Life Lessons from a Ranch Horse

by Mark Rashid

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.

Genres: Horses, Nonfiction, Animals

158 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2003

About the author

Mark Rashid (pronounced RASH-id) is an internationally acclaimed horse trainer known for his ability to understand the horse’s point of view and solve difficult problems with communication rather than force. He began working with horses at age ten, when he met the “old man,” who taught him to work with horses, not against them, and to listen to what the horse is trying to say. Mark’s clinics center on one-on-one work with horse and rider and are immensely popular with people around the world.

When Mark decided to study the martial art of aikido as a way to improve his horsemanship, he brought the same quiet determination to it that he exhibits in his work with horses. After years of practice, he has earned a second degree black belt in Yoshinkan aikido and now teaches the “way of harmony” in the local dojo.

Mark worked full time on ranches for many years gathering herds, managing stock, and training horses. When time permits, he still enjoys working on ranches near his home in Estes Park, Colorado.

Mark has been a guest on NPR’s The Horse Show and was featured on the Nature series on PBS. He is the author of nine books - Considering the Horse, A Good Horse is Never a Bad Color; Horses Never Lie; Life Lessons from a Ranch Horse; Horsemanship Through Life; Big Horses, Good Dogs, & Straight Fences; A Life With Horses; Whole Heart, Whole Horse; and his latest, a novel, Out of the Wild. He also has a solo music CD Song of the Prairie and enjoys singing and playing guitar with a local band The Elktones.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often read self-help books but this one feels as if it came at exactly the right time in my life....the lessons are presented with stories about Buck, a ranch horse and teacher. Since I find that my time with my horses is generally an accurate metaphor for what is going on in my psychological and intellectual life this book seems to speak directly and personally to me. If you have continued to learn all of your life you will probably get something from this compelling book.

[Ellen Broadhurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging read; some blinding glimpse of the obvious, some eye rolling, but in general a balanced approach to what can sometimes be a new agey woo-woo topic: Natural Horsemanship. Rashid himself eschews this term. As he indicates, there's nothing natural about climbing on a horses back and asking them to do anything. The notion trying to see where the horse is coming from is an important one for good horsemanship, and this seems to be the road Rashid travels.

Probably the thing I find most irritating about any of the western riders who discover natural horsemanship is the epiphany that happens the first time they break a colt quietly, without a huge bucking fit. Honey, hate to tell you, but people have been backing horses quietly from the time of Xenophon. I've watched horse backed for forty years (and backed a few babies myself) and have never seen one pitch a fit. It's the way things have been done properly for millennium. So, nothing new there.

Overall, the stories are entertaining, and Rashid does come across as a reasonable, humble person who enjoys telling the stories about what he has learned. There is a lot of oblivious horsemanship in this country; if it takes reading a book or taking this man's clinic to change that, all the better for horses. He's not selling toys, or equipment, and genuinely seems to want to see people ride their horses, so head and shoulders over the delusional Parelli crowd. A worthwhile read, for entertainment and a few insights.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet, easy book with charming, poignant, and sometimes hilarious stories about the author Mark learning life lessons with the help of various horses, especially his best horse, wise Buck. I really appreciated the horse trainer Mark's connection with Buck. Fascinating how Mark learned that he is the student in their relationship - Buck is the teacher. I'm not a horse person, but I can't help but admire and appreciate Buck, and now I want to go trail riding! The writing is way too repetitive, but I persisted with this book to it's gentle end. Worth the read!

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Dominique Dijkshoorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful as always! Mark Rashid just has a way with words ❤️

[Marie Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I never would have read if my mom didn't hand it to me and ask me to read it. It was surprisingly enjoyable and insightful.

[Mariiia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple, honest, but good advice!

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Synopsis: "Internationally renowned horse trainers pays tribute to the horse that became his teacher."

My Review: There were definitely things I liked and didn't like about this book. First the things I wasn't too thrilled about, the book was very repetitive, I felt like I kept reading the same line over and over again, or the same paragraph in a slightly different wording. The second was that the book reads a good portion of the time like the author is giving a lecture or speech instead of sharing a story. Now on to the things I really liked, first of there is no doubt who the narrator is, his voice comes through the writing (no really the entire book I could hear it as I read the book). He also made me really regret giving up my life of working with horses to sit at an office desk job and have a family, I definitely miss that connection with the animals. I really enjoyed the tidbits of stories he told about Buck, you can definitely imagine Buck's body language as he attempts to communicate with Mark. There are definitely some great lessons and gems of lines scattered throughout the story but it takes some work to get to them. If I could read it again I would maybe skip the afterword because it seemed to swerve way off topic.

[Tabitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome book. I laughed. I cried. And I still think about these stories regularly. Buck is a horse version of Lassie, except he was not fiction. And he'd just look at Mark instead of barking.
All animal lovers would enjoy this book, but it is not really a book about horses. It is about the revalations the author has in his work with Buck, and some of Buck's pals, and a great many people over the years. It is an account of his journey of self-improvement, and it contains tidbits we all can learn from.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this book a 10 if I could. I think everyone should read this book. It's not only about a horse...it's about a horse who taught so very much. This book teaches a way of life, along with a new way of seeing how intelligent and awesome animals are. It is also about a human who was willing to listen and learn and now teach others.

[C.J. Darlington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read from Mark Rashid. More a memoir of the world's best horse (Buck) than a training manual, but then again, it never promises to be anything more than that. Terrific insights on how to live better, more productive lives too.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why isn't there a six-star option?!? The lessons are poignant and apply to just about everything in life. The afterword/epilogue had me in tears for nearly a half-hour. This is a must-read for any horse lover or just anyone who is in need to guidance in their life.

[Pat Collingwood-Ruppel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a special place in my heart having had horses ourselves for so many years. It warmed my heart to read of their intelligence and patience with the human. We have much to learn from one of the noblest creatures. An inspirational read with truths of lessons to learn for all of us.

[Annamaria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book. My Jigs is like Buck sometimes. He's got that no nonsense way of being in the herd

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful, heartfelt book. Lots of good wisdom and common sense. Reminiscent of Buck Branahman.