In the Middle Are the Horsemen

by Tik Maynard

In 2008, 26-year-old Tik Maynard faced a crossroads not unlike that of other young adults. A university graduate and modern pentathlete, he suffered both a career-ending injury and a painful breakup, leaving him suddenly adrift. The son of prominent Canadian equestrians, Maynard decided to spend the next year as a "working student." In the horse industry, working students aspire to become professional riders or trainers, and willingly trade labor for hands-on education. Here Maynard chronicles his experiences-good and bad-and we follow along as one year becomes three, what began as a casual adventure gradually transforms, and a life's purpose comes sharply into focus.

Over time, Maynard evolved under the critical eyes of Olympians, medal winners, and world–renowned figures in the horse world, including Anne Kursinski, Johann Hinnemann, Ingrid Klimke, David and Karen O'Connor, Bruce Logan, and Ian Millar. He was ignored, degraded, encouraged, and praised. He was hired and fired, told he had the "wrong body type to ride" and that he had found his "destiny." He got married and lost loved ones. Through it all he studied the horse, and human nature, and how the two can find balance. And in that journey, he may have found himself.

Genres: Horses, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Animals

Audible Audio

Published October 24, 2022

Reviews

[Ella Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel as though I have sat through an entire college class but instead of lecturing my teacher took me to the barn. Tik offers such a rare insight to the horse world and I love it!

[Carly Kade · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshing, entertaining, smart view of modern horsemanship.

[Malin Fredriksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in 2 days

I can't recall the last time I stopped my life f or two days just to read. It was so refreshing to read the same questions of conscience I ponder often. How to best balance my wishes of being an equestrian, with the happiness of my mare. Thank you Tik. You made me think and I will keep trying to be the human caregiver my mare deserves

[Kaora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eventing is a test. At any level it is a test not for the faint of heart. Like racing cars or underwater spelunking, if something goes wrong death is a possibility.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were times during reading this that, for reasons I can’t exactly put my finger on, the author or his writing rubbed me the wrong way. There was also a distinct feeling that the chapters were individual pieces strung together to form a book (which is likely true, since at least some of them were previously published articles), which sometimes affected the cohesion of the narrative.

That being said, this is clearly the work of someone who was looking for answers in earnest, who is truly eager to learn, and who loves horses and wants to balance their needs and desires with his own pursuit of success. Maybe the thing that bothered me was that he seems to often overthink things—reading the tortuous confusion he expresses over the technically correct way to ride kind of stressed me out. But I think that some of that stems from being someone who was living with the vast uncertainty of not knowing how to make his way in the world and looking for something very concrete to latch onto. I recognize that sense of just being so lost and wanting someone to tell you: this is exactly what you are supposed to do (and then wanting them to praise you and reassure you that you are improving and doing it well).

As the book progresses, the author seems to come to grips with that uncertainty, learning the confidence to make his own choices and set his own standards.

As I’m at somewhat of a crossroads in my horse life, thinking about what kind of rider I’d like to be and what direction to take, it was sort of refreshing to read about all the mistakes and dead ends this man experienced. It was also, at times, discouraging, a reminder about how difficult the horse world can be. But in the end, it comes down to something I’ve been thinking lately, which the author expresses in his definition of a true horseman: that they keep working on themselves to be better people for their horses.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiring and refreshing read. This is a book I will read again and again and the pages will become dog-eared.

[Abigail Smith]

Confession: I found the author's "voice" pretty obnoxious at times, but I was really struck by many things he said. Definitely worth a read, although the style grates a little.

[Dr. Peter L. Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding -- for me! Book cover says it best -- Tik was from a solid horse owning & training family. Rose to high competitive level for Canadian teams. Had a career-ending injury as a pentathlete. Decided to spend a year working for top trainers/riders, essentially around the world. Ultimately trying to answer the question what is a horseman, a great horseman, while becoming a very good rider. Even tho I have (sort of) worked around horses as a mixed practitioner veterinarian for a number of years, I Really didn't know what they were all about. Since working at a thoroughbred racetrack for the past 7 years, & acquiring 2 geld retirees, I have returned to a childhood dream when visiting my uncle at the family farm at Thanksgiving & "riding" his trail horses; becoming that "young girl" madly in love with horses. Now I spend most of my time during the off-season, reading everything I can about horsemanship, horse behavior, psychology, etc. I know I'll never get to Tik's level, but just knowing I'm on the right track with horses & my horses is enough!

[terri gimello · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true Horseman

Loved this book. If you know horses you know this is a sound book about them. And your life when you are with them.

