True Unity: Willing Communication Between Horse & Human

This is not a how-to book and Tom Dorrance said up front that it was not. This is the next step in the journey and I can see how it would be a disappointment for those that are looking for the equine version of mapquest to get where Tom's going to go. He does repeat himself several times, but based on several of the reviews for apparently obvious reasons. The senses are unique to each person based on their backgrounds and their beliefs. The feel between myself and my horse and how we get there is not going to be the same journey as my friend and her horse. This book was designed for the person who is ready to take their equine relationship to the next level.

True Unity "Natural Horsemanship," whatever that term means, begins here. To me, the term means being able to see the world through your horse's eyes. It means understanding equine psychology. It means that you understand and work with the horse's natural instincts. It means being as gentle as possible but as firm as necessary in order to communicate with your horse. The emphasis is on communication - a willing communication - between horse and rider. One of the key concepts of this book is to let it happen rather than trying to make it happen. This means to cause the wrong thing to be difficult and allow the right thing to be easy. It means approaching your horses with empathy, kindness and respect. Practitioners of "Natural Horsemanship" do not use force, fear or intimidation. If this overall philosophy sounds worthwhile, then you owe it to yourself to go right to the original source of the revolution in horsemanship set in motion by Tom Dorrance, Bill Dorrance and Ray Hunt. These are the founding fathers of this movement. * (That said, I personally believe that there are other practitioners of NH that actually do a better job of explaining the concepts of these giants to the average rider. Among the new breed of NH practitioners, I personally like the approach and teaching methods of Pat Parelli -- who learned directly from Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt, Clinton Anderson, Ken McNabb, Denis Reis and Craig Cameron. And, of course, Buck Brannaman. He has cowboyed and ridden countless miles on the open range with the Dorrance brothers and Ray Hunt. He is perhaps their best student and the one who most closely tries to follow their approach to horsemanship. He is a superb horseman, the best roper in the world and a fine human being as well.) If you aspire to excellence in your horsemanship, this is a must read. If you are looking for a "how-to" book, this is not it. This is a deeply philosophical book in that it provides a broad, conceptual framework in which to think about and interact with your horse. You cannot speed read or skim this book. In order to "get" Mr. Dorrance's message, you must read it slowly and meditate upon what he is saying. In this book, he is attempting to do the almost impossible. He is trying to explain the importance of FEEL, TIMING and BALANCE. He can tell you what to strive for, but he can't feel the horse or experience timing and balance for you. You will only know these things when you actually experience them for yourself. The value in this book is in bringing these critical concepts to a conscious level. In order to get the full benefit of this book, I would highly recommend that you also purchase the two CD set from Margaret Dorrance and listen to them over and over. You can purchase these at [...]. Happy Trails~ Bill

This is the man who started it all. Ray Hunt, Buck Brannaman and many others learned from Tom, the horse's lawyer, how to work with the horse and establish a relationship based on trust and respect. It is one book you'll need to read many times. As a teacher of horsemanship, I have read it at least 3 times and still get something new each time. Thank you, Tom for making it possible to help the horse in this way.

This is an incredible book that isn't easy to understand and it sure as heck isn't a recipe book. It is a book that you read, adsorb and one day a lightbulb will go off and you will understand what it was that Mr. Dorrance tried to relate. IT IS TRUELY A HORSEMAN'S BOOK. You may not understand it at first but it is absolutely worth the effort you put into it.

Tom Dorrance's understanding of the horse goes unparalled in the horse world. This book was definitely written with the advanced horseperson in mind. Tom has spent a lifetime trying to understand and better relate to the horse, and the same effort must be utilized to understand and apply the principles in this book. It should be in the collection of anyone who wants to understand our equine partners more intimately and more effectively.