“Most people think horses are beautiful, but I think they smell good,” says Justine Riley. In fact, she is so passionate about sharing her sensory appreciation, she created a book called “I’m a Horse Smeller.”
When she wears the teal t-shirt that depicts the book’s cover, equine enthusiasts approach and tell her they understand exactly what she means. Those who don’t have much experience with horses, ask the kind of questions she answers in her book.
The text is a blend of poetry and vivid imagery. She describes the “sweet musty smell” of hay and feed and does not ignore the natural scent of horse poop or barn wood.
“That distinct horse smell,” she explains, “can bring back memories one forgot.”
Riley’s earliest memory is a good example. “When I learned to talk, I asked for a horse. I liked being around horses and enjoyed being in the barn, feeding them treats. I always liked the work of it,” she declares.
Her first horse, Warrior, was at least eighteen when she got him. From him, she learned how to figure out a relationship. “We had a lot of sorting out to do,” she admits, but as they began to understand each other, he became her best friend.
Most of her adventures with Warrior were in Florida, where Justine did a lot of her growing up. She lived in Clearwater, which was, at that time, around the size of Murray. The atmosphere was pretty laid back, so she could ride Warrior around town, on sidewalks and streets.
“He’d graze in people’s yards,” she recalls.
The work involved was a privilege of ownership that Justine accepted and even welcomed. She gave riding lessons to pay for the expenses and mucking the stall and other tasks associated with the proper care and feeding of Warrior was part of her routine. They were a pair for twelve years, from the time she was 14 until he died when she was 26.
During those formative years, Justine was on her way to becoming an artist, but she admits the process was almost accidental. She began taking classes at St. Petersburg College without any particular outcome in mind but eventually realized graduation was a good goal. When she declared her major as art, a two-dimensional design class opened up a new universe to explore.
“The first assignment was to make a book that ended up being the sketchbook for the class,” she says. “And after that, I kept making books.”
When she came to Murray State University and worked with book artist Nicole Hand, Justine became even more enthralled with the concept of hand-made books.
Being an author did not come to her automatically, although she remembers being a kid and telling her parents she would be a writer someday.
“Then I’d look at myself and think, ‘You don’t even come up with stories,’” Justine confesses. But being a visual artist and making use of her creative imagination eventually led her to this project.
The idea of “I am a Horse Smeller” goes back seven years, when Justine began writing the words. Two years ago, she started playing around with book cloth and she cut out a little horse figure.
“When I started making book covers with horses. It began to click,” she recalls. Today, Justine Riley is a book artist, exploring both sides of a book – not just the story but the vessel that contains it.
“I’m a Horse Smeller” is for horse lovers, children, or anyone willing to explore the world of horses and learn a bit about them. In easy verse, Justine explains how to say hi to a horse and talks about what they eat and how they are cared for. The illustrations were originally handmade, using book cloth, scissors, and an old sewing machine, and the book was published in a way that simulates the cloth and stitch construction.
Justine Riley lives in Mayfield, with her husband and son. She is trained as an artist, but her interests have led her in multi-disciplinary directions, including raising chickens.
The book is available on Amazon. To learn more visit www.horsesmeller.
Constance Alexander is a columnist, award-winning poet and playwright, and President of INTEXCommunications in Murray. She can be reached at calexander9@murraystate.edu. Or visit www.constancealexander.com.
