Horses Never Lie: The Heart of Passive Leadership

As he did in "Considering the Horse" and "A Good Horse Is Never a Bad Color," Rashid writes about his experiences with real horses, always featuring his sense of humor and an overriding compassion for the horse. His instructive anecdotes reach back to when he was a youngster under the mentorship of the "old man," and continue to his experiences today as a horse trainer and a popular clinician who has traveled the world to teach his remarkably effective methods to enthusiastic horse owners.

Many readers may already be familiar with the Tom Dorrance / Ray Hunt schools of thought. Mark, however, takes what are essentially the same general, but amorphous, concepts and makes them understandable for the masses and adds to them. He effectively presents the ideal of "quiet, consistent" behavior around the horse to deepen the horse-human bond. "Quiet consistency" is an elusive concept, deceptively simple to understand in the abstract, but rather difficult to employ in practical terms. He contrasts the passive leader (one who is quietly consistent, dependable) with the dominant "alpha horse" theory, showing how one attracts (truly earns) respect, while the other commands (demands) it. Mark effectively presents his ideas by relating his own frustrations as an inexperienced horseman. These examples - painfully recognizable to the reader! - illustrate how he transformed his own way of thinking, guided by the mentor of sorts he describes as "the old man." Mark also describes his experiences of more recent years, when he employs his "new" ideas in several types of situations but always with the same results.

Mark brilliantly proves his main point in the very way he has written this book. The leader who is more likely to be followed is the one that sets the example, quietly and consistently, and lets the followers voluntarily choose. In "Horses Never Lie," the reader similarly becomes drawn to Mark's ideas, which he presents in a low-key, take it or leave it fashion, and the readers will no doubt choose to follow.

This book really is about the philosophy of the horse-human relationship. It is not a step-by-step training guide. But there are extremely practical tips that the reader can immediately employ. They are not, however, simple riding exercises or devices. Again, the value of Mark's work is in shifting one's attention to the things that are already happening. For example, one of these points involves recognition of the horses' "try." Mark explains how barely perceptible to most riders the horse reacts in response to a cue, and surprisingly how often the horse really does try. Most riders simply ignore these subtle responses, waiting for the finished, perfect result. By truly recognizing the "try," and following through with positive acknowledgement of it, the reader will see an almost immediate strengthening of horse-human communication, and resulting performance. Then the human's task is to do that consistently, always. . . Mark's book awakens the reader to the things that matter in the human-horse relationship. He shows what happens to the well-meaning rider who becomes so focused on technique or clinics or the "quick fix" but not the horse itself.

Mark's work is a thought-provoking, beautifully written book, engaging in style. It is not too soon for this to be a classic.


Rashid leads us to a new way of relating to our horses...   February 16, 2001
Laura Haggarty (Northern KY USA)
68 out of 68 found this review helpful

This is a great book. As he is with horses, Rashid is very subtle and doesn't try to cram his way of thinking down our throats, but uses stories to lead by example. The root of his theory here is "passive leadership", which can be a somewhat misleading term if you don't understand his meaning. It doesn't mean to be passive and let your horse dominate you, but to become a leader to your horses, through demonstrating behavior that they can trust.

It's all about trust. Rashid looks into the minds and hearts of horses and reminds us how they look at the world. Horses are herd animals, and always behave as such. Humans, coming from a predator background, are not as consistant and predictable in our behavior as our horses would have us be. Rashid gives us methods to modify our behavior in order to gain the trust of our horses. In doing so, we learn to work with them, rather than force them, to achieve our goals.

The book is written in a laid back style, there are no formal exercises to work through, it's more a philosophical treatise than a practical manual. But it gets you thinking about how you can change the way you relate to your horse, and in doing so, create a better relationship with them, which will lead to increased happiness for both of you. All in all this is a wonderful book for the serious horseman or horsewoman, and begs to be kept and re-read again and again. Don't hesitate, buy it!


As engaging as the first book!   April 9, 2000
George (USA)
58 out of 58 found this review helpful

As much as "Considering the Horse" opened our eyes to a gentle, understanding method of interacting with our horses (I shouldn't use the word "training!") "Horses Never Lie" exposes us to a new philosophy of what we should be for our equine partners - kind, understanding, supportive. Mark effectively debunks the "Be the Alpha Horse" theory, and offers an approach that the horse understands, that helps the horse WANT to be with you. He becomes your friend, not a subservient being that should obey. It has opened my eyes - again! If you're at all interested in Natural Horsemanship, buy this book - TODAY!


Horses Never Lie by Mark Rashid   January 5, 2002
Deidre Schmidt-Brady (Amherst, Wisconsin United States)
44 out of 44 found this review helpful

Rashid's easy-reading style is both entertaining and informative. His book is full of personal stories (actual true horse stories) which makes it "fun" as well as informative reading. He contrasts numerous training "styles" (good and bad)rather than step-by-step techniques, but carefully lays out the difference between "aggressive dominance" and "passive leadership". His book "Considering the Horse" goes well with this one, and I purchased both. Rashid's writing style keeps the pages turning...I find myself absorbed in his books. They only recently arrived and I have read nearly through both!
Like his other book, "Considering the Horse", this book, "Horses Never Lie" is worth reading. I would recommend this book for all who wish to become better horse handlers, and also for those who just love horses and want a wonderful and informative book to read on a rainy day. It is thought provoking. Even if you only have an "over-the-fence" relationship with horses, your equine-relationships will still greatly benefit from the information in this book. Rashid's love of horses is evident...and his discriptive writing style is most enjoyable.
Rashid's training techniques are not exacting in their implemetation-one must absorb the general flow of information and concepts, then put the stories to memory and use the techniques described in any given situation, essentially with a general bent toward the kind of relationship you (hopefully) desire with a horse. This book doesn't explain the exact methods one might need to know to turn out a high-schooled horse. It isn't a training manual, but more of a mind-emotion altering challenge, and I believe horses are the more blessed for his training ideas...he definitely loves horses and wants the best for them. You can't go wrong with this book for learning to be a more honest, capable and likable person around the barn!
After reading this book, I understand that some trainers have taken the "Alpha" role a bit too far...Rashid restores the Alpha method to what it should be--horse and handler having a healthy and mutually respectful relationship.
While I have not personally seen the Alpha idea taken to such extremes, Rashid apparently has seen far too many instances where "trainers" think they are in a wolf-pack! He implores us as horse-handlers to maintain a correct balance with our equine partners. He clearly opposes unnecessarily harsh training methods...with good reason. It is evident that Rashid has a passion for horses.
I also previously purchased "Horses Don't Lie", by Chris Irwin with Bob Weber. The three books together make a great set. Irwin's is much more a technical "hands-on" type of book, and applying his techniques and understanding along with Rashid's tempering of self makes for a whole new approach toward understanding and dealing well with our horses. Valued books, all!


Don't start reading this at night!   June 26, 2000
ksmuts (South Africa)
38 out of 38 found this review helpful

Well, once again all I can say, is that Mr Rashid caused me to lose many hours of sleep upon receiving his book - I read through the night! He has hit home with his customary wit, insight and thought provoking advice. Not only does he show you how to become your horse's trusted partner, but also how you should trust your horse in his opinions, decisions and desires. He is not shy to admit that he too, can sometimes be wrong. Like his other two books, he leaves you with the opportunity to figure things out for yourself. He doesn't give you a step-by-step instruction on "how to", but equips you with the knowledge that you can make the right decision. If you are at all interested in a different way of dealing with your horse, then you should read not only this book, but his other two books as well.