Zen Mind, Zen Horse: The Science and Spirituality of Working with Horses

by Allan J. Hamilton

Eastern philosophy enters the stables in this unique guide to horsemanship. Allan Hamilton describes how horses understand and respond to the flow of vital energy around them. They use this energy, called chi , to communicate with their herd, express dominance, and sense predators. Hamilton shares safe, simple techniques to make you more receptive to your animal’s chi, so you can develop a calm and effective training style that will not only help your horse follow commands, but strengthen the spiritual bond between horse and rider. 

Genres: Horses, Animals, Nonfiction, Buddhism

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2011

Reviews

[stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

the chi of the round pen killed me. i think this is a bit of rip-off - the book doesn't give you any information about how actual neuroscience works in horses or in humans. i was really hoping for a connection between working with a horse and neuroscience in humans, but. this guy apparently does all sorts of things with troubled kids, which makes me a little nervous, and.

unless you are a parelli fan, this is something to skip.

*

so i bought this because there's a chapter on mindfulness and grooming. as someone that thinks every groom should be no shorter than 45 minutes, i found this interesting and possibly a text to pass on to other people.

little did i know this neurosurgeon has bought into pat parelli . . .

::tries to reserve judgment::

[Gina McKnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing reference manual for every horse owner. Filled with everything horse - from Native American anecdotes, to handling/position and body language - "Zen Mind, Zen Horse" will keep you engaged and informed. A great refresher course for season riders and essential reading for all novice riders. Recommended reading.

[Felicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has not aged well, and is definitely not suitable for those who care about evidenced based and compassionate horsemanship.
The author has presented us with outdated information (for example the reason behind why horses lick and chew, herd hierarchy), to questionable people quoted (Donald Trump, Clint Anderson, Pat Parelli) and blatant animal cruelty (depriving a horse of food and water for over 2 days because they would not get on to a trailer).
The images and diagrams used are stunning, with a beautifully aesthetically pleasing interior, the actual content of this book should be read with a critical eye.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I liked best about this book is the idea of partnership. I am drawn to this idea and really respect the trainer who guides with this basic scheme. This will be a book that I re-read as I continue to work with my new horse, as a returning adult rider. I appreciate the tips and references, and have already started practicing with some small successes.

[Kalen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was okay and it did give me some tips on mindfulness when working with horses but since I ride in a riding school with lesson horses a lot of these techniques I can't apply in my weekly lesson. Some of the training tips also seems to be very specific to horses that have never been handled and again in my situation the horses I'm around are all extensively handled.

I found some of the writing confusing and hard to visualize even with the illustrations. I think parts of this book were written more like a scientific textbook than a helpful horse handling guide which I found made the book dull in parts.

[Mylittlepwny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nicely presented but not what i expected. The title and back blurb are very misleading. A reasonable book for very novice horse owners, riders, handlers.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a horse trainer I enjoyed this one, great advice, some thing I already knew but the great thing is no one trains exactly the same way, so even if there are things you already know, you still pick up new things. A great read for those wanting to get into horses as well, he explains in detail and in a way that's easy for even non-horsepeople to understand about how out energy effects the horses and how to be more aware of ourselves. Very knowledgeable!

[Ireland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book had a lot of useful information but at the same time was slightly boring. Possibly because I already have hands on experience from being an equestrian for so many years? I still don’t have a solid opinion about this book, so until then I gave this book 3 ⭐️s.

[Mj · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book you can only wish every horse owner could model their training methods off.Beautifully written, truly captures the essence of horsemanship.

[Jesse Freedom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of this book was really good, but there is a little bit that I don't agree with, or that is contradictory.

[Rey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the approach to horses taken in this book. Most really resonate with me and better yet, with my horse. So much work to continue.

[Afrah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true horseman does not look at the horse with his eyes, he looks at his horse with his heart

[Sumiko]

Done with book . .. skimmed it. Interesting concepts and should I ever be training a horse will look for it again.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horses are truly incredible creatures. They can be the most powerful and loyal of friends, but in return they demand utter honesty and presence of mind; two characteristics that human beings have hastily and unjustly devalued over the course of our existence. Unfortunately, these two characteristics are inherently intertwined with respect and that, too, humans seem to have carelessly misplaced.

Allan Hamilton, a neurosurgeon slash renowned horse trainer, stands to remind us that we have many lessons to learn from the equine species. Indeed, working with horses is one way to regain a sense of respect and awe for this magical, natural world we so take for granted. When we consciously build our relationships with horses, we become increasingly self-aware and regain our capacity to slow down, breathe, and explore the interconnectedness of the universe with childlike wonder. A priceless gift, if you ask me.

Not only does Hamilton explore the more spiritual side of the equine-human bond in Zen Mind Zen Horse, he introduces some basic, practical activities to get you started in the right direction.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books that's jam-packed with information so you have to take it in small doses and really think about what you've read in between readings. I found a lot of the information to be useful and I'll definitely be incorporating it into my work with horses. Some of it seems downright dangerous, as though reading a book will be enough to teach you to break your own horse. A grain of salt is needed with this one.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

These concepts apply to all aspects of life, not just horsemanship. This book is pretty deeply detailed as to care and training of horses with an emphasis on humane and spiritual partnership/leadership rather than dominance (duh). A lot of the technical information didn't apply to me right now because I'm a beginning learner. If I ever graduate to having a horse of my own, this is a book I will go back to. Also it's beautifully illustrated and has poignant quotes throughout.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed in this book because it was not really about what I thought it would be. I was thinking it was going to be more about horses as spiritual teachers. It touched on that but was really more about a gentle & natural approach to working with horses on the ground. It was a good refresher but not ground breaking or new information to me.

[Aly Stratton · Rating 5 out of 5]

integrating spiritual principles and practical applications, Dr. Hamilton, a neurosurgeon, shows how to apply the chi-based approach to every aspect of horse-human communication. For some it is a little out there. Personally I loved the book and use it in my work with equine healing and equine facilitated mental health. If you love horses, have a strong spiritual side, READ THIS!!!!

[Susan Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that covers the basics and gives good explanations on how to do several things when handling horses. I like the idea of each thing being done well, with great care. Finding the spiritual connection to the horse in the smallest touch and not taking the basic needs for granted in giving comfort and joy to both human and horse.

[P · Rating 4 out of 5]

A spiritual neurosurgeon and a horse lover/trainer. An understandable explanation of energy/chi and the human/horse connection which can be very subtle. Makes the things that Parelli, Cox, Anderson, Desmond, etc do more apparent.

[Jennifer Ricker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book for natural horsemanship readers. His focus is geared less on Zen, I thought, and more on getting people to work with horses by placing themselves in the mind of a horse; giving up our predator mode and becoming the prey/herd animal.

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful mixture of insights into Equus and activities to do with your horse(s).

Good ideas, events to share and experience with your horse(s). Some are so simple- they are around us all the time- we just need to become aware.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic training, grooming, and horse care presented in a new way.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! It is filled with tons of great tips and techniques that I'm aure I will use in training my horse. A must read for anyone who is passionate about horses.

[Joigrl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. I will refer to it often while training my horses

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good resource to fall back on when training or re-training a horse partner. Many suggestions leave you in a vulnerable position to totally trust that your horse would not harm you.

[Rox · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little deep. Maybe should try again sometime.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring

Practical advice for a spiritual approach to connecting and working with horses. I look forward to putting them into practice.

Sonja D

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book for beginners. It's somewhat simplistic.

[Deyanira Villalta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed learning from this book. Used in my Basic Equine Skills class.