Description
Book SynopsisAn entertaining and inspiring autobiography. In 2008, 26-year old Tik Maynard faced a crossroads not unlike that of other young adults. A university graduate and modern pentathlete, he suffered both a career-ending injury and a painful breakup, leaving him suddenly adrift. The son of prominent Canadian equestrians, Maynard decided to spend the next year as a 'working student'. In the horse industry, working students aspire to become professional riders or trainers, and willingly trade labour for hands-on education. Here Maynard chronicles his experiences – good and bad – and we follow along as one year becomes three. What began as a casual adventure gradually transforms, and a life's purpose comes sharply into focus.
Trade ReviewTik writes beautifully, the book is full of wry humour and beautiful descriptions of his world and the horses he shares it with. Read this book as a delightful memoir and perhaps as a social commentary on the equestrian world, but for those who want to learn more, to improve their relationship with their horses, this is a gold mine.
* Horse and Pony Ireland *
In the Middle are the Horseman is a good and entertaining read. The honest tales of life as a working pupil on an equestrian gap year or three made me wistful; what a wonderful dream to live out, and I’m so glad for him that it has had a happy ending. The writing is crisp, the pace lively and the book is peppered with good anecdotes as well as increasingly honest self reflection.
* Nelipot cottage *
Table of ContentsPart One: Working Student
- A Slap Across the Face
- 'Not Many Decent Stables are Interested in Taking Working Students'
- Lord of the Manor
- 'Your Leg is Too Short'
- 'We Can't Leave you Along on a Horse for Five Minutes'
- A Silver Lining
- Every Answer Leads to More Questions
- Herr Stecken
- On Eventing
- Ocala, Florida
- Working Student Position; Priceless
- Uncomplicated
- Horses are Optional
- 'Hubris? Me?'
- I Love You, Karen O'Connor!
- Cutting in with Captain Canada
- One Day with Ian Millar
- And Now For Something Completely Different
- Loving, Texas
- 'This is a Lot Different than Roping Cattle'
- On Cutting
- A Different Kind of Education
- It's Easy to Teach Someone to Ride
- On Eventing (II)
- 'She's Tough'
- Wellington, Florida
- Anne Kursinski's Secrets
- Asa Bird
- A Horseman's Pledge
- On the Importance of Correct Paperwork
- The Almost End
- 'Nope, No Cattle'
- Interstate
- Frenchtown, New Jersey
- 'You Just Need to Listen'
- 'You Just Need to Ride Better
- Sapphire is Hurt and I Call a Psychic
- Quitter
- Back Against the Ropes
- Still Hungry
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Part Two: Professional
- Troncones
- On Enthusiasm
- 'Can he Ride?'
- On Remarkable
- Horses, too, Are More Forgiving Than We Deserve
- Letter to Myself
- Winning is the Easy Part
- 'If There was a Bunch of Indians Headed My Way'
- On Pain
- It is Unbelievable that Magic Like That Can Vanish
- On Horsemanship
- No Sulking
- Acknowledgements