[Shoshana · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Rounding up because, hey, first book and all that. That said, for an author that considers himself part professional horseman, part professional writer, I hope he'll continue to improve. Given his exhortation for critics to be constructive, and given that others have already noted the disjointed nature of the work, I'll focus on other points:
- So. Much. Booze. If there was a drinking game for every time he mentioned booze, every reader would be wasted. I wasn't clear if this was intended to be a commentary on the horse world's drinking culture, but it was effective regardless. As someone who loves a good beer, I was still a bit shocked by the repeated refrain in a relatively short book. *Lesson:* Perhaps reconsider whether these references are necessary or speak directly to their relevance to the horse sport you encountered.
- The wife comments. Recognizing that portraying one's current romantic partner in a book is hard, I'll just say: she "rations" smiles because they're "candy" to him?? If all I had to go by was this book, it would seem like she's just not that into him. *Lesson:* If it's awkward to write about a spouse, just say so. Be open about the fact that large portions of your relationship are getting edited out. Break the fourth wall.
- Unnecessarily fixated on vague terms. Yes, horsemanship means many things to many people, but there is nothing magical about this word. One could also recognize that its very vagueness makes it potentially useless -- one could just as well ask someone what their philosophy of horse training is, what they consider to be the most important aspect of working with horses, etc. Alternatively, one could take the word apart: horse + man + ship = relationship between horse and man. There is no dedicated exploration of the concept, merely a spasmodic repetition of the question and anodyne comments on respect, partnership, leadership, etc. *Lesson:* If the goal of the book is to explore the meaning of horsemanship in a dedicated way, grapple with why the word itself is so important, rather than the underlying concept. If it's the underlying concept that's important, explain.
- Idolizing George Morris without mentioning his preceding, public, and widespread allegations of sexual abuse of young men and boys in his stables. Even Maynard's own description of Morris' conduct (e.g., shouting "I have no respect for you! What have you done in the horse world?!" as though humans aren't inherently worthy of respect and the only source of respect is horse-world accomplishment) reinforced the sense that questionable behavior is a sign of grandeur. *Lesson:* Accept that writing a book for the public means taking a public stand. If you choose to ignore abuse allegations, that is a position in itself.
- Referring vaguely to making someone cry after a lesson, without on-page grappling with what it means to be a good trainer, coach, and mentor. This lesson doesn't seem to have been completely absorbed by the author yet. *Lesson:* Perhaps consider working with a sports psychologist or other professional who focuses on how to motivate students (e.g., tell them what to do, rather than what *not* to do).
- Incompletely recognizing privilege. While at one point he acknowledges the privilege of being the son of two horse trainers and "coming from Canada," he also claims that "luck is spelled w-o-r-k." While work is important, the author's privilege was such a huge part of the story -- his ability to take unpaid jobs for over a year, stay home without a job for months at a time, etc. -- that the lack of straightforward talk on this point, early on, seemed like a glaring omission. *Lesson:* It's ok to be privileged. Just acknowledge it, and don't try and undermine that acknowledgement by explaining away true, blessed, and delightful luck as "work." It's possible to have both.

[Chauntel Skye · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fair warning: I actually DNFed this book, so take my review with that in mind.

I am a professional horseman with a similar horsemanship ethos to Tik’s and I was so, so, so excited to read this book. I also know that Tik is an incredible and innovative horseman, and watching his work at RTTH this year literally moved me to tears.

I still couldn’t make it through this book.

I didn’t mind that the book is slightly disjointed in narrative - many memoirs of old horsemen are like that, and my understanding is that some of the chapters were previously published as standalone essays.

I didn’t mind that some of his writing seemed a bit clunky and amateurish - again, some of these he wrote as a much younger man, and that (for the most part) did not affect the impact of the story he was trying to tell.

It was…well, his attitude. It goes without saying that getting to be a working student across the globe with some of the world’s top equestrians is not an opportunity available to more than a handful of people. That’s fine. Having the opportunity to adventure to the North Pole has about the same availability. The challenge in writing about these adventures to make them relatable to readers who will never have that opportunity, and allow them to take away the lessons that the narrator learned. Tik does not seem to care about this.

He at most briefly and flippantly acknowledges his privilege and financial security. And honestly, having those is perfectly fine and inherently does not bother me (I do work in the horse world) but…somehow he did. I finally gave up when it got to where he is crossing the US border with his horses and *lying* about conditions of his entry. In that chapter he basically writes the CBP officers as fat idiots and expresses an incredibly entitled attitude when he is refused entry. And this bothers ME, someone who crosses the border frequently and has no love for CBP and the brutality of American law enforcement.

