Author’s journey is an enjoyable ride

In the Middle are the Horsemen By Tik Maynard Trafalgar Square Books

Tik Maynard found himself at a crossroads.

After battling a few personal hardships, the then-26-yearold had to make a decision about where he wanted to take his life.

His final decision was horses. In his first book, In the Middle are the Horsemen, Vancouver-born and -raised equestrian Tik Maynard takes riders on a journey that follows him from that pivotal point of deciding where he wanted to go with his life, through finding his own place in the horse world.

And what an enjoyable ride it is.

For an equestrian, especially an amateur, this book provides interesting insight into the world of professional horse riding. (I’ll admit, the dogeared review copy is now home to a few highlighted passages.) It’s also a gentle reminder that, no matter how long you’ve been riding, or how decorated you are, there’s always room for improvement in one’s horsemanship.

Flowing through various riding disciplines including dressage, eventing and even the Western event of cutting, the book proves that, at the simplest level, good horses come from great horsemanship.

While it’s a simple lesson to tell, it’s one that is anything but simple to achieve.

Throughout the book, Maynard uses his personal experiences and epiphanies gleaned through the professionals he worked for including Johann Hinnemann, David and Karen O’Connor and Bruce Logan, to show the differences between “natural” horsemanship and, well, just riding.

He also provides interesting insight into the wild world of professional barns as a working student.

The book is well-written, the chapters galloping by, rather than plodding along (sorry, I had to).

While In the Middle are the Horsemen will surely appeal most to equestrian readers, it’s an entertaining, well-told story that is sure to attract a few curious non-riders, as well.