Several horses in Midkiff's life, including her current mare, Theo, were initially difficult or unresponsive. She recounts how gentle patience and compassion peel away the barriers to a joy-filled partnership. Her experience in writing and presenting workshops on fitness and performance for the female equestrian give an added depth to her observations. Interviews with both horse owners and would-be owners round out her anecdotal volume. Already, a couple have found their way to my bulletin board, and a few from Midkiff herself will follow.
Horses are giant yet generous with their strength, their power, and their gentle affection.
They are strong and soft, calm and driven, wild and manageable, needy and independent. We see that the horse lives its own life, speaks in its own way, moves where it needs to go. Its directness and simplicity offer a thousand-pound counterpart to our own complicated and less honest human interactions. The horse shows us how to be complete. If you've had, or hoped for, the richness and challenge of a horse in your life, you'll enjoy this book.