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The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons from the Herd | 
 enlarge | Author: Joe Camp
Publisher: Harmony
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $14.88
You Save: $10.07 (40%)
New (29) Used (8) Collectible (1) from $14.88
Avg. Customer Rating:  50 reviews
Sales Rank: 3436
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 9.8 x 6.8 x 1.2
ISBN: 0307406857
Dewey Decimal Number: 636.1
EAN: 9780307406859
ASIN: 0307406857
Publication Date: April 29, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new item. Over 3.5 million customers served. Order now. Selling online since 1995. Few left in stock - order soon. Code: R20080823231638H
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Product Description
A surprise birthday gift plunged Joe Camp and his wife, Kathleen, into the world of horses as complete neophytes without a clue as to what horses needed or wanted. The Camps went searching for logic and sense in the rule books of traditional horse care and what they found was not what they had expected. Written for everyone who has ever loved a horse or even loved the idea of having a horse in their lives, this memoir leads us on a riveting voyage of discovery as Joe and Kathleen navigate uncharted, often politically incorrect territory on their way to achieving a true relationship with their horses.
As the creator of the beloved Benji series, Joe has spent most of his life luring us into the heart and soul of a famous dog, but now in this engaging, emotional, and often humorous story, he deftly lures us into the heart and soul of a horse. In doing so, he exposes astonishing truths and unlocks the mystery of a majestic creature who has survived on Earth, without assistance, for fifty-five million years. In a single emotionally charged moment, Camp communes with his first horse, Cash, in a way that changes him and his relationship with horses forever. In his own words, as he stood alone with his back to this horse: The collar of my jacket was tickling the hairs on the back of my neck. And my heart was pounding. Then a puff of warm, moist air brushed my ear. My heart skipped a beat. He was really close. Then I felt his nose on my shoulder . . . I couldn’t believe it. Tears came out of nowhere and streamed down my cheeks. I had spoken to him in his own language, and he had listened . . . and he had chosen to be with me. He had said, I trust you.
Ingeniously alternating between the stories of two people thrust into an unfamiliar, enigmatic realm and a fabled herd of wild horses brought to the New World centuries ago, Joe Camp’s valuable and inspiring book teaches us that the lessons he was learning apply not only to his horses but to life and to people as well–to all of us.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 45 more reviews...
 Very Disappointed August 29, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A friend of mine gave me this book. I was so excited as I have always raved to her about the magical bond between humans and horses. I have owned, trained, and loved horses for the last 30 years. Most of my experience predates the relatively newer "Natural Horsemanship" movement that has seized the horse community. There has always been a rash of bad trainers and bad horse people in the world who felt domination was more important than respect. I am NOT one of those people. I myself use and implement natural horsemanship techniques every single day. I have a very strong bond with all of my horses.
The book began on a good note; the key to a successful relationship is establishing a good strong bond. KUDOS! But then it went downhill with the author criticizing and dismissing nearly 90% of the equine owning world. Horses should be outside 24/7... they never need to wear shoes... they never need to be blanketed... etc... He spoke in terms of absolutes and certainty... that those things NEVER should be done to a horse. To do them is inhumane bordering on abusive.
I have owned many horses and performed in many different fields. I have shown, jumped, dressage, endurance trail, and pleasure. While your typical pleasure horse that is not being worked vigorously daily probably will never need shoes, or need to be stalled (I don't believe in stalling a horse 24 hours), or need a blanket; performance horses are a different story. Some of my performance horses do need shoes, and in winter they do in fact need to be blanketed to allow their body to regulate after a work out. Sometimes we even have to body clip them so that they can cool down without catching a chill or getting muscle cramps. Leg wraps are for their protection, not for my vanity.
After reading the book you may ask, "why would you subject your horse to such things... everything you are doing is against the horses natural evolution of 55 million years." Well 55 million years ago, horses did not have a relationship with man. If you take the authors argument to its logical conclusion, it is inhumane for man to ride or have a relationship with a horse. (I know some of you feel that way, but that is probably a topic for another day.) My point is that you can take the "what is natural" argument to far. It is not natural for a horse to have a human on its back, or a bit in its mouth, or a halter on its head. If we should never blanket, shoe, or stall our horses than what gives us the right to ride them in the first place? Surely carrying around 150 to 200 pounds of excess weight is much worse than the afore mentioned sins.
It is exciting to hear that someone has embraced their horse with such fervor in such a short period of time. But I think he goes wrong when he begins telling the entire horse world that everything they know and have been doing for the last millennium is wrong. Especially considering his entire horse experience has been derived from books, DVDs, and 18 months of horse ownership. It is insulting and it is not intended to further the human/horse bond. It is only meant to chastise horse owners who do not subscribe to his brand of horse ownership.
The book may be entertaining to someone who is a novice in the horse field, but for those of us who have been around horses our entire life it rings hollow. I feel pretty confident that if my horse was allowed to rejoin its herd, he would return to me as well.
 Horse Sense Made Clear August 15, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a remarkable book that invites the reader to enter deeper into his or her own soul as well as the souls of horses. It's beautifully written with love and care and teaches much about horses that I, a lover of horses and all animals, had not fully considered before. I also highly recommend another horse book, ON THE TRAIL OF THE PONY EXPRESS, by Cherokee author Jerry Ellis. He retraces the 2,000 mile route of the Pony Express Trail by horse, foot, covered wagon and canoe.
Not just for horse-people! August 13, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I read this book at the recommendation of a friend who always has good taste in books. I found myself captured by the story and learning as much about life in general as I learned about life raising horses. "Life Lessons from the Herd" just as easily applies to those of us who live in the "herd" of busy city life as it does to those on the farm.
 Shocked and Sad August 8, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
As a long time horse owner, I was shocked, then saddened that I've been mistreating my horses all of these years. If Camp has done half of the research he claims, then maybe PETA should be alerted to the plight of the horse. The research section of the book, (the only part I didn't find highly entertaining) is full of resources that I now must plod through because as Camp says straight out, he's "only been at this a short while."
Every Horse Owner Should Read this Book August 6, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Every horse owner should read this book. Granted, the author may be a little zealous in his approach but the book contains a lot of very valuable and thought provoking information for the horse owner. Like the author I became very interested in horses later in life and read everything I can get my hands on from veterinary manuals to you name it. I personally watched natural horseman Clinton Anderson (mentioned in the book) correct problem behavior in a wide variety of horses and in a very short time. As far as I know, Clinton has been the only two time winner of the Road to the Horse Competition. Within the three hour time limit a totally unbroken horse he was given was not only safe to ride and could perform several designated tasks but was also bullet proof when it came to spooking. Some time ago Clinton, like the author Joe Camp, concluded that natural hoof care was the way to go, no horseshoes. The main problem is convincing many long time equestrians that there may be a better way to train and interact with your horse. I know too well how hard it is to break through the "we've always done it that way" wall. Perhaps this book will help. Mr. Camp has included a very good resources section at the end of the book for those who wish to learn more and improve their relationship with horses.
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