Strands of Hope - by Susan Friedland (Paperback)

About the Book

Strands of Hope: How to Grieve the Loss of a Horse was born out of the loss of a 16-year relationship with a special horse, and created to help horse lovers processing grief to know they are not alone.

Book Synopsis

Have you or someone you care about recently lost a beloved horse? Are you struggling with how to move forward with a gaping hole in your heart and an empty stall in the barn? Does riding suddenly seem less appealing? In Strands of Hope: How to Grieve the Loss of a Horse, fellow horse lover Susan Friedland shares how she coped following the tragic death of her heart horse DC, and the journey that led her back to the saddle. Award-winning equestrian blogger and author of the memoir Horses Adored and Men Endured, Susan relates lessons learned from her own grieving process and those of other horse owners who also know the pain. Through personal stories, interviews and practical tips, she offers strands of hope for the bereaved equestrian. In these pages you'll discover:

• How to write an equine eulogy
• The health benefits of shedding tears
• Creative ways to commemorate the life of a horse
• What to say (and not say) if your friend has lost a horse
• Interviews with equestrians who have also experienced tragedies, ranging from losing a foal and saying goodbye to a childhood pony to having to mourn a horse's early retirement and more.

Review Quotes

I know the pain of the loss will never go away...but I loved him, so that's okay. I see my grief is a tribute to him and how awesome he was. Strands of Hope is full of tips on how to help yourself through the grieving process when you lose your horse. Some of it would have been very helpful back then, and some of it is still helpful now. It's broken into chapters based around different methods of coping and healing. It's very easy and quick to read.I happen to be a big believer in mementos and photographs, so I have that chapter more than covered. It actually makes me feel better to look at a photo of him or see that ribbon I won on him. It reminds me of how special he was and how special our relationship was. . . The most helpful part of Susan's book was reading about the loss of DC and what he meant to her. As well as reading all the stories from other equestrians on their own losses. For me, reading about others that lost similarly (and differently) to what I lost was really and truly helpful. Each of those stories made me cry, but they also made me feel like I wasn't alone. . . I think this book is an excellent resource and I appreciate Susan's writing style. I highly recommend Strands of Hope. I also love her other (much less serious) book Horses Adored and Men Endured. Rachel Masen of @decidedlyequestrian