The Spirit of the Horse: More Stories of Life, Love and Leadership
by Pam Billinge
I am delighted to be part Pam Billinge’s blog tour for The Spirit of the Horse, with Blackbird Books. Thank you to Stephanie for the invite.
‘Masterful, uplifting and insightful, this book has left an indelible stamp on my heart.’ Justin Featherstone MC
‘It is with grace that horses lead us gently to a place where forgiveness is possible and self-compassion takes the place of contempt. They draw us into a non-linear dimension where we can sink into the infinity of the moment and know deep peace and harmony.’ – Pam Billinge
When Pam follows her dream to a farmhouse with five acres in northern France, she is able to live alongside her horses for the first time. Here, in the heart of nature, deeper insights are revealed into the healing connection between horse and human and the incredible power of presence to transform. Might it be that learning to honour and communicate with another species helps us to reframe the way we perceive each other, as well as how we might see ourselves?
A pioneer in embodied horse-led therapy and leadership development, Pam’s story is interwoven with those of inspiring individuals and groups she has supported: from people experiencing relationship breakdown to large organisations looking for culture change; from the bereaved or lonely to the confused wishing to explore what next. Steeped in simple wisdom, the stories offer the reader a pragmatic, mindful template for personal transformation.
The Spirit of the Horse is about following dreams, finding your truth and how much stronger joy can be when we learn to interconnect with all that is.
PRAISE FOR THE SPELL OF THE HORSE
‘Honest, authentic and full of wisdom.’ Goodreads
‘Beautifully-written, finely-constructed, humanely-told. I have read (and written) many books about leadership development, and this is one of the best.’ Jonathan Gosling, Emeritus Professor of Leadership, University of Exeter and Director of Pelumbra Ltd
‘This book will repay the few hours it will take you to read it many times over.’ Goodreads
‘Not just for horse lovers but for anyone interested in finding sustainable ways to overcome personal challenges.’ Goodreads
‘Pam Billinge writes with a wonderful beauty.’ Liz Loves Books
‘Having spent several years training as a counsellor, I have learnt more about the human mind and spirit from just reading this book.’ Amazon reader
‘Her special affinity and deep respect for horses shines through with every well-written word and every emotional connection.’ Jaffa Reads Too
My review….
I read The Spell of The Horse by Pam Billinge quite recently and I thoroughly enjoyed it, so I was very much looking forward to reading The Spirit of the Horse and to finding out where Pam’s story went next.
As I said in my review of the first book I have absolutely no experience with horses, but I have always admired them from afar. They are undeniably magnificent animals. Evidently more magnificent than I ever imagined prior to reading Pam Billinge’s books.
Pam’s love and adoration for her own herd shines from every page of this book. Her devotion to them is amazing and the relationships they share are quite special. This is much more than a book about horses though. This is Pam’s story and the stories of others who have graced her life (human and equine) on a personal and/or professional level.
In The Spirit of The Horse we follow Pam’s journey to a new life in France, which I personally think is immensely courageous. It has its challenges, particularly when you throw Brexit and a global pandemic into the mix. The pandemic particularly brings a whole new perspective to life however, which I think most of us can relate to. Being forced to slow down, stay at home, and temporarily give up our usual day to day lives (although I appreciate not everyone had this luxury. I, myself was a cleaner in a care home and worked through the first months of the pandemic, until I left my job in October) makes you appreciate the things we probably fail to notice so much when we’re busy. When Pam describes (quite beautifully I might add) her new home and all the wonderful things about the countryside and the nature surrounding her I could totally imagine myself living there (and I am a total homebird who can’t imagine ever living in a different country, except perhaps for Wales). It sounds so idyllic and beautiful.
There are sad times and many a bump in the road along the way, but once again I finished this heart-warming book with a smile. Pam’s story is quite awe-inspiring and one I think many people will appreciate and enjoy. I very much recommend.
**Many thanks to Stephanie @ Blackbird Books for my review copy**
buy now
The paperback is £9.99 and available to order from Waterstones, all good bookshops and the usual online platforms.
The ebook is £3.99 and available on
Amazon smarturl.it/spirithorse
iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1550335216 [US link..]
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-spirit-of-the-horse
About the author….
Pam Billinge is a therapist, coach and author who specialises
in embodied horse-led learning. This unique approach relies
entirely on the emergent relational process between horse
and human. At her bases in the UK and in France, Pam
supports people of all nationalities, ages and walks of life with
their personal and professional development. Through her
workshops and her writing Pam wishes to share the healing
wisdom of horses whilst advancing the cause of this
sometimes much-misunderstood species. She hopes also
through her work to reconnect us with the natural world from
which we are too often separated.
Follow, like, and share the book love with these awesome book bloggers….
Chat About Books 
Lovely review Kerry xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Nicki 😊 xx
LikeLiked by 1 person