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Saddled: How a Spirited Horse Reined Me in and Set Me Free
One day, at the age of thirty-one, Susan Richards realized that she was an alcoholic. She wrote it down in her journal, struck by the fact that it had taken nine years of waking up hung-over to name her illness. What had changed?
Susan had a new horse, a spirited Morgan named Georgia, and, as she says: “It had something to do with Georgia. It had something to do with makin...more
Susan had a new horse, a spirited Morgan named Georgia, and, as she says: “It had something to do with Georgia. It had something to do with makin...more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
January 6th 2011
by Mariner Books
(first published 2010)
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Susan Richards' "Saddled" is about more than horse ownership. It's about love, addiction and recovery as well.
Richards writes honestly about the abusive relationships she endured and about her alcoholism. Until she meets a Morgan mare named Georgia, Richards spends all of her time drinking. She stops because she knows that she needs to be sober to keep the beloved horse, but she continues other addictive patterns that were established early in her life.
Shuttled amongst various unaccepting family...more
Richards writes honestly about the abusive relationships she endured and about her alcoholism. Until she meets a Morgan mare named Georgia, Richards spends all of her time drinking. She stops because she knows that she needs to be sober to keep the beloved horse, but she continues other addictive patterns that were established early in her life.
Shuttled amongst various unaccepting family...more
May 10, 2010
Terry
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone
Recommended to Terry by:
Saw it on susan's web site.
Wow is the first thing that comes to mind about this book, as I frequently find with this author. She is a magnificent writer. Susan writes from the heart, reaching deep within in her soul. Her writings are easliy followed and heart felt from front to back. They leave you hungry for more. She shows you that with love and devotion, one can get through anything. Anyone who has ever loved an animal of any kind will be able to relate and understand such a deep devotion that we have to our animal fam...more
Inspiring and honest story of a woman who finds the strength to change her life and her family legacy of addiction via a strong connection to a spirited horse.
I felt it was her ability to love the horse for, not in spite of, its "imperfection" in attitude that gave her permission to love herself and her own imperfections and begin her journey of healing.
In many ways the horse was a role model for another way of moving through life, with spirit and power and without apology for who she is. The...more
I felt it was her ability to love the horse for, not in spite of, its "imperfection" in attitude that gave her permission to love herself and her own imperfections and begin her journey of healing.
In many ways the horse was a role model for another way of moving through life, with spirit and power and without apology for who she is. The...more
I LOVED the first book she wrote (Chosen by a horse), and the second (Chosen forever). This one was touching and beautiful, and harder to read.
She talks about her abusive relationship with her (now ex) husband. She talks about her alcoholism and trying to free herself from her addictions. She talks about wanting to die and feeling helpless and hopeless and not knowing why. I think my favorite part was her description of AA.
"I didn't know that becoming sober meant really changing. Not drinking w...more
She talks about her abusive relationship with her (now ex) husband. She talks about her alcoholism and trying to free herself from her addictions. She talks about wanting to die and feeling helpless and hopeless and not knowing why. I think my favorite part was her description of AA.
"I didn't know that becoming sober meant really changing. Not drinking w...more
I listened to the audiobook. Good narrator, very clear, calm voice.
I expected a 'horse' book with lots of riding, so I was a little surprised that it turned out to be a book about alcoholism by a horse owner.
The author, Susan, had a truly horrible childhood, with abuse and neglect. Her mother died when she was 5, her dad left (he was alcoholic an bipolar and grew up with the same ice cold divorcee grandmother Susan and her brother had to live with), and when she later moved in with her (alcoholi...more
I expected a 'horse' book with lots of riding, so I was a little surprised that it turned out to be a book about alcoholism by a horse owner.
The author, Susan, had a truly horrible childhood, with abuse and neglect. Her mother died when she was 5, her dad left (he was alcoholic an bipolar and grew up with the same ice cold divorcee grandmother Susan and her brother had to live with), and when she later moved in with her (alcoholi...more
Susan Richards is such a talented writer, that I would be willing to read any book that she writes. Reading about her past, and the things that she went through, it just amazes me. So many of us see the family with a lot of money and think, Their life must be perfect, but hearing her story really makes you wonder how true that is. This book certainly made me feel greatful to have grown up in my middle class family. Knowing that I was a loved and cherished member of the family.
Why so many people find it difficult to stop drinking "...is the necessity of exchanging one identity for another. I knew who I was as a drinker. That identity, the confident, friendly, easygoing woman, might have been mostly a myth, but as long as I kept drinking, I wouldn't have to face that. But when the wine stopped flowing, there I was - someone I didn't know, someone full of nameless insecurities and fears with a one-size-fits-all coping skill: alcohol".
Jun 28, 2010
Sharon
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone who loves horses, has an alchoholic friend or family member
So far I am annoyed that the book features a Morgan horse and the cover picture is of a Arabian horse! The book is promising, but details like that bug me.
