The Bottom Line
Pros
- An easy, enjoyable read.
- Appealing and appropriate to horse owners, and non-horse owners.
Cons
- Anthropomorphizing of the horse I felt was a bit distracting.
Description
- The Soul of a Horse - Life Lesson from the Herd
- By Joe Camp, forward by Monty Roberts.
- Softcover
- 237 pages, 30 black and white photos
- Published by Harmony Books, New York
- ISBN 978-0-307-40685-9
Guide Review - Book
Joe Camp learned a lot about natural horsemanship and his excitement is evident. Much of the information however, seems to be 'towing the party line'. While there is much good coming out of the natural horsemanship philosophy, it's important to remember that not all methods, techniques or tools will work for every horse or situation. My impression is that Camp thinks all things not 'natural horsemanship = wrong'. An example is the attitude about shoeing. The pros and cons of barefoot methods are hotly debated. While I believe barefoot is best, I have to acknowledge, based on experience, there are specific situations where shoes are a necessity. It takes experience and observation over a long period of time to figure out what truly does and does not work. In owning horses for only a short time, Camp may be making a lot of assumptions based on second hand knowledge.
What he lacks in experience, he makes up for in the love for his animals and a wish, like all of us, to do the best he can for them. Camp's resources at the back of the book give a good synopsis of current Natural Horsemanship trainers and information for horse owners. I looked at this book as a record of a journey, not 'how- to'. This is Camp's personal experience with getting to know horses. Despite it's shortcomings, I really felt inspired by this book. Camp's passion for animals and learning is contagious.
