Horses and Fiction
Published by GHC • Mar 26th, 2009 • Category: Books & Writing, by Julia, Guest Bloggersby Julia, age 15
Personally, I’ve lost count of the numerous horse books I’ve read. Some were just great (like The God of Animals by Aryn Kyle) and some not so great (which won’t be mentioned as they are not worth mentioning). Either way, there is one fact that can’t be denied: Horses inspire fictional writing. At Girls Horse Club alone there were thousands of stories in the Loft, and a new collection is beginning to form in the Fiction Channel of the blog.
It’s Black Beauty and Mr. Ed and all the characters in between that inspired us in the first place.
Why is it, though? Why do horses make us want to pick up the pencil and let all the stored-up imagination flow out of our fingertips?
I think it’s because of the possibilities. The endless (ENDLESS!) possibilities. The potential stories to be shared. There is a lot of talk about dream horses. In our dreams we have the image of the absolute perfect horse. And we think to ourselves, “Why not share this horse? Who wouldn’t love to hear the story of my perfect horse?”
Maybe said horse is a slender Arabian mare? She’s high strung and only *you*, her creator, can tame her. Maybe this horse is a muscular quarter horse that endures long laborious hours of work on a a cattle ranch and one day….
Even greater than the image of the perfect horse is the image of the not-so-perfect horse. Riding is such a dangerous sport, and the accidents that could happen and the problems some horses have make for excellent plots. Sympathy is evoked for the little foal born with a crippled leg. Fear and suspense is built up as the spooked horse trips and begins to fall, rider coming crashing down onto a road with oncoming traffic! Will the horse regain momentum and canter out of the way in the nick of time? Will the accident leave permanent scars? Who knows? Only you, the writer.
For those of us fortunate enough to have real horses in our lives, the incredible stories told by horse people are just the icing on the cake, because they have their own tales to spin. But for those of us who may not have horses in our lives, the fictional ones that reside in our dreams and our nightmares and maybe just the back of our minds are what keeps the flame burning. The fictional horses that make us laugh and cry and want to ride. The passion for the equine.
Before ‘retiring’ Julia was the first ever Junior Blogger. You can read more of her blogs in the Junior Blogger Archives.
Wow, I can really tell that you have done many blogs in the past,it comes through in your work!
I’d give about anything to be able to write what I really mean on paper. It’s like I know what has to happen and so on but just can’t find the right words to truly get it across….:(
Thank you Julia! for the record LOVED It, it is very true and I couldent imagine writing or life without horses.
Way to go, Julia. We’ll miss you. ‘sob’. lylas girl
wow……………….THAT blog just made me itchy to write! g2g make up another horse story………..THANKS JUILA! THANKS THANKS THANKS!
Julia,
This is really inspiring. Even as I read, the horse story ideas are beginning to come like a spring rain. Great job, your blogs are always so good…
Yes this is an inspired blog.
Awesome Job!!! Your writing is very very informative.
Great blog! There are *definitely* so many endless possibilities when writing about horses. I can’t get enough of writing about them. :)
I wsa just wondering, are any of you girlss at GHC wanting to become an author for horse books? I would like to but, I hhaven’t made my final decession just yet. ;0)
Thanks, everyone. :) I appreciate it. Really, I do.
Salina, As far as writing goes, sometimes the best words are the simplest. Write how you would speak, even if it’s not as fluent. Then go back and reword what doesn’t make sense. Writing is a process, not a snap-and-done thing. I always love to hear what you say, blogs or otherwise.
Eastern Cowgirl, I most definitely want to be a writer of some kind. Whether an author of horse books or a journalist or numerous other careers I could have…I don’t know. But I tihnk writing is something I’m particularly good at, and I would be successful and enjoy it.
On the topic of careers, I used a website in school the other day, http://www.careercruising.com. It allows you to answer questions and then shows you the top 40 careers that would suit you. Although, I got the most random list out of my whole class. I had everything from furniture finisher to political aide to writer….who knows?
Pardon my off topicness, and thanks again for the praise.
You’re right about horse books. I’ve been trying to write a horse story, and every time I got to write it seems as if the words just spill out. I really got inspired by a book called ” A Horse to Remember.