Guest Post by Rebecca Hubbard #author of The Gift #Children’s fiction #Horses #MondayBlogs

Today, I’m very pleased to welcome Rebecca Hubbard, author of The Gift, which is more than just a lovely story for children.

“Inspiration for The Gift”

I am asked frequently what was the inspiration for “The Gift.” Though it was not one thing, some interactions I witnessed between a girl and a horse made me think about the nature of relationships, how they develop and what causes them to begin well or never begin at all. I was struck by the girl’s immediate professed love for a being she just met, her need to have his attention, and her insatiable need to have his adoration. When the horse did not acknowledge her she was heartbroken and said she felt very rejected. The lopsided feelings in this interaction made me curious how that happened. What was the girl thinking that caused her to love the horse so much without knowing him? What caused her to feel so heartbroken and rejected when he acted as if she was invisible? What was the horse thinking and feeling that caused him to react in that manner? The girl after all was in his space. Yet, he did not acknowledge her, not with an eye, an ear…nothing. She did not exist as far as he was concerned. Why? He would have given a fly some attention but not her. What was it about this interaction that caused that reaction? These were the things I wondered about for a long time. 

A year later that same girl stood across the fence from that same horse grazing in the pasture. She called lowly to him. He lifted his head and he considered her for a moment. Then he walked up to her and allowed her to rub and kiss his face. The tears in her eyes spoke volumes about what this meant to her. The horse was calm, his eyes soft and kind. He stood for a very long time soaking in her attention and love. What had changed? Was it the girl who changed? Was it the horse? Was it both? They That was the first time he had responded to her. Clearly something was very different for both of them. It was a beautiful moment of connection that I will never forget.

When the idea for “The Gift” came it was born partly out of all these questions and the hours I have spent with horses, getting to know them, and how wonderfully sensitive they are to the beings around them. Their ability to use pressure and sense energy and communicate subtly are things I admire so much about them. So, the inspiration for the “The Gift” was all of these things.

 

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 ABOUT REBECCA HUBBARD

Rebecca J. Hubbard is a master’s level Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over twenty years of experience working with children and their families. She began writing short stories as a child for her own amusement and enjoyment. Rebecca discovered that she could facilitate the healing of her young clients by writing stories for them. 

Currently, Rebecca works at Spirit Reins as a clinician and as the clinical supervisor where she practices Natural Lifemanship, ™ a Trauma-Focused Equine Assisted Psychotherapy™ model.

Rebecca is a native Texan, who enjoys spending time with friends and family, including her two dogs, Idgie and Sully, and her two horses, Cash and Cloud. She also loves to read, paint and garden. Rebecca encourages readers to connect with her via her website and Amazon Author Page.

• Paperback: 62 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 23, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1515181839
• ISBN-13: 978-1515181835

ABOUT THE BOOK

All eleven-year-old Pip wanted was a best friend. When Pip gets a horse for her birthday, she’s delighted. She thinks that the horse she names Buck will be her best friend from the moment that they meet. But she finds out that friendship does not come that easily. 

Pip’s father gently guides her so that Pip can discover for herself how to make Buck a true friend. Pip’s new friend, Buck, has a story of his own. After leaving his own herd, to move to Pip’s house, he is looking for a relationship that will help him feel safe. He, too, learns that making a friend takes patience and understanding.

Told from the perspectives of both Pip and Buck, The Gift is a heartwarming and valuable lesson about friendship, trust and love that will appeal to a wide variety of readers.