In the Middle are the Horsemen by Tik Maynard

c 2018 Trafalgar Square Books: North Pomfret, VT. 376 pages.

ISBN 978-1-57076-832-3

Most newly published authors do book tours—but for Tik Maynard, author of the 2018 memoir In the Middle are the Horsemen, it somehow seems appropriate that he has instead been doing clinic after clinic up here in New England, offering guidance not just on riding but also ground work exercises for horses of all ages. I’m not really sure how well known he was up here before giving a keynote speech at the Area I Annual Meeting in January, but after this year, you would be hard pressed to find a New England event rider who hasn’t at least heard this Florida based trainer’s name.

Maynard’s approach to training is positive and pro-horse. It is fair and it is humane. And what he has been able to do so successfully is fuse the perspectives of trainers who are from the “classical school”, who are usually focused on producing animals for sport, with the viewpoints of trainers who are from the “natural horsemanship/cowboy school”, whose training objectives tend to be more utilitarian. This book chronicles Maynard’s journey to get to this place.

I first became exposed to some of Maynard’s ideas through an article he wrote for Practical Horseman, in which he detailed ground work exercises for event horses. I was struck then by both his thoughtfulness and introspection in the descriptions he gave of the work and rationale. I enjoyed the piece so much that I pulled it for future reference, something I would suggest doing if you come across his articles in the future.

Normally I don’t expect that someone who is only in their mid-thirties has really lived enough life to warrant writing their memoir, but in this case, Maynard has done a great job of focusing his story on the years that followed a cross roads in life which most readers (and riders) can identify with—picking up the pieces when the direction you thought your life was going doesn’t pan out. Maynard chose to take advantage of this unsettling life phase to become a working student, and aimed for the top. It is through his three years of experience as an underling to some of the best equestrians in the world that we watch a young man turn into a truly independent, self-confident adult who believes in himself and his training philosophy.

This book is an easy and engaging read. Maynard writes in a clear prose and with the wisdom of being able to look back a decade later on his experiences, he is able to offer deeper insights into his motivations, his thought processes and the lessons that he took away from it all. As he moves from one apprenticeship to another throughout the story, the reader can almost feel the growing pains he experiences as he works to integrate new knowledge and understanding with preconceived ideas and beliefs.

What is perhaps most impressive is that Maynard lets us see his journey in full resolution—unlike some memoirs which only focus on the positive highlights, In the Middle are the Horsemen travels through the potholes and valleys, the moments of darkness and self doubt, the times where choices made had unexpected, negative consequences. It is perhaps because of this honesty that the other elements of the story have greater resonance.

Overall, In the Middle are the Horsemen is a worthwhile read, enjoyable and insightful, funny and engaging. I suspect that there is something in here which most readers—both equestrians and non—will connect with. Perhaps it would make the perfect gift this holiday season?

5/5 stars