Out Of The Saddle
Native American Horsemanship
Horse and rider are one. Theirs is a relationship of trust, harmony and respect. GaWaNi Pony Boy, accomplished horseman and Native American educator, instructs young enthusiasts between the ages of 8-11 in the ways of horsemanship. He combines Native American history, animal behavior and traditional training methods in the way young readers can understand and enjoy. The full color photographs add a romantic dimension to the instruction, especially Pony Boy’s regalia of feathers and leathers. The strength of this author is that he has attained a deeper level of understanding with our equine brothers.
Pony Boy begins by describing the glorious legacy of the Great Plains horse cultures, which instills respect and increases our understanding of companionship with these powerful animals. He also tells stories of learning in the Native American tradition from such tribes as Cherokee, Abenaki and Lakota.
“Teaching with patience, waonspekiye (wah-OON-spay-KEE-yay), means treating your horse the same way that you would treat a younger child who has difficulty learning or grasping new concepts,” says Pony Boy. “If you allow your horse understanding, concern, and patience, you will get amazing results.”
Additionally, GaWaNi Pony Boy is the author of Horse Follow Closely, also by BowTie Press. He gives clinics and seminars intended to assist people in their relationships with their horses and the world at large.
Gabrielle Boiselle is the photographer whose work is included in this book as well as Horse Follow Closely. She grew up around horses and studied journalism in Germany. Her work with broadcasting has led to extensive travel throughout Arabia and Asia enabling her to photograph horses from around the world.
The combination of Pony Boy’s philosophy and Boiselle’s photography makes this book of instruction appealing.
Reviewed by
Anthony Miller
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
