Crissi McDonald

Continuing The Ride Crissi McDonald

"Back in the saddle" isn't just a cliché or a metaphor. For Crissi McDonald, it describes where she's spent four decades of her life, and a challenge she wasn't sure she'd still be able to meet.

On an ordinary sunny afternoon in 2014, Crissi's world falls apart. Waking up in the hospital after a freak accident with her horse, the doctors tell her that a small bleed in her brain has stopped and that she's dodged brain surgery.

As the news sinks in, she realizes the facade of her confidence has crumbled. She's at a crossroads: either find ways to overcome the fear that now engulfs her or give up on horses.

Adrift in uncertainty and pain, she discovers that confidence unchallenged is a fragile notion, and that strength can be found in the rebuilding of it. She confronts the reality that if she wants to get back to what she most loves doing, the room of her fears must be smaller. Each day is a choice between giving in to doubt or taking steps toward getting stronger.

Continuing the Ride chronicles the lessons she learned and the horses who helped her return to the life she loves. Whether you'd like your confidence to be more robust or you're looking for a good horse story, you'll find this a satisfying account of healing inside and out--and how to get back up after falling down.