horses, this book called to me. I recommended it to all my horse-loving and non-horse-loving (don't understand those people at all!) friends. The narrator was spectacular. I thought it must surely be the author reading her own story, though I found out later it was not. The feeling with which it was read was so very genuine. I related to this story in so many ways, I felt as if I were experiencing this book, and by the time there was only half an hour left, I was sobbing so hard, I had to stop listening. My husband was even fighting back tears. By the next morning, we felt we had the strength to finish the story....we finished it. I cried some more. And immediately recommended it to everyone that I know. A wonderful story beautifully told.

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

If you love

If you love horses read this book,
If you love animals read this book,
If you love or want to, read this book
If you are hurt from a loss you must...
Read this book!

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting memoir

Richards owned three horses when she responded to a request by her local SPCA to foster an abandoned, abused mare. The abused mare had arthritis in her front legs and rear hocks. She had been half starved and had many health problems. But, surprisingly, the mare had an affable temperament. The horse was named Lay Me Down. She got along with Richards’ other horses.

The memoir is well written and takes the reader on an emotional trip. The author had a lot of personal baggage, but it is the relationship with the mare that makes this a special story. If you love horses, you should read this book.

Just one note of disappointment. This note is aimed at the publisher or whoever was responsible for the cover of the book. The horse in the story is an American Standardbred, but the horse on the cover appears to be a Friesian. The people that will be interested in reading this type of book will know horse breeds. For us horse lovers, this is an annoying type of error.

Lorna Raver does an excellent job narrating the book. Raver is an actress and multi-award winning audiobook narrator.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

tear jerker

I cried and braced myself for more crying at this wonderfully written story about the absolute love an animal gives us even tho the animal has suffered beyond words. I felt every emotion as I read through this soul pounding, God bless the horses, and the people who did not know each other but came together for the good of the animal. Get out the kleenex on this one.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

More than a horse tale

Quite different story than I expected. Very well narrated, the voice of the narrator fits well on the character. The story makes you think; despite our messy past, we should see the future as an opportunity.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Predictable yet Heartwarming

Listened to this warm yet raspy story while on vacation in the Smokey Mountains this summer. A fitting story for the scenery and surroundings I thought even if my wife and I did find ourselves silent fighting off the emotional wash of tears, understanding, and sympathy. For the pet lover and caretaker in me, it was as much about the broken horse as it was the author's broken heart, life, and tested will. Yes, Murphy's 3rd Law (S#!& Happens) fully applies and makes the whole story at first seem to be a "woe is me" tale but it quickly hits home to the listener/reader that there really is heart, loss, and soul wretched personal emotional trauma that is put on display. It takes a strong will to keep getting up when life loves to do nothing but keep putting you down yet when these two mammals meet it is a resounding reminder of how spoken language is so over rated and how a look, an action, a sound and even behavior is a universal language between souls where no other language exists.

I won't call it my favorite book. I can't even say if I would listen to it again, although very likely. However, I feel that I am a better person for having "read" it if only to be reminded that we are most, if not all, awash in the same sea of life and should do our best to perform our duties as keeper of this great blue marble and its multitudes of all its inhabitants.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful story for anyone who loves animals

As one who has a soft spot for all animals, this is a touching story of a woman's efforts to befriend an abused horse, and later, to heal it. Even after finishing the audible book, I continued to think about Lay Me Down, the horse, and the mystical hold that animals have over our lives.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A great story...

Loved the writing, the humor and detail were perfect and really created wonderful images for the listener/reader. However, the narrator's voice was pretty "over-the-top" theatrical, in my opinion. Richards' writing voice is so honest and straightforward, it did not seem a good match with the narrator's.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Story, Greater Lesson

What a great story! Ms. Richards did such a great job giving enough detail of her past to make the current situation hilarious, painful, and full of emotional/spiritual growth without going too far. She was able to show what she learned and how she was willing to take such a broken creature's spirit as a lesson to open her own heart.

I finished this book on my riding mower and I can only imagine what my neighbors thought as I mowed circles of fresh green grass with tears streaming down my face!!! Bravo! However, instead of feeling "drained" at the end of her journey, I felt hopeful and jubilant that Lay Me Down's love is not in vain! Thank you for a great book.

Narrator was phenomenal, also!

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A true story of friendship

I loved this book so much. I cried while listening to it on my way home and people were concerned. It was very touching and a beautiful book to listen to.

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5 people found this helpful