>>> No, that's why I said "this is a different book..." altho I probably >>> should have highlighted "different". Yes, he is Buck's brother. Here >>> is an excerpt from Buck's book, Faraway Horses:
I have that book, The Faraway Horses, by Buck Branaman and I have never been so disappointed in a book. I bought the book to see how Buck trains horses, since I'd heard so much about him - not to read about his sad life, and to read about the famous and semi-famous names he can drop. You know, maybe his sad life (yeah, right, like the tragic end of his marriage that left him free to marry an ex-model...sigh...poor guy, how DOES he cope) might have been vaguely interesting as a sidenote to his training methods, but the first part of the book is all about his problems in his early life. That was about as interesting to me as I'm sure most people would find MY autobiography. The book just rankled me, because I got the feeling Buck was setting himself up to be the poor sensitive-but-macho cowboy that would be SO appealing to the moneyed women who can afford his riding clinics. Maybe his clinics would be ok, but after reading that book, going to one of his clinics just doesn't appeal to me, especially since the clinics he's done in this area have been about ranch ropin', cattle workin' and colt startin'. Sorry, but I don't have a real need to learn ranch ropin' here in encroachin' suburbia... :) I just went and read this page on Smokie's website, http://www.smokiebrannaman.com/SmokeBook.htm and I'm still laughing. Here's a quote: >> Does that make me an expert on horses or horsemanship? No it doesn’t. >> It also doesn’t make me a psychologist able to fix your marriage, or your >> life problems, while I fix your horses problems at a three-day clinic. >> ... I have done some little clinics here and there for my friends, mostly >> for free or cold beer, just because I like to help people with their >> horses and I enjoy it. And I’ve never tried to make a living at it. >> Mostly because I have a real problem with being able to feed a line of >> “Bull$#&t” to a bunch of people knowing that they will never get it, and >> yet still taking their hard earned money. And believing that I am the one >> and only horseman in the world who can fix your horse, teach you what you >> need to know, or help you enjoy your horse more, just because you pay me >> to tell you that. Now I’m not saying that the wisdom these people sell is >> not good knowledge. Today’s clinicians who subscribe to natural >> horsemanship, the vaquero methods or any of the other topics you care to >> mention are all very useful to you and me. I use a lot of it in working >> with horses as well. And I have learned something from all of them. I’ll >> repeat that, all of them. (More on that topic later) So, now that you >> know that I’m just a guy who might be able to give you some insight on >> enjoying your horse experience a little more and give you some straight >> talking “No Bull$#&t” advise without paying a ton of money, read on.<< Not sure I'll buy his "Whisper This" book, but it couldn't be more disappointing than his brother's book was to me - and I think I might like Smokie's direct style better. :) Karen Thomas, NC, wondering why does no one every have a "filly startin' clinic"...? ;)