Some other things that should be mentioned:

- sometimes is a little icky in describing women or talking about them, but generally not when they are working with or teaching him about horses, so that’s good, I guess?
- he has an odd relationship with alcohol, or at least has an odd way of recounting events involving alcohol.
- he often falls into that common horse world behavior of passing unfair judgement onto people who are not as privileged as him.
- he spends some time cracking apart the inefficacy of the traditional teaching style of old school equestrians, but then proceeds to idolize George Morris and make light of how unacceptably cruel that man was. Now, I should say that while people were shocked George Morris was in this book, it was written prior to his SafeSport downfall. I also know that that was not without its own problems, but the fact was that he was just an awful guy. I never understood the obsession people had with him. I don’t think he was much nicer to horses than he was to people, either. It’s clear from
Tik’s writing that he was on the George Morris train himself.

Overall, I really wanted to like this book and was sorely disappointed. Maybe I couldn’t make it because my expectations were too high.

On the horsemanship front, I could see the development of his ethos and knowledge base, and his willingness to cross disciplines and seek what was best for the horse. That was refreshing, because at the end of the day, they’re just horses. Just wish Tik had remembered that while writing this book.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young man learns to become a better person while becoming a better “horseman”

As a better than average rider and a horse lover who was raised and taught by professional riding instructors in Canada, Tik Maynard knows that he must leave his family home to learn from international experts other than his parents in order to improve his skills. He devises a one-year plan that involves three-month stints as a working student of renowned, world-class experts in four major categories of equestrian competition. What starts as a relatively brief period of focused, practical study stretches increasingly longer as Tik grows into a better rider and a more complete “horseman,” while finding his life’s calling and the love of his life. Not being of the horse world, I was completely unfamiliar with the technical terms that made some serious equestrians’ discussions seem almost as if conducted in a foreign language. However, as someone who appreciates the perfectionism, dedication, and sacrifice required of world-class champions in any sport, I was fascinated by Tik’s story. He opened himself up to readers when he related his introspective musings as he struggled to shape and refine his personal philosophy. He bravely and generously brought his readers along on his journey of self-realization and self-improvement. He let us in on his reflections as he worked continually to become better as an instructor, a rider, a “horseman,” and ultimately the best person that he could be. 



As a better than average rider and a horse lover who was raised and taught by professional riding instructors in Canada, Tik Maynard knows that he must leave his family home to learn from international experts other than his parents in order to improve his skills. He devises a one-year plan that involves three-month stints as a working student of renowned, world-class experts in four major categories of equestrian competition. What starts as a relatively brief period of focused, practical study stretches increasingly longer as Tik grows into a better rider and a more complete “horseman,” while finding his life’s calling and the love of his life. Not being of the horse world, I was completely unfamiliar with the technical terms that made some serious equestrians’ discussions seem almost as if conducted in a foreign language. However, as someone who appreciates the perfectionism, dedication, and sacrifice required of world-class champions in any sport, I was fascinated by Tik’s story. He opened himself up to readers when he related his introspective musings as he struggled to shape and refine his personal philosophy. He bravely and generously brought his readers along on his journey of self-realization and self-improvement. He let us in on his reflections as he worked continually to become better as an instructor, a rider, a “horseman,” and ultimately the best person that he could be. 

[Carissa Gilman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a rather frustrating book for me. I fully admit that I did not research Tik Maynard prior to reading the book and would not have even started it had I known that he is a fan of Pat Parelli and rope halters and "natural horsemanship." But I understand he's exploring different approaches, and that's good in principle. He mentions Mark Rashid several times, and I just wish he had absorbed more of that wisdom into his own work. Hearing him talk about submission (which he later modifies to cooperation) and his frequent mention of whipping horses did not sit right with me, especially when he says that the whip gives confidence to a horse and lets him know he can do what is being asked of him. Excuse me--what? However, my main frustration was his immaturity, thoughtlessness, lack of common sense, and constant overthinking. I have managed people with that combination of overthinking and lack of common sense, and it is a major barrier to success. I thought it was especially telling that he was so dismissive of Michael Matz's response to the question, "What is horsemanship?" When Michael says "common sense," I thought, "Exactly!" But Tik treats it like an overly simplistic non-answer when really it's his fundamental gap. And, unfortunately, despite his commitment to learning, which is admirable, I have found that common sense (or good judgment, if you want to put it another way) is a quality that cannot be taught. This lack of good judgment is revealed multiple times in the book (leaving Sapphire unattended on a trailer with the doors open, not bothering to have his documentation in order for border patrol, getting on a rearing horse with no helmet), and although he owns up to his specific mistakes, it's not clear that he ever acknowledges the root cause. I applaud his honesty and the fact that he wants to learn and improve. I hope he gains some wisdom and compassion as time goes on.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

"There is no such thing as a horse whisperer. There never has been and never will be. The idea is an affront to the horse......You need to practice only three things: patience, observation and humility."

