Customer Reviews

Horsemanship Through Life

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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For any of us who know Mark Rashid, this book is pure Mark Rashid. As I read the book I could hear his voice speaking the words. This is a book you'll want to share with your friends and relatives, whether they are horsepeople or not. This is a very thoughtful and thought provoking book about horses and life. It is about: awareness, learning, teaching, honesty, integrity and much more. It is about principles more than techniques. It is about taking ownership of and responsibility for our lives and relationships with horses and humans.

This book is profound and simple all at once. It doesn't take long to read, but will be with you (and your horse if you have one) for life. It is about "the price of the ticket".

Stuart Feen
Grayslake, IL

Horsemanship Through Life is awesome. Mark really bares his soul and has written a very personal book. The thoughts and journeys shared here will not only make one a better horseman, but a better person all the way around. For those of you that have not met Mark in person, you may think this book is a bunch of hooey...but it truly is the essence of the man, Mark Rashid. Mark is a man of integrity whose horsemanship ALWAYS has what is best for the horse at heart. Mark is a great teacher and truly a master of horsemanship and an ever evolving student of life. This book touched me deeply. Attending Mark's clinics and reading his books has had a profound effect on both my horsemanship and my life. I am proud to call him my horsemanship sensei.

I was a bit leary when I found out that Mark was going to talk about his experiences with a martial arts program as I don't care for the spiritual aspects of many of them. I was very pleased when I read the book and found how he applied the practical aspects of Aikido to horsemanship. Mark is a good author and a very good horseman. It was a pleasure to read how he continues to learn and grow. That's a good incentive for this 60-year old horseman.

I really enjoyed Mark's book. I'm not into the martial arts but I was impressed with the way Mark tied it all together. I was able to use some of the techniques he suggested.
I highly recommend this book as well as his previous books.

I always enjoy Rashid's work, but this was one I could really relate to, since I have gone through a similar experience. What a shocker to realize I, too, had lost my "center" and didn't even realize that's what was wrong with my riding until I read the book and recognized the course of events straight from my own experience. Also gave me wonderful visualization ideas for regaining my "center." Can't wait to give them a try.

I enjoyed (and devoured) this book as much I have enjoyed all of Mark Rashid's books. Being particularly interested in the relationship of handling/riding horses and blending the practice of Aikido, this book was helpful to me in the arena and under saddle as much as studying the Nia Technique has been for me as an equestrian. Mark has an amazing ability to 'speak the language' of the everyday horseman or woman and bridge for us his deep compassion and wisdom about horses - and his words as I read them seem to seep into my horsemanship skills - transformative. He's truly an educator, philosopher and an entertaining writer. His books are good the 2nd and 3rd time too!

We have owned horse for many years. I used to think that there were good ones and bad ones, hated Arabs and didn't care for mares all that much. After I read Mark's books I changed my mind. Each book is a delightful story that teaches through example. One the points I learned that, though very simple, is that horses can and usually will do anything they are physically capable of if introduced to it properly. I highly recommend this series of books to anyone with horses, novice or seasoned veteran. You won't be disappointed unless you can't admit that you don't know it all.

Mark walks us through the steps he took to improve the quality/integrity of his work. This exploration in theory and through practical examples reveals how horses learn; values that guide Mark's problem solving; why the "passive leadership" approach can have such a profound impact on horse & rider; the need to study horse behavior/communication rather than only training techniques if we are to be flexibly creative in work with horses. It's also a lesson for humans in remaining teachable!

I have read all of Mark's books and this one is the best... not just for horse folks but truly life lessons for us all!

I have so many wonderful things to say about this book and yet none of them do it justice. I've been a rider my entire life, mostly riding dressage, and this book really brought it all together for me. If you want a deeper relationship with your horse, and by that, I mean you really want to put in the mindfulness and discipline to really see what an amazing relationship you can have, then get this book. Now. Mark, with his wonderful story telling ability, takes us through a journey that I think many of us can apply to our own lives. He has so many important things to say. While he can help people with techniques, perhaps his greatest gift is in going farther, deeper, in expressing those concepts that can not only change a person's relationship with his/her horse, but can change his/her life as well.

In our frenetic world, with so many showy horsepeople who don't truly know horses at all, it's good to know that Mark is sharing his wisdom. He is such a gift to horses - and humans - and every person owes it to his or her horse to go out and get this book and really learn from it.