in the middle are the horsemen by tik maynard

His approach to learning is very systematic. In some ways he seemed a lost young man, yet he responded to his travails with a maturity beyond his years, seeing every experience – good or bad – as a learning opportunity. He recounts his struggle to fit in in some barns, his loneliness, doubts about his riding ability, being chastised by trainers, and mistakes he made. What impressed me when reading Tik’s story was his humility and eagerness to learn. He is now a highly regarded horse trainer, eventer, and writer. After a couple more years working for an Olympic show jumper, he finally had the confidence to strike out on his own.

Over the next 3 years he was a working student at several stables from Germany to Texas (and a few in between) with champion dressage riders, eventers, and reiners. So he set out on a journey – a journey to experience as much as he could in the horse world. After a personal setback and an injury, he found himself at the age of 26 living with his parents, unsure what to do with his life. But he apparently did not have a more special connection to horses than most people. Tik did grow up on a horse farm and was headed for successful career as a professional rider. He is the quintessential “natural horseman.” In fact, he is so good at it that I assumed he was born with an innate ability to understand horses and probably has had a magical effect on horses since he was a child. I have seen Tik teach and witnessed him transform nervous, high-headed horses into relaxed puppy dogs that follow him around licking and chewing, within the span of 15 minutes. He tells the story of his multi-year quest to define his place in the world of professional riding and training.

Tik Maynard’s memoir, In the Middle are the Horsemen, is a humble, endearing book, just like the man himself.

In the middle are the horsemen by tik maynard