Life Lessons from a Ranch Horse (Paperback)

by Mark Rashid (Author) "SOMETIME BACK, a friend introduced me to an interesting idea..." (more)
Key Phrases: barefoot trim, head wrangler, catch pen, Rocky Mountain National Park, Longs Peak, Lesson Five (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Internationally renowned horse trainer Mark Rashid pays tribute to the horse that became his teacher.

In Mark Rashid’s fourth book, Life Lessons from a Ranch Horse, the teacher becomes the student when a nondescript, seven-year-old horse steps into his life. A famous horse trainer, known for listening to horses and working with them in a non-confrontational manner, Mark is faced with odd behavior from this horse, and he must reevaluate everything he understands about horses and about himself, as a trainer and as a person.

Beginning with an untimely balk from Buck, who never falters, Mark tried to find out why it happened. Drawing on experiences as far reaching as the Navajo way and Japanese martial arts, Mark begins to piece together the workings of the mind of his horse. That process and the conclusions he reaches are the heart of this very personal story.

What he finds challenges him to become a better horse trainer, but it also challenges him to become a better person. His argument that Buck, an everyday horse, has the ability to plan ahead and make choices in a consistent manner will challenge the reader to rethink his or her relationships with animals and way of dealing with life.

In separate chapters, Mark describes the six life lessons he learned while working with Buck. Later in the book, he puts these lessons into practice, with topics such as blending, balance, and communication. Throughout the book, a philosophy of dealing with horses and of living life itself emerges.

Mark’s inimitable storytelling skills illuminate what Buck has to teach. Heart warming but gritty, Life Lessons From a Ranch Horse is not a conventional horse book. But, then again, Buck is not a conventional horse, nor is his owner a conventional horse trainer.

About the Author
Mark Rashid is an internationally-acclaimed horse trainer known for his ability to assess situations from a horseÂ’s point of view. He has been working with horses since he was ten, and he was especially lucky in his youth to meet a wise "old man" (Walter Pruitt) who taught him to use communication, not force, in working with horses. Ever since, he has committed himself to finding the quiet but effective ways to resolve even the most difficult problems with horses.

Rashid gives dozens of clinics each year, as well as private lessons. His clinic format of one-on-one work with horse and rider is immensely popular and has gained him legions of fans around the world. In addition to his clinics, Rashid has presented at such events as the National American Humane Horse Abuse Investigators School, the Colorado Horse Fair, and Equitana USA. He has also been a guest on NPRÂ’s The Horse Show, and heÂ’s been featured on the Nature series on PBS. His articles have appeared in Western Horseman and Western Horse magazines, as well as other publications, and his books have been translated into German and Swedish. He lives in Estes Park, Colorado.

Product Details

• Paperback: 158 pages
• Publisher: Johnson Books (May 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555662838
• ISBN-13: 978-1555662837
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #56,230 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not your average horse book, June 24, 2003

By A Customer

This is simply a great book, whether you are a horse person or not. In fact, so far I have given it to all my friends and employees, none of which are "horsey", and they all love it! It's hard to put into words what I have learned from it and what I continue to learn each time I read it. (4 times so far) Suffice it to say that it is the best book I've read in the last two years, and maybe longer. However, I must also say if you buy this because you are looking for a horse training book per si, then you will most certainly be disappointed. It isn't a training book in the literal sense. Rather it opens doors to possibilities that are available to us all not just with horses, but more importantly, in our overall daily lives. If you are looking to find better ways to help your horse through understanding and communication, or simply to help improve your life in general, then this one is for you. The lessons to be gleaned from this book are simple but very powerful. Right up there with another one of my favorites, The Tao of Pooh. I HIGHLY recomend this book.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hearing the Wiseman Speak, November 21, 2003

By	WaterDragon "horsyme" (Northern CA USA) - See all my reviews

I'm not talking about Mark Rashid when I refer to the Wiseman...I'm talking about Buck!

But Mark is his spokesman - and a great one at that.

Although I have enjoyed all of Mark's books, this one is really special. "Life Lessons From A Ranch Horse" is a gentle and compelling story that explains how the keys to understanding and communication are often completely overlooked even by the "experts". Mark leads us through his slow discovery of Buck's Life Lessons in a very sincere and honest way.

This is not a "How To Ride and Train Horses" book; it's an introduction to a more effective way to approach problems and solve them to everyone's benefit. Not a bad thing to be able to use in our lives, with horses or other people!

Mark has done us all a good service by sharing his tale of discovery. Now Buck can reach more folks than those who could ever meet him in person. And perhaps we will be able to better hear the other "Bucks" in our lives.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my top equine books, February 24, 2005

By	Joey's Girl (Chicago, IL and Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

I bought this book because it looked somewhat interesting (and I had already read most of the other books in that store). I hadn't really given any of the "self-help-ish" horse books a chance. I previously only read non-fiction, information-laden, textbook-ish readings (such as books on feed and nutrition, setting jumps and other arena exercises, etc.). I just ignorantly assumed that books such as this one were going to be too "out there" for me. I was wrong.

Rashid has since become one of my favorite writers (of horse books, anyway). He explains things very illustratively and turns the book into a story. He uses story telling as a means of informing the reader and getting his point across. This technique not only makes the topic easier to understand, but it also makes the book altogether much more enjoyable and readable. In all honesty, I found it hard to put this book down, which is not a common occurance.

Much to my surprise, I learned a lot from this book. It is so easy to read - in that it flows smoothly and easily, and holds your interest very well - that it is hard to believe I learned as much from it as I did. I apply so much of what this book has taught me on an every day basis. None of my past readings (the text book type books) provided so much useful, appliable intormation. I truly owe much of my riding's recent improvement to the lessons learned through reading this book.

I guarantee that this book is worth the money and time (and you won't believe how fast you glide through it). If you would like to learn more about what it's like to be a horse and think like a horse, and how to better communicate with / understand them then I highly recommend this book.

F.Y.I. I have since read some of Rashid's other books and I have found them to be very informative and enjoyable as well.