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Unrelenting: The Real Story: Horses, Bright Lights, and My Pursuit of Excellence
If there is one name in the American equestrian story that everyone knows, it is George Morris.
A horse lover, rider, carouser, competitor, taskmaster, dreamer, teacher, and visionary, George Morris has been ever-present on the rarified stage of the international riding elite for most of the 70 years he’s been in the saddle. He has represented our country as an athlete and a coach and, at one time or another, instructed many of our nation’s best horsemen and women. His carefully chosen, perfectly enunciated words are notoriously powerful. They can raise you up or cut you to the quick. His approval can be a rainmaker; his derision can end a career.
But as much as people know and respect (or, perhaps, fear) the public face of George Morris, he has lived, in other ways, a remarkably private life, keeping his own personal struggles with insecurity, with ambition, and with love behind closed doors. It is only now that he has chosen, in his own words, to share the totality of his life—the very public and the incredibly private—with the world. This engrossing autobiography, the real story of the godlike George Morris, beautifully demonstrates his ultimate humanity.
A horse lover, rider, carouser, competitor, taskmaster, dreamer, teacher, and visionary, George Morris has been ever-present on the rarified stage of the international riding elite for most of the 70 years he’s been in the saddle. He has represented our country as an athlete and a coach and, at one time or another, instructed many of our nation’s best horsemen and women. His carefully chosen, perfectly enunciated words are notoriously powerful. They can raise you up or cut you to the quick. His approval can be a rainmaker; his derision can end a career.
But as much as people know and respect (or, perhaps, fear) the public face of George Morris, he has lived, in other ways, a remarkably private life, keeping his own personal struggles with insecurity, with ambition, and with love behind closed doors. It is only now that he has chosen, in his own words, to share the totality of his life—the very public and the incredibly private—with the world. This engrossing autobiography, the real story of the godlike George Morris, beautifully demonstrates his ultimate humanity.
560 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2016
51 people are currently reading
171 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 11, 2023
It is fascinating to read about the evolution of our sport across the last 60 years by a man who has seen it all and had such a commanding hand in shaping it. I don't think anyone can argue that GHM is the most influential and revered man to ever put on a paddock boot.
Despite that, I found his personal anecdotes self-indulgent and the random tidbits exhausting. He is much more concise and to-the-point in his teaching than he is in his writing, and operates in his professional life with more humility than he does in his account of it.
Overall, worth the read.
Despite that, I found his personal anecdotes self-indulgent and the random tidbits exhausting. He is much more concise and to-the-point in his teaching than he is in his writing, and operates in his professional life with more humility than he does in his account of it.
Overall, worth the read.
March 5, 2017
I seriously had no idea the GM was this interesting!! What a great read!
May 28, 2017
Before all my horse friends cry foul about a 4 start vs. a 5 star rating, let me be clear - in terms of horse information, George's life, the sport, changes in the sport, politics, back ground, gossip, inspiration and anything else that is relevant to the Hunter/Jumper industry, this is a 5 star read. I was inspired by parts, some things made me angry/sad and all of it made me want to be a better rider/trainer - for the horses and the humans involved in the sport. I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated George's candor about his life and came away with an even greater appreciation of his knowledge and experience, and more insight into his private life, which was eye opening as well. All of this made it a must read for me, and for anyone who claims to be interested in great riding and horsemanship. That being said....
The 4 stars is a reflection of the actual writing. The book is long and, at times, scattered. We are not all authors by birth, and, although he has a writer help with the information, it can be a cumbersome read - it is, at times, captivating, and at other times, disjointed. It is loaded with information, which is fantastic but, periodically, gets distracted. It is delightful to "hear" George's voice in the re-telling of the stories, but more structure in the format may have helped to make the book more "readable". It would not hit my "read again" criteria as a book - but would as a manual about our sport. So, 6 stars for the content and the inspiration, 3 stars for the actual writing, settles me at a nice compromised, 4 star rating. Pick it up and read it - just be prepared for the long haul.
The 4 stars is a reflection of the actual writing. The book is long and, at times, scattered. We are not all authors by birth, and, although he has a writer help with the information, it can be a cumbersome read - it is, at times, captivating, and at other times, disjointed. It is loaded with information, which is fantastic but, periodically, gets distracted. It is delightful to "hear" George's voice in the re-telling of the stories, but more structure in the format may have helped to make the book more "readable". It would not hit my "read again" criteria as a book - but would as a manual about our sport. So, 6 stars for the content and the inspiration, 3 stars for the actual writing, settles me at a nice compromised, 4 star rating. Pick it up and read it - just be prepared for the long haul.