I am sooo glad I went back and finished this book. I give very few ratings of 5, but this one deserves it. It is an unusual writing style with chapters hopping back and forth between the present and the past. A child bounced from one relative to another; who only feels grounded when at summer camp. Her work to become sober and to live up to th...more
I am sooo glad I went back and finished this book. I give very few ratings of 5, but this one deserves it. It is an unusual writing style with chapters hopping back and forth between the present and the past. A child bounced from one relative to another; who only feels grounded when at summer camp. Her work to become sober and to live up to th...more
Wow! Three books in a row filled with Richards' life of loss, love, and peace. I can't remember when I've enjoyed reading three books this much. I started each one immediately after finishing the one before, and I felt myself longing for more. Susan Richards is an amazing woman full of strength and hope! Her love of animals shows the great compassion she possesses.
I bumped into this book, and somehow after flipping through the pages and seeing, memoir, alcoholism in family, transformation, I took the book home from the Pasadena Central Library. I am a memoir addict, and the authentic and well written voice calls me. I couldn't put it down.
those who know me personally will imagine and know my delight in the author's triumphs and courage, but imagine that this reader, a pug devotee par excellence, gasps when she looks at the back inside cover flap and see S...more
those who know me personally will imagine and know my delight in the author's triumphs and courage, but imagine that this reader, a pug devotee par excellence, gasps when she looks at the back inside cover flap and see S...more
From the author of the New York Times bestseller Chosen by a Horse comes a memoir about the life-giving power of caring for an animal.
Listen to Saddled on your smartphone, notebook or desktop computer.
Listen to Saddled on your smartphone, notebook or desktop computer.
Jun 18, 2010
Cheryl Schibley
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
all
Shelves:
memoir-biography,
non-fiction
I love the way this author expresses herself. This is her 3rd book - all memoirs and all super good reading. More than just about horses - it's about her complicated and interesting life experiences. Such great reading. Highly recommended.
Engaging, and very true to life. Reminded me of someone I know and love, I only hope mine gets her life together as Richards has. Good read about an alcoholic who's life is saved by her love for a horse.
Yes, the horse on the cover was the first thing that caught my attention. When I found out it was a Morgan horse I was even more interested. When I read the dust jacket and found out it was about a woman finding her place in the world after overcoming alcoholism....I wasn't sure I wanted to read on.
I did. It was worth it. Susan talks about how she found herself to be an alcoholic in a family of alcoholics. How she became sober - almost by accident - and discovered that the days were so much bett...more
I did. It was worth it. Susan talks about how she found herself to be an alcoholic in a family of alcoholics. How she became sober - almost by accident - and discovered that the days were so much bett...more
This was a good story about how a horse helped a troubled woman put her life back together. This was a gift from a friend of mine and I really enjoyed it. Good read!
The love of a horse helping an alcoholic get sober. What could be sweeter. I have read all of Susan's books and her love and understanding of horses it wonderful.
I did like it, but it was hard for me (I work in DV). But I admire her willingness to look at herself and write a "real" account.
I feel like this book was a prequel to "Chosen By a Horse". I was thoroughly depressed by this book. She had such a hard life, I'm glad that it worked out for her in the end. She is a great writer, she has a way of using her words to paint a picture in her reader's imagination. I do wish that she would have ordered her little stories chronologically. I got lost because she kept going back to her childhood and then connecting it to a later event. I was flustered in trying to figure out when this...more
Good thoughtful account of her life with men, horses, addiction and finding our purpose...a good, quick read!
I have a down side up side perspective on this book. I found the writing style a bit Oprah tabloidy, meaning no diminution of the authors awful childhood and resulting emotional damage. On the upside, the book made me understand (as a non horse owner, rider) how a relationship with a horse is on a whole different level from one with a dog, cat, etc.
The horse in this book did not give the author any quarter, yet gave her mutual love and respect. The first well adjusted relationship the author had...more
I love Susan Richard's writing. She is a courageous and very insightful writer.
I found this my favorite out of the three by Susan Richard
Really well written account of an alcoholic's experience getting clean with the help of her horse. Not overly sappy but real and honest. I loved it - especially how the horses helped her through it.
Horses are therapy! Case closed!
Excellent!
Thank you Stephanie!!!
Feb 11, 2011
Marie
added it
A story of healing...and horses...I enjoy the author's honesty and insight. She knows so well how magical and powerful horses are. Light, yet inspiring, book. I have one more of the author's books to read. I hope she is writing a new one as I type.
If you're a horse lover and expect this book to be primarily about horses, be forewarned. It's more about dysfunction, alcoholism, and recovery than it is about horses, although the author's relationship with her horse figures prominently. That said, I found it to be well-written and interesting. The author's recounting of her alcoholic years made me pretty irritated with her, but in the end she has some preceptive things to say about her life.
I really enjoyed this book.. It was a amazing story of what she learned from her horse and how the horse helped her change her life.
Second book I read by Richards and I liked it, though I liked Chosen By A Horse better. I enjoyed the parts about the human/animal bond and about her (very sad) childhood but some of her memories were a little dull. I'd still like to read more by Richards though.
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