Mark Rashid Book Review – Life Lessons From A Ranch Horse

Here is the second book review for a book written by Mark Rashid. I found that once I finish one book, I get a craving for another one that he wrote! Fortunately, he has written several…

Title: Life Lessons From A Ranch Horse
Publisher and Year Published: Johnson Books, 2003

Book Summary

Rashid’s fourth book is about his relationship with a special horse named Buck. Rashid gleans a lot of information about handling horses and life from the relationship and experiences with this particular equine partner. His horse calmly, patiently, and persistently challenges him to become a better trainer and ultimately, a better person.

He reminds us that great teachers are not just of the human kind.

Primary Lessons

In the first half of the book, Rashid skillfully lays out the 6 primary lessons which he has learned from working with Buck. These things that seem simple enough at first glance – like patience and consistency for example – are usually harder to put into practice than one realizes. Rashid delves into human and horse psyches in the second half of the book to help us figure out how to put this into practice.

Rashid is a gifted writer, and his love and respect for horses, especially one named Buck, shines through in this book. It is a refreshing look at “human training” from a horse trainer, one who can do it seemingly with a much smaller ego than one would think.

Another Great Title

I am about half-way through Rashid’s book Horsemanship Through Life, and I am enjoying it and learning from it just as much as his other books. I try to remind myself of common themes that run throughout his books – things like patience, consistency, and being non-confrontational – when I am working with my horse. And my kids. And other humans. Its good advice, and its one more example of why horses make great additions to our lives!

Hoof Rank

I am giving this book a rating of 4 hooves out of a possible 4!

More Mark

find more about Mark Rashid on his website and also see him in the inspiring and must-see film by Stormy May, The Path Of The Horse. Also be sure to check out Mark’s books & a Horseman Magazine Interview with Mark.