December 4, 2016
Took me a lot longer than I'd have anticipated. George Morris is one on my personal heroes - a man who has done a great deal to change the sport of show jumping in the US into one that isn't just about winning and who can make their horse jump higher or faster or both, but one that centers on horsemanship and what's good for the horse and still achieve outstanding results.
I don't know why it took me so long to read about his life and professional career - it is a long life, Mr Morris being in his eighties by now, having begun showing nationally as a youth in the 1950s, having been on the silver medal team in the Rome Olympics - but I found I could only read in snippets, and it's a very long and thorough and honest book.
I hope George Morris lives forever.
I don't know why it took me so long to read about his life and professional career - it is a long life, Mr Morris being in his eighties by now, having begun showing nationally as a youth in the 1950s, having been on the silver medal team in the Rome Olympics - but I found I could only read in snippets, and it's a very long and thorough and honest book.
I hope George Morris lives forever.
August 19, 2019
(cleaning up my goodreads with some long overdue updates) - Stopped reading this part-way through. A fun and gossipy glimpse into this world, but waaaay too name-droppy -- large sections of it just seemed to be there for the purpose of listing all of the people he knew. With the recent news of his lifetime ban from the sport and revelations dating to the period covered by the book, there may be a renewed interest in this work, but I dont think I will finish it.
October 26, 2016
The subject matter is interesting, but as many other reviewers have said it is rather poorly written. The story is choppy and doesn't flow. I definitely enjoyed the back story of so many riders and appreciate George's honesty. If you love the hunter/jumper world it is a great read.
May 10, 2016
Long, but such a good read for horse people. It's nice to get to know the man after all the myth!
September 11, 2019
What a huge disappointment this book was. First, the writing is terrible. It reads like a teenager wrote it (the ghost writer should be ashamed). If I had a dollar for every exclamation point used, I could buy myself a fancy horse. The chapters are long and disorganized. There is so much name dropping (maiden and married names) that I just skimmed most of them.
Second, Mr. Morris revels in the fact that he's a hardass instructor who puts people in their place. More than once he tells (with glee) how he put students in danger to prove his point. Some of those students got hurt. Some of the horses got hurt. That's not good horsemanship. Neither is leaving your horses on a trailer overnight parked on a street near Madison Square Garden because you're partying at a club. This from the man who insists on proper turn out at all times?
Third, there is way too much about his sexual proclivities. However, I do understand now why he's in trouble with SafeSport because at one point he talks about how in other countries, it's acceptable for an older man to have a relationship with young(er) boys. Right.
This book could have been a great addition to Mr. Morris' legacy as a visionary trainer. Instead, it left me with a bad taste in my mouth because he comes off as a bully and a cheat (although when he does cheat, such as in poling his horse at a show, he's sure to name another top rider who did the same thing).
Second, Mr. Morris revels in the fact that he's a hardass instructor who puts people in their place. More than once he tells (with glee) how he put students in danger to prove his point. Some of those students got hurt. Some of the horses got hurt. That's not good horsemanship. Neither is leaving your horses on a trailer overnight parked on a street near Madison Square Garden because you're partying at a club. This from the man who insists on proper turn out at all times?
Third, there is way too much about his sexual proclivities. However, I do understand now why he's in trouble with SafeSport because at one point he talks about how in other countries, it's acceptable for an older man to have a relationship with young(er) boys. Right.
This book could have been a great addition to Mr. Morris' legacy as a visionary trainer. Instead, it left me with a bad taste in my mouth because he comes off as a bully and a cheat (although when he does cheat, such as in poling his horse at a show, he's sure to name another top rider who did the same thing).
July 16, 2018
I feel like I sat down with George over a weekend of good food & wine and heard only half his stories. This book is amazing and should be read by all equestrians as we only hope to be this amazing. Also my coach Dayton Gorsline (equally interesting backstory) needs to write a book like this.
Where do I get more wine & food for George to tell me the rest of his stories? This one was no holds bar
Where do I get more wine & food for George to tell me the rest of his stories? This one was no holds bar
January 15, 2026
Finally finished this book. It was a lot. I also read a few books from the library along the way which lengthened the process.
George has accomplished and contributed an incredible amount to the horse world, especially in the hunter/jumper community and he knows EVERYBODY!
