Coloring Book of Horses by Lesley Lodge

If you are struggling to cope with the demands of family life and all that entails plus juggling a job and partnership, then meditation can really help. Mindfulness is a type of meditation whose techniques can enhance problem-solving and decision-making as well as help reduce stress and and increase your overall wellbeing.

Recently colouring-in has been revived for adults as a way of reducing anxiety and stress levels. Many advocate pets for counteracting stress related symptoms and, as Lesley Lodge points out, "Being around horses has long been recognised as therapeutic for many kinds of stresses."

Although most of us don't have the means or opportunity for physical equine therapy, we can all enjoy pictures of horses. Lesley Lodge combines her love for horses with a mind relaxing activity in Coloring Book of Horses: Stress Reducing Art Therapy. This book could also be very useful for teens who need to relax after studying and during exams.  

"People have been colouring-in horses for at least 17,000 years as the cave paintings in Lascaux, France show.

"Colouring-in can reduce your stress and calm anxiety – like the reciting of chants or mantras but more fun. Your brain works just enough to slow the turmoil of stress or anxiety but not so much that your concentration is drained," says Lesley.

"Coloring Book of Horses: Stress Reducing Art Therapy offers two sorts of colouring-in:

• The first section has patterns and landscapes for your detailed colouring – any colour you like.
• In the second section, you can colour in real or imagined horse colour combinations and markings. There are over fifty colours and colour combinations for real horses – there’s a list of the main real colours towards the end of this book.

 "But, hey, this book also has some unicorns, mythical flying horses and sea-horses. You can use any colours you like.

 "Most of all, have fun! Remember, as the old saying goes, 'a good horse is never a bad colour'."

We have a copy of Coloring Book of Horses to be won. Just answer this question:

How many colours and combinations are there for real horses?

Please write Coloring Book of Horses in the subject line of your email and include all your contact details. Only one entry per household.

This competition is now closed.

The winner will be the sender of the first correct email opened at random after 1pm on Wednesday 16 September, 2015.

Coloring Book of Horses: Stress Reducing Art Therapy with illustrations by Antonio Reche-Martinez and Tom Campey is available from Amazon.

Lesley Lodge is the author of Lights! Camera! Gallop The Story of the Horse in Film and Horse and Pony Colours.