Almost a Whisper: A Holistic Approach to Working with Your Horse [Hardcover]

Sam Powell (Author), Lane Carter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1999

Want to develop a solid partnership with your horse? Teach him practical skills like loading in a trailer without fuss? The author teaches you how to really understand your horse and handle him safely. *Three keys to maintaining a horse’s respect *How to tell if your horse has a physical problem that’s causing him to act up

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There's nothing magical about horse whispering," says Powell, but Almost a Whisper contains an endless source of wisdom based on knowledge of horse culture and instincts. For example, Powell points out that a young horse being saddled for the first time might perceive the saddle as a mountain lion dropping on his back. He emphasizes that proper communication can foster mutual trust and reduce the chance of injury for both trainer and horse. ...Most important to Powell, however, is that the skills used in relating to a horse can easily transfer into better interpersonal relationships. "Every time I help a horse work through a problem, I see a connection to a human problem," says Powell. -- Todays Horse Magazine

"This book should be required reading for both professionals and amateurs in al riding disciplines" -- (Jane Savoie)

Almost a Whisper is "must" reading for every aspiring horse owner and rider, and has much to recommend it to experienced breeders, trainers and veterinarians as well. -- Bookwatch

Editors' Farvorite Books of 1999:

Almost a Whisper takes a look at how homo sapiens interacts with Equus caballus, the saddle horse. A kind of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for horses and their people, this book explains starting colts and getting riders to hear their horses, even at a whisper. Sam Powell and his wife, Lane Carter, write with humor and clarity. -- The Bloomsbury Review, Dec. 99

From the Publisher

Powell’s clinics have received rave reviews from attendees.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Alpine Publications (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157779026X
• ISBN-13: 978-1577790266
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,132,329 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sometimes A Shout: A Horsemans Attitude Adjuster, September 28, 2000

By 

"barngirl" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Almost a Whisper: A Holistic Approach to Working with Your Horse (Hardcover)

I bought this book based on Amazon customers' effusive recommendations, and I tried very hard to like it. I did -sometimes-but I just don't think it worked for me overall. All of the previous customer reviews that address the book's content are pretty much accurate, including the reviewer who noted that the contents are wordy and repetitive; they are. So, to give additional information to the prospective buyer, this review focuses on what I would have appreciated knowing.

First, a good portion of the book is devoted to the authors' efforts to convince the reader to abandon the stereotypical "cowboy school" of horse breaking/training. It was as if they assumed their audience consisted of cowboys of decades ago. This is understandable given Sam's background, but if that's the target audience, I'm not sure the book's title is going to attract those people. The problem I had with the authors writing so much extolling the wisdom of the "horse whisperer" philosophy is that I was already there. That's why I bought the book.

Second, while they rightly criticize abusive horse breaking methods in favor of theirs, several passages come across like they're proselytizing. This tone wasn't completely off-putting. Neither entirely was the fact that they occasionally digress to opine on society's ills. Other readers may not be so charitable about these musings. (While other readers may high five them for it.)

Third, the book was generally well organized, but many points - mostly on why one should choose horse whispering - were repeated. Repetition does aid memory, but I would have appreciated more content on various situations involving the mature horse. Why is it that these sorts of books generally focus on the "starting the colts" stage? Don't many riders own older horses that know how to get away with a lot, are spoiled, domineering, etc.? From what Sam says in the book, it sounds like many of the attendees at his clinics are those riders or novice horse owners. If so, I don't suspect many of these people are into the starting the colts phase. Even if they are, examples on dealing with older horses other than trailer loading and spooking would help. For instance, I found it frustrating that the authors incompletely tell about horse owners who didn't think their horses had problems because the owners didn't ask the horses to do anything they didn't want to do. They relate the example of the horse that would not cross water or the filly that exploded when the owners tried to get her to move under saddle. Too bad the book didn't apply the horse whisperer method to these examples. Rather, they are mentioned only to illustrate why these owners need to readjust their attitude. I wholeheartedly agree that the rider's attitude is more than half of the problem, but finishing off these examples by employing the horse whisperer method would have been far more instructive, effective, and valuable.

Fourth, there are a few instances that really stick out as strange or incongruous. I was taken aback by the several references to misbehaving horses "going to dog food," even though these comments are always made by a hypothetical owner exasperated with his "misbehaving" horse. I similarly gave pause when Sam bluntly admits to laying horses down. (He does candidly explain the limited circumstances under which he does this, and emphasizes that he does not train others to do it.) I also looked askance when the authors unequivocally say that horses have a form of mental telepathy. I guess this added to the holistic part of the book? More of a petty irritation, probably better levied on the editor, is the fact that the index is not carefully compiled. Page references are not always correct (e.g., in my edition, Buck Branaman is mentioned on page 138, but is indexed as appearing on page 137).

In sum, the book is a readable amalgamation of biography, journal of one's journey in search of personal enlightenment, how to start colts, philosophy (life in general and life with horses), training manual, and "The World According To Sam and Lane." There is much in "Almost a Whisper" to learn, particularly to those who haven't read any natural horsemanship books, and especially to those who haven't broken out of the breaking method. The approach these authors take may not fit everyone, but it is the message that's important. Unfortunately, I found many aspects of the book distracting from the worthy points. Now forewarned, I'll hopefully be able to focus on those points when I reread this. This book may have been three stars for me, but if Sam and Lane's style effectively reaches others, and it appears it has, the book is worthy of five stars for them.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Almost a Whisper : A Holistic Approach to Working With Your, October 20, 2000

By 

Jane Ross-Field (Leyburn, North Yorkshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Almost a Whisper: A Holistic Approach to Working with Your Horse (Hardcover)

What an absolutely wonderful book. Sam Powell and Lane Carter have a wonderful understanding of horses and explain everything so well in a way that is easy to understand. I have already used some of the methods described in this book and now it will become my bible. If only more people were prepared to read and learn the world would be a much better place for all horses. I will be refering to this book all the time and hope to be able to meet the authors sometime in the near future. Whoever buys and reads this book cannot be disappointed!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wisdom, insight, and humor, June 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Almost a Whisper: A Holistic Approach to Working with Your Horse (Hardcover)

"Wisdom, insight, and humor" sums up this informative AND enjoyable book. Working with horses as I do and seeing what I see in both horses and their people, I found (and continue to find) this book packed full of relevant concepts. And each time I read it, I find more. The focus here is on working with your (or any) horse rather than "against" his nature. I've bought several of these books and have given them with joy to some non-horse people as well as horse folks - the lessons contained within apply to more than horses! (Thumbs up to Sam Powell & Lane Carter.)