Horse Follow Closely - Horsemanship by GaWaNi Pony Boy

A friend of mine asked me to review a book on Native American Horsemanship Training, called Horse Follow Closely by GaWaNi Pony Boy, which comes with an instructional DVD. I bought the book but should say I went into a review thinking I wouldn’t like the book/DVD, probably in the back of my head I was thinking it was some esoteric - mystery laden look at training horses. Don’t really know why I was predisposed to think that way, since Native Americans are known for their horseman skills and my Grandmother was full blooded Cherokee and listed on the Dawe’s Rolls from the turn of the century. I was happy to find that Pony Boy has a philosophy similar to Bill and Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt, whose beliefs I subscribe to.
 
Pony Boy talks about the relationship between the horse and rider being the mortar that cements the training together and allows for progress. We’re asking the horse for something, they aren’t asking us for anything. He explains that time and patience is the only way to solve communications problems.


I like the way GaWaNi Pony Boy simplified building a relationship with the horse, both through his book and the DVD that comes with it, providing a easy checklist for the horse owner in developing these skills.  I highly suggest this book.  I have added the book/DVD combination to the Book Carousel at the bottom of this page.