"Saddled" Signing with Susan Richards!

Several years ago, the Covie crew flipped for a book called Chosen by a Horse. The book made its way from one staff person to another, winning rave reviews from all of us. Throughout the country, Chosen by a Horse was having the same effect on countless other people. Little did we know that the author, Susan Richards, would one day come to the Cove. Even less did we know that Susan would come not once, but twice!

Today marks Susan's second visit to Pawling. Her new memoir, Saddled, serves as a sort of prequel to the "Chosen" books. Horse lovers from as far away as Ridgefield Connecticut turned out to meet the New York Times-bestselling author, with one person confessing that she had not read a book in years until she stumbled across Chosen by a Horse. The audience members traded stories with our author, ranging from their love of horses to balancing family and work obligations with that aforementioned passion.

As Susan explained in her talk, Saddled tells the story of two very important figures in her life: Georgia, her beloved mare, and alcoholism, the unwanted specter in her past. Susan said that she did not delve into her battle with addiction in her other two books, but felt ready to do so with Saddled. The reading Susan gave from the beginning of the book was profoundly moving, and showed how her positive relationship with Georgia enabled her to confront the less positive relationships she had with her husband and alcohol. Beautifully written, as all her books are, it was amazing to hear the words in Susan's voice. Susan was a very inspiring speaker, and we were so happy to see her again. Many thanks to our author and our audience!