Tik Maynard's videos have become my "go to" when I've needed help addressing some specific challenges with my horses..won't stand still at the mounting block, refuses to enter the ring, biting! Tik's recommended approaches have always solved the problem. So I definitely had to take a listen to this.

The book is a refreshingly earnest look at the contemporary horse show world, horsemanship and one man's personal journey in becoming-in my opinion- an exceptional horseman.

Most insightful parts: his chronicles of his life as a working student equestrian--yikes. Various professionals' formulas for success. GM: Ambition,Emotional Control ( tough, but never lose control) Meticulousness, Selection of Horse, and last is Talent. Pat Pirelli: strong legs, Softs hands, Willpower. Ernest Shackleton: Optimism!
In terms of the formal aspects of the book, there were timesI could hear a middle school English teacher saying " add a metaphor here, we need a simile there, describe what you heard, smelled, saw and felt at that moment." and Tik was a dutiful student. But given the raw honesty and value of the content all is forgiven.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was interested in reading this book after watching the author compete and win the last two years' Road to the Horse colt starting competitions in Lexington, KY. He was impressive.
The book is not always well-written and lags in places but I loved it. I enjoyed learning about all the different trainers and places the author wrote about.
Tik says some things that touched me at my core since I have been in the Thoroughbred horse business for over fifty years. One such thing he says has the title of the book contained in the quote. He says, (not exactly word for word) but that at one end of horse training we have some wishy-washy natural training, at the other end the more severe, tougher methods and "In the middle are the Horsemen," defining Horsemen as the very, very limited number of people who are actually true Horsemen, who always put the needs and welfare of the horse first, and manage to accomplish great things with their happy horse partners.
This is the 53rd book I've read this year so far.

[Christie Bane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would not be everyone’s favorite book about horsemanship, but it’s definitely mine. Why? Because I can relate to Tik’s pursuit of mastery.

Tik Maynard has grown up with parents who are “in the business” of horses, with dressage, Pony Club, eventing, et cetera. He decides to expand his understanding of horsemanship by pursuing a series of “working student” positions at professional barns around the world. He has the chance to learn from a variety of masters who each have their own approach to riding and training horses.

Tik’s journey is very much like mine through all the different guide dog schools I’ve worked for and all the different really great trainers I’ve been able to observe. On a surface level, the different approaches taken by different trainers appear wildly different and you have no idea who’s right and who’s wrong. Over time, you begin to see the bigger unifying principles and realize that all the different approaches have more in common than not. The joy comes when you hit that sweet spot where insights start coming routinely and almost effortlessly. That’s the reward for years of pursuit of mastery.

I believe anyone who is consciously on a journey for self-improvement as an animal trainer (any type of animal) will love and relate to this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Middle are the Horseman
I enjoyed this book; I felt like Tic was as honest as he could be in his rode to becoming a, well known and respected horse trainer. He was always reaching for the best way of how to do things and how to best understand the mind of the horse.
Of course, my favorite chapter was when he went to Texas and got the opportunity to learn and practice a different way of riding and the concept of what a horseman really is.
Tik has since won the “Rode to the Horse” competition. My mom and I enjoy watching that event; we pick our top 3 horse’s when they are brought out into the arena and then watch closely to see what trainer we like by the techniques that we prefer. We have both started horses so, I enjoy just watching the short journey that both the horse and trainer travel.

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tik is a true horseman: he understands that horses are individuals, not humans but people of an equine nature, and worthy of our respect. He shows his respect by spending years as a working student for a wide variety of well-known professionals learning everything he can about horses, and life too. In this memoir, he takes you on the journey with him, through his ups and downs and off on the tangents of life. Tik has a humble, honest writing style that draws you in too. I love his perspective that everyone has something to teach him!. Be prepared to walk away with some new ideas about horses and people and life, and with some inspiration to be a bit wiser, calmer, more confident, and in general a better person for your horse's sake.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book in theory. I have respect for Tik and his approach (working for different people from different equine disciplines) seems valuable and highly unusual. I was hoping for deeper insight into what he gained from his experiences and from his various mentors.

Instead, I found this book to be oddly self-congratulatory and manipulative. The author throws in random, emotional scenes from his life, such as a funeral. This came off, at least to me, as a cheap way to tug at the heartstrings and emotionally engage the reader. It mostly left me cold. I'm disappointed because I know this man is extremely talented, and this book seems like a somewhat wasted opportunity. I give it a 3/5, or a 2.5 if I could. It isn't bad but I doubt I'd bother to pick it up again.

