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glenatronLucy Rees is a familiar name to some people thanks to The Horse's Mind, which is still one of the best books on Equine Psychology more than 20 years after it was first published.
The Maze isn't about horsemanship, although horsemanship happens in it, instead it's a very traditional travel book. Lucy and her partner buy a couple of horses headed for the meat market and set out to ride across Arizona with them, giving themselves the opportunity for a unique journey and the horses the chance to work out any problems they have and start a new life at the end of their adventure.
It is a beautifully written book, bright and colourful, the journey is both physical and spiritual and it tests every traveller hard in their own ways. More than any other travel book I have read it runs deep and wide, making the path through the maze of the title ( the ancient labyrinth found carved in Crete and Cornwall and in Hopi petroglyphs in Arizona among many other places ) into it's own heart and back out again, very much an inner journey but full of the idea that the wide open skies of that landscape and the joy of travelling across them on horseback make the deep-running division between us and the world around a little thinner.
I was expecting the horses to be very well written, but I was very impressed by how beautifully and honestly everything else was described the author very quick to describe her own failings and negativity when they arise and showing the beauty in simple things and the kindness and generosity of the people they meet.
I really enjoyed reading this and I certainly recommend it to anyone, horsey or otherwise. Like the journey it describes it covers some tough ground, but it is very rewarding.
I thought it was out of print, meaning a search around for it second hand, but it looks like the very brilliant Long Riders Guild are reprinting it as part of their mission to keep equestrian travel writing alive.
The Maze isn't about horsemanship, although horsemanship happens in it, instead it's a very traditional travel book. Lucy and her partner buy a couple of horses headed for the meat market and set out to ride across Arizona with them, giving themselves the opportunity for a unique journey and the horses the chance to work out any problems they have and start a new life at the end of their adventure.
It is a beautifully written book, bright and colourful, the journey is both physical and spiritual and it tests every traveller hard in their own ways. More than any other travel book I have read it runs deep and wide, making the path through the maze of the title ( the ancient labyrinth found carved in Crete and Cornwall and in Hopi petroglyphs in Arizona among many other places ) into it's own heart and back out again, very much an inner journey but full of the idea that the wide open skies of that landscape and the joy of travelling across them on horseback make the deep-running division between us and the world around a little thinner.
I was expecting the horses to be very well written, but I was very impressed by how beautifully and honestly everything else was described the author very quick to describe her own failings and negativity when they arise and showing the beauty in simple things and the kindness and generosity of the people they meet.
I really enjoyed reading this and I certainly recommend it to anyone, horsey or otherwise. Like the journey it describes it covers some tough ground, but it is very rewarding.
I thought it was out of print, meaning a search around for it second hand, but it looks like the very brilliant Long Riders Guild are reprinting it as part of their mission to keep equestrian travel writing alive.
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Date: 10 Mar 2008 03:38 (UTC)no subject
Date: 10 Mar 2008 03:42 (UTC)no subject
Date: 10 Mar 2008 14:01 (UTC)I totally want to do an awesome expedition on horseback one time. It would be amazing.
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Date: 12 Mar 2008 03:56 (UTC)Yeah, I actually have a recurring dream in which I ride Sage across the U.S. and each town knows which day we're coming and then local riders with Curlies or Mustangs come out and we do a parade in each town...
*sigh* I'd have to save a lot of money between now and then...
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Date: 12 Mar 2008 11:37 (UTC)