Literature
Welcome to the Literature category of this year's Art of the Horse!
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Displayed in this portion of the gallery are our literature entries. Participants were asked to write a poem, short story, or other piece of prose between 500 and 6,000 words long that would be translated onto a Traditional-sized model.
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Congratulations to everyone involved!
We love being able to see our customers' creativity, and we are blown away by all your submissions.
Short Stories, Poems, Prose
Click the links to read!
Big Blue
by Gemma Schena
I'm an English teaching major, my intentions were to create a piece I could potentially turn into a children's book in the future! It's written in my perspective, as someone who loves horses but could never have one of my own. I hope it resonates with children who have big dreams.
By Moon's Light
by Chantelle Flores
"By Moon's Light" showcases the strength and determination found in both horse and rider. Through the character of Moon, a blind horse, the idea that blind horses can live equally satisfying and happy lives is also emphasized against opposing stereotypes. As someone who is no longer able to ride due to health issues, writing stories featuring horses and equestrians remains my way of connecting with a hobby I've always admired.
The Beauty After the Storm
by Katie Breneman
This is a short story I have written not only because I thought it was a fun idea but also to convey the struggles we all handled in 2020 and to talk about the hope in this new year. I have written this piece solely for the AotH contest and hope readers enjoy! I am not a professional writer by any means but I hope this brings joy to others like I had joy in writing it.
Aging Prancer
by Brooke Southgate
This poem was inspired by a carousel I visited as a child and the slow changes that occurred over the years. The beautiful horses became worn and faded, but they continued to delight the children (and me). I chose the villanelle structure for the circular way the lines repeat as representative of the turning carousel, but I deviated slightly in the adjective describing the white horse to demonstrate how it is aging as the cycle continues. The form of the poem emphasizes the subject, which is why I love highly structured poetry.
I understand that a carousel horse is itself an artistic representation of a horse that it is a risk to use that as the focus of my work. However, I have seen the lovely roses and ribbons on other custom models that I was confident you could make a beautiful carousel model, even without the pole.