Books We Love: The Year Of The Horses

It’s rare that an author dares to expose themselves in writing as accomplished wordsmith Courtney Maum has in The Year of the Horses, but in so doing she has created a gem of a book. When depression threatened to overcome Maum, she reflected on a time when she felt life was less difficult—a time on the back of a horse riding.  As a new mother and wife of a successful filmmaker, it was inconceivable that she could be drowning in sadness, but she was dispirited and at a loss as to what to do.  Therapy and prescription medication did little to stop the wave of despondency that frequently washed over her. 

Maum didn’t set out to write about herself. She was initially working on a book about dressage training. It was her interview with the trainers that reignited her desire to return to the saddle and it was there she found renewed strength and hope. Her memoir, which includes a look at other women in history who also struggled with depression and other mental health issues and were able to gain inspiration from horses and riding, is honest and superbly written. 

The Year of the Horses is gutsy, rewarding, and witty.