One minute, Lisa Whalen is leaping fences on horseback; the next, she’s sprawled on the sand.
Whalen’s fall from a horse at age 42 ignites flashbacks of a different fall at age 16, one that left her sprawled on a hospital psych ward’s hallway carpet. Are the falls linked? Would understanding their causes grant the peace she’s sought? To find out, she needs to jump the fence that threw her, but getting back in the saddle is about more than overcoming fear: It’s about confronting who she’s been and choosing who she wants to be.
To recover from her fall, Whalen revisits her time with 10 special horses who have helped her overcome a decade-long eating disorder and depression. The horses convinced her she was capable of leaping any fence that life put in her path. Now, she must prove it.
“Stable Weight weaves a tapestry of hope, light, and healing that inspires and celebrates the spirit of connection among people and animals.”
—Jilian Lampert, Chief Strategy Officer for The Emily Program eating disorder clinic
“Stable Weight illustrates in vivid detail how horses can help us face our deepest fears and teach us to live in the moment.” —Tom & Liz McCadden, horse trainers and owners of Seventh Farm riding school
“A moving, lyrical memoir of heart and determination” –Gail Folkins, award-winning author of Light in the Trees
“A how-to of female self-empowerment” –Leanne Zainer, Ph.D., literature professor and horse trainer
Classroom Resources
Use these resources to teach Stable Weight in high school or college classrooms:
Click the links below to access the resources.