It was a bit of a slog at times due to the amount of information and the decades over which it occurred.
George has accomplished and contributed an incredible amount to the horse world, especially in the hunter/jumper community and he knows EVERYBODY!
It was a bit of a slog at times due to the amount of information and the decades over which it occurred.
July 11, 2017
Enjoyable book but I don't think non-horse people would enjoy it at all, it is more like a history of the sport with tons of big name people saying how great he is,etc. That said, as a horse person I totally enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book before it started getting a little old.
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April 14, 2020 I really enjoyed reading this and would love it if George wrote more about maybe the personality of horses and how he gets them so perfect. I was a surprise to see my name in the book. George is definitely the greatest teacher of horse and riders in the country!
March 15, 2017
Amazing account of this man's life and his considerable influence over the world of horse showing and training. This book, while being very informative and fascinating, isn't very well written.
May 4, 2016
Oh, George! There is nothing in the book that surprised me, in terms of the 'secrets' revealed; most of the stories were rehashing of relatively public information, or at least, stories that were passed around through the equestrian community. I wasn't reading the book to be titillated, but rather to learn about what makes a great man tick. I'm not sure I got that.
My personal feeling is that the sections that featured his sexual exploits were not on point: being out and proud is necessary and important to create the sorts of role models gay kids need to feel comfortable with their sexuality. Gratuitous retelling of sexual misadventures with no introspection or grounding in the story are not interesting and don't move the narrative forward.
Mr. Morris is surely a flawed character; his penchant for meanness is well known, as is his ability to bring out the absolute best in horses and riders. Not all riders are meant to ride with him, but for those who have the talent, the drive and the ambition, there is no question that he can bring out the best. I was hoping for more insight into that 'magical' ability and a little less a laundry list of naughtiness.
Overall, I give it four stars, in part for bravery. As a young man, he needed to be discrete, and it must be hard to get past those feelings of needing to keep private life private and put it all out there for the world to oogle. On the other hand, I wish the book had been written in a way that made the story of his life more cohesive.
My personal feeling is that the sections that featured his sexual exploits were not on point: being out and proud is necessary and important to create the sorts of role models gay kids need to feel comfortable with their sexuality. Gratuitous retelling of sexual misadventures with no introspection or grounding in the story are not interesting and don't move the narrative forward.
Mr. Morris is surely a flawed character; his penchant for meanness is well known, as is his ability to bring out the absolute best in horses and riders. Not all riders are meant to ride with him, but for those who have the talent, the drive and the ambition, there is no question that he can bring out the best. I was hoping for more insight into that 'magical' ability and a little less a laundry list of naughtiness.
Overall, I give it four stars, in part for bravery. As a young man, he needed to be discrete, and it must be hard to get past those feelings of needing to keep private life private and put it all out there for the world to oogle. On the other hand, I wish the book had been written in a way that made the story of his life more cohesive.
October 21, 2016
I think this might be a book only equestrians could like. At first even I had a hard time reading about his party life, and all his 'partners' both male and female. As for those of us who do not have money, it is difficult to relate to those that have a lot and live a life style that we cannot comprehend. However, as I kept reading and he had to live through his life choices I see some merit for some of our younger riders. There is no doubt the man is a genius with horses and students. An interesting book with some great insights. I have to agree with him about the new generation of people but then that is all of them not just the equestrians. If he has hope, so do I.
May 3, 2016
Made it halfway through the book before I got bored. The chapters are long, and there are only 7 of them. While it was good starting to learn about George Morris's life, I became uninterested in finishing the book.
May 14, 2016
Amazing
I am reading this again it is interesting to read about back in the day the idols the admired I just like vet his book thanks so much George for a walk down memory lane
I am reading this again it is interesting to read about back in the day the idols the admired I just like vet his book thanks so much George for a walk down memory lane
August 23, 2016
Loved the book, slow going, though.
December 7, 2016
A fun examination of this country's hunter/jumper history.
January 29, 2017
Loved reading about GHM and his escapades, but the flow is choppy and stories are inserted in illogical order sometimes. Still enjoyed every moment of reading it!
April 8, 2017
Really motivating and eye opening book on the horse world.
This books has a lot of great history, that you don't want to end. It gives you the confidence that you could win the Olympics and gives you a new perspective on current top riders like Beezie Madden.
This books has a lot of great history, that you don't want to end. It gives you the confidence that you could win the Olympics and gives you a new perspective on current top riders like Beezie Madden.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews