"[Writing teacher Susan] Richards adopts an emaciated mare and her foal, overriding the small voice telling her that she already has three horses to care for and a herniated disk.... The abused mare, Lay Me Down, proves to be one of those rare creatures that remain gentle despite years of mistreatment, responding profoundly to the kind treatment that is part of everyday life for Richards' animals. Fascinated by the affection this animal accords a stranger, Richards notes the mare's courage and slowly begins to emulate it in her own life, opening up to a love affair and its aftermath and proving to herself that she will not run when life pushes hard against her heart."—Booklist
"Susan Richards thought she was rescuing a starved, abused and abandoned mare.... Turns out Lay Me Down was rescuing Susan Richards. An incredibly moving story, beautifully written and insightful."—Roanoke Times
"Two kindred spirits find each other in this beautifully written memoir about the human-animal bond."—Temple Grandin
