The Spell Of The Horse: Stories of Healing and Personal Transformation with Nature’s Finest Teachers

Lots of insight

This book gave me new insights into horses and why I feel so at peace and connected with them.

It's a rare opportunity to read the authors progression towards healing herself and those around her. It gives me a glimpse into how I can do the same. With or without the horses. Speaking of horses, she has also reminded me of the energy I used to feel around horses when I was young. And this re-awakening is something I have now put into practice; just being with those wonderful animals is a sheer delight. Their sensitivity to the landscape and each other brings me a gentle peace. A peace that we all can do with. So, go and get yourself Ms. Billinge's book, and go into peace.

I found that the experiences recounted in this book were quite enlightening; and thought it was absolutely fascinating the horses that Pam worked with, as well as the things they taught her. The clients that Pam helps are quite courageous. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I loved this book. Through personal stories & stories of clients, this book reveals the wonder of horses in human lives, reminding us or our connection to all of life & how horses can help bring us back to our truest selves.

The Spell of the Horse is a wonderfully emotional read. It is a combination of a memoir covering the ups and downs of the author’s personal life as well as her career in horse-led therapy, so can be read as a self-help book too.Reading about some parts of the author’s past were very emotional, and at times I felt tearful, probably not helped by my grandad dying while I was in the middle of reading this book. This memoir covers the author’s experiences of love, loss, grief, anxiety, stress and heartache. It was fascinating reading about how her changing emotions had an impact on the behaviour of her horses, as well as how her horses helped her get through the hard times.Seeing how people reacted to the therapy with horses was wonderful to witness. It was so heart-warming seeing them improve and how much of an impact a horse can have on a human. This book describes the most powerful sense of a horse being spirit and energy, rather than sight or sound, and I truly believe that based on how I feel around horses. There is something overwhelmingly therapeutic about horses.I could relate to the author’s descriptions of anxiety. I too am a coper, so struggle to admit any of my weaknesses, and generally try to push through it. I’ve had anxiety most of my life, but as I’ve got older, I’ve got better at hiding it from the outside world. One thing I really took from this book was the reminder that life is about ‘being’ rather than just ‘doing’. Sometimes we’re too busy doing things that we forget to stop long enough to enjoy being in that moment, appreciate what is around us and love life.Whether you know a lot or very little about horses, I think this is a book that can be enjoyed by anyone who at least has an appreciation of how special horses are. I don’t claim to know much about horses at all. My knowledge goes about as far as describing their size and colour. I’ve only ever ridden a horse twice in my life. Once when I was nine years old and again when I was fourteen. Despite my lack of knowledge, my fascination goes back to my childhood, starting with my obsession with My Little Ponies. I was still playing with them when I was twelve years old, and would always choose them over dolls.As an adult I have to go over to horses in a field when I’m on country walks. It’s hard to describe, but I feel a very strong pull towards them, and if they are in the mood to interact with me, I’m left with this happy floating sensation inside me, as if in that moment I’m truly at peace with the world. There is something magical about horses, and I’m sure I’m not the only person who falls in love with a horse in the countryside and imagines them with a magical invisible unicorn horn. On that note, I should probably end here before I get accused on living in a world of my own again.The Spell of the Horse is definitely a book I highly recommend if you have an appreciation of horses and enjoy memoirs and self-help books.

Awesome story. Loved the story. The book pages began falling out as I read the book.

My Disclaimer:I was provided a complimentary copy of this book. I am voluntarily providing an honest review in which all opinions are fully my own. I am not being compensated in any way.~ Judi E. Easley for Blue Cat ReviewMy Review: ✰✰✰✰✰What an amazing book. It's more than a memoir. More than an accounting of what happened. It's more than a reference or self-help book. Pam shares the story of her own personal journey to find a deeper relationship with her horses and an understanding of how they truly interact with people.What started on holiday in Andalusia ended up changing her life. After a week spent riding the hill country, her head and her heart were focused on one thing. Maintaining her connection that she had made that week with horses. Through trial and error, talking with vets and other horse people, and listening to and watching her own horses, Ms. Billinge came to an understanding of how horses perceive people and how the two species interact. The pace is easy going. Situations are explained and people are introduced in such a way that you have no problem understanding who they are. Her personal story is used appropriately. It makes you want to spend time with horses and it makes you want to be able to slow down, meditate. The text carries you through as she worked through her personal losses and the advances of her understanding of horses, their perceptions, and the best ways for people and horses to try to work together. Her story. Her clients' stories. Bringing it all full circle. If you like horses. If you've ever wondered how they do therapy with horses. If you've ever wondered if there might be another way to get therapy other than what you've already tried. If you're just looking for a touching story to read. Pick this up today as it is released at your local bookstore. September 18, 2017 paperback & ebook

I rarely write book reviews, however I've just finished Spell of the Horse, and found it not only very moving, but genuinely life changing too.I had found that being around horses in my local stables always seemed to leave me feeling calmer, less stressed... and happier too!Spirit of the Horse explains how horses have the ability to mentally, emotionally and spiritually link with us, and helped me understand why I felt like I did.Pam also talks about how she too discovered this, how they helped her in her own healing, and later prompted her to set up her own equine therapy centre.In particular I found the client stories very moving, which in turn led me to finding an equine therapy locally.Pam is a great story teller with a very engaging and easy to read writing style, and I arrived at the end wanting more.Fortunately there is more, as she continues hers and the horses stories in Spirit of the Horse.Even if you have a passing interest in horses, you'll find Spirit of the Horse a great read, and I thoroughly recommend it.

This book takes you on a healing ride. It’s pace is like the walk of a gentle horse. You feel into it just as the clients learn to do with the horses. You learn as they learn, to let their feelings flow, to listen with their spirit. I loved the wisdom of this book.

What Pam Billinge has successfully achieved by writing this book is to translate the pure magic that can happen between humans and horses when humans want to listen, with a very easygoing style and simple words. And that is truly admirable, because it can be so difficult to find the right words to describe these interactions. I thank her and her horses, for sharing with us, in a both very intimate and public way, how horses can transform our lives. A must-read for all those who feel or know that horses can, and will help. The reason why they have not disappeared of our lives now that tractors and cars have replaced them as transportation means (and thank God for that) is that they have a mission for all those willing to change. And Ms Billinge makes it very clear and simple how intense working with them can be. And it reads like a good novel. Thank you! Celine

I loved this book! I could not put it down! It just re affirmed what I already believe! Thank you for writing the book!

This is such a lovely book and very thought provoking as many readers will resonate, like I did, with stories that are told within about Pam's clients. There are many wonderful quotes and I will be sure to refer to this book again and again. It has also inspired me to spend more time around horses, not to ride but to connect with them and learn more about myself.The writing is beautiful throughout - all of my senses took me to Spain and Colorado with her - as she described her own experiences and that of others with such emotion, passion and clarity.What Pam has discovered and achieved with her horses is amazing and to use it in such a way to help others is incredible. To write about it now will hopefully open up this unique learning experience to many others. I welled up a couple of times and had goosebumps even more as Pam shared her own story in such a candid yet sensitive way."While you put energy into who you are not, you can't put it into who you are. You can't ever explore your true potential while under-investing in your real, essential self"