[Shannon Ryan-Dinmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

In all honesty, I'm not the biggest fan of Tik's writing style. At the beginning, it was really throwing me off because I felt like situations and ideas were being tossed out but not fully explored before randomly jumping to something else. As I got further into the book, I adjusted and really got into some of the chapters. There are some very good quotes in the book and I can see parallels between my own riding and horsemanship and some of those within the book. I read it as a part of a local equestrian book club that me and my friends created. It will be interesting to see what other's thought once we finally get into discussions!

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good book to read following the book on a Rider's Survival from Tyranny by C. de Kunffy. Such different journeys, both depending on some luck but always paying close attention and hard work. Maynard's book is more applicable for today's rider. You do not have to be in the military and male to compete today. I liked Tik's story and it certainly would give the young rider with big dreams just what it does take to live in this world of the horse. Even the greats in this sport/lifestyle/hobby/professional are going to experience disappointments, set backs, along with joy and perhaps recognition. This is a good read for anyone who thinks they want to, 'get into horses.'

[Sarah Hickner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was entertaining, thought provoking, and made me want to be better for my horse- for every horse. It reminded me of my place in the horse world- always a student. Always room to grow. It reminded me of the long hours and copious sweat that goes into being a solid horseman.
Most memoirs either turn me off from some political stance or crudeness. I can’t emotionally go there because they’re about cancer. Or sometimes they’re just plain boring.
This one hooked me and I couldn’t turn it off (listened to the audio). I’ll be talking about this one for a while and sharing it with all my horse friends.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this book and LOVED it. I enjoyed the people in the book, the horses and the stories. There were educational training gems throughout the book. It seemed very honest about the ups and downs of being a working student in a variety of barns and disciplines. I thought it was well written and kept my attention. I appreciated the reminder about the importance of ground work. I don't especially like doing ground work but recognize its value. I finished the book yesterday and did ground work today with one of my horses. I look forward to Tik Maynard's next book and may reread this one!

[Tory · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book and learned a lot about the competitive horse world. Though the author grew up in an equestrian family, he followed his own path and pursued his passion by spending time as a working student with numerous world renowned equestrians. I enjoyed reading about the various places he worked, his successes and failures, and how those successes and failures enabled him to become the horseman that he is today. I thought that the book was a bit disjointed in places and could have used some editing but, overall, was a good read.

[Christie Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading about Tik's story of his riding career. The fact that Tik seems to be such a nice, honest, hard working guy who loved his horses, riding, and the horse world was so nice to read about. I loved that he tried different working student disciplines and learned a little about every discipline to improve his riding and knowledge of horses was great to read about. I, own a thoroughbred so all of the thoroughbred love near the end of the book was nice to read.
Tik shows that he truly is a real horseman.

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful memoire. As someone who has always loved and been passionate about horses but never made a career of it, it was highly entertaining to see a behind the scenes look at the world of horses. I found Maynard's account to be very raw and truthful, the highs with the lows which made for a well rounded story which was very relateable. Yes this book is about horses, but it's also about life, choices, dreams and so much more.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I love this book.
A solid read for anyone with a passion not just for horses, but for moving toward an understanding of the soul of a horse.

Through his writing Tik made me laugh, cringe, celebrate & cry. His raw honesty allows us to witness his growth as a Horseman and experience some of his journey’s highs and lows.

I truly hope there are more books to come.



What is Horsemanship to me?
A true relationship between a horse and human.

What is Horsemanship to you?
❤️

[Amelia Bayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Tik for writing a book that is relatable for ALL horse people! The approach from a learner's perspective is so unique- and it is the one thing that everyone can relate to. Too often, I feel like I am being talked down to by the professionals like I wasn't willing enough to work as hard as them, but I don't get this feeling at all from Tik. Instead, I feel inspired to keep pushing myself to the best of my ability, while keeping my horse's best interests at heart.

[Pamela Reband · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are few books on horsemanship like this one. It reminds me of long car rides with my father when he would tell stories or talk about his work and his thoughts. Only now do I see that the things I remember from those days are the tidbits of wisdom he threw my way. I enjoyed it all at the time but parts have stuck to me for more than 50 years and shaped who I am. Many of the author's words will be with me on my continuing journey towards horsemanship and for that I thank him.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best "horse" books I've read. It probably helps that I relate a lot to it - to the challenges of being a working student, to making judgements and decisions that are later regretted, to the pain of horse accidents. Tik is a self-reflective thinker who admits to past flaws and mistakes. I find that admirable.

I've also never read an autobiography about someone I've met before. So that was also an interesting experience!