What do you think?
Rate this book
Horses Don't Lie: What Horses Teach Us About Our Natural Capacity for Awareness, Confidence, Courage, and Trust
In Horses Don't Lie , Chris Irwin, one of the most successful horse whisperers in North America, shows us that horses have much to teach us about ourselves when we strive to understand their behavior. Based on more than twenty years of working with, training, and observing horses, Irwin explains why trust and honesty are essential elements in building relationships with horses, and why the sensitivity and awareness that characterize a horse's perception of the world are qualities we can use to enrich our own lives. "A horse knows what you know," Irwin reminds us, and in Horses Don't Lie his message is Horses have a great deal to teach us about how to communicate with empathy and patience -- not only with them, but also with each other.
166 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1998
14 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 20, 2015
Book 51 of 2015 is Horses Never Lie by Mark Rashid.
I have never felt an interest in horses until I read this book. The amazing thing is that this book applies to people as much as it does to our four legged friends.
This should be a must read book for people who manage people. The passive leader is the best leader of all.
4 truths out of 5.
Should I read this? Yes, if you understand that human beings are animals in the end.
What did I learn? I need to connect with some horses and some humans.
I have never felt an interest in horses until I read this book. The amazing thing is that this book applies to people as much as it does to our four legged friends.
This should be a must read book for people who manage people. The passive leader is the best leader of all.
4 truths out of 5.
Should I read this? Yes, if you understand that human beings are animals in the end.
What did I learn? I need to connect with some horses and some humans.
February 21, 2020
Petit livre sympa et à la portée de tous. Mais je ne pensais pas qu'il serait en plus orienté vers le développement personnel, je m'attendais à quelque chose de plus précis et approfondi par rapport au comportement et à la psychologie des chevaux. Je n'ai rien appris de nouveau mais j'ai quand même beaucoup apprécié cette lecture.
June 8, 2025
1. Pas ce que j'étais venue chercher: il s'agit plus d'un livre autobiographique et de développement personnel qu'un guide de dressage équestre.
2. Certains propos sont vraiment dépassés : "Les femmes, elles, ont généralement tendance à considérer la domination d'un mauvais oeil. Quand elles pensent au cheval, elles ne sont qu'amour et attention." ou "Les femmes, elles, craignent parfois en revanche de recourir à la force. Leur éducation les porte sans doute à croire que l'amour et l'attention viennent à bout de tous les problèmes." et en plus de ça, les femmes ne peuvent pas monter tous les types de chevaux. :))
2. Certains propos sont vraiment dépassés : "Les femmes, elles, ont généralement tendance à considérer la domination d'un mauvais oeil. Quand elles pensent au cheval, elles ne sont qu'amour et attention." ou "Les femmes, elles, craignent parfois en revanche de recourir à la force. Leur éducation les porte sans doute à croire que l'amour et l'attention viennent à bout de tous les problèmes." et en plus de ça, les femmes ne peuvent pas monter tous les types de chevaux. :))
April 29, 2021
Although I am not particularly comfortable with horses up close and personal, I found this book an intriguing description about the approach to use to train horses in collaboration rather than by showing it "who is boss". A remarkable approach and one that reflects Irwin's deep respect for and love of horses.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
February 22, 2023
As someone who has a deep bond with a rescued horse.... this book put to words the many observations and emotions I've witnessed. The author is, unlike me, truly an expert on horse behavior. I found it to be enlightening and affirming.
July 21, 2017
Intressanta perspektiv på allt möjligt, från en person som vigt sitt liv åt att träna och tämja hästar. Annorlunda läsning.
February 1, 2019
Enjoyed the content and the writing style ... Easy read and informative!
May 3, 2019
Well done with interesting concepts. Very enjoyable and thought provoking.
December 17, 2020
An incredibly insightful read for anyone interested in horses. Chris has an exceptional way of getting across his discoveries and every other page is an 'aha' moment.
April 6, 2021
One of the best books available on horse and humans. Herd behavior and how much we can learn from horses if we open our hearts and minds and get off our negative mental loops!
June 22, 2010
"You must open your mind and allow your horse to show you how to communicate with the same depth and transparency it has. And that's when the magic starts.
It's magic because what horses need to hear from us is what many of us would like to hear from ourselves. They want to have a calm, focused assurance. They want us to be consistent. They want us to be both strong and compassionate. in short, horses need us to be our best selves. And by being so sensitive to our self-doubt and fear, they help us find where we keep all our inner betrayals so we can root them out.
So the hard part of horse training isn't really about the horse at all. It's all about knowing who you are, while learning about who the horse is, and figuring out who you need to be to bring the two together in mutual respect and trust. To teach your horse to stop resisting and be calm, responsive, trusting, and brave, you must first acquire those qualities yourself. You can't just appear to be confident and in control. You must let go or your masks and conflicts and fears and simply be confident and in control. Nor can you apply rules you read in a book-even this book. You have to find the parts of yourself that will tell you at a level below conscious thought what you have to do and how you have to act. Everything we can teach a horse, we can teach ourselves. And you may discover that when a horse sees you as relaxed, balanced, and centered, so does everyone else. In and out of the horse arena."
-Chris Irwin, Horses Don't Lie, pg. 3-4
It's magic because what horses need to hear from us is what many of us would like to hear from ourselves. They want to have a calm, focused assurance. They want us to be consistent. They want us to be both strong and compassionate. in short, horses need us to be our best selves. And by being so sensitive to our self-doubt and fear, they help us find where we keep all our inner betrayals so we can root them out.
So the hard part of horse training isn't really about the horse at all. It's all about knowing who you are, while learning about who the horse is, and figuring out who you need to be to bring the two together in mutual respect and trust. To teach your horse to stop resisting and be calm, responsive, trusting, and brave, you must first acquire those qualities yourself. You can't just appear to be confident and in control. You must let go or your masks and conflicts and fears and simply be confident and in control. Nor can you apply rules you read in a book-even this book. You have to find the parts of yourself that will tell you at a level below conscious thought what you have to do and how you have to act. Everything we can teach a horse, we can teach ourselves. And you may discover that when a horse sees you as relaxed, balanced, and centered, so does everyone else. In and out of the horse arena."
-Chris Irwin, Horses Don't Lie, pg. 3-4
March 24, 2008
My dad is helping me to learn how to train horses, and he gave me this book to read. It doesn't give any techniques, but it explains the difference between a horses perception of the world compared with a human perception. If you can understand why a horse does what it does, then you can know what you must do in order to effectively communicate with it.
But beyond understanding horses, this book helps people realize how to understand why other people do what they do. This book can be used in any setting, not only for those interested horses and their behavior. The concepts explored in this book can be applied to every aspect of life. The title says it all.
But beyond understanding horses, this book helps people realize how to understand why other people do what they do. This book can be used in any setting, not only for those interested horses and their behavior. The concepts explored in this book can be applied to every aspect of life. The title says it all.
March 30, 2015
J'y ai passé une partie de l'après-midi, mais je l'ai lu d'une seule traite, je n'ai pas put le lâcher.
C'est un très bon livre, qui nous en apprend plus sur les chevaux, sur la relation que l'on peut avoir avec eu, mais aussi sur nous même. Il fait beaucoup réfléchir sur ce que l'on fait, sur le comportement du cheval et sur le pourquoi du comment de tout ça.
Et surtout ce livre permet de mettre le doigt sur certaine chose que l'on fait ou pas. Il permet d'appréhender le cheval de façon différente, ou d'en améliorer ça vision.
En tout cas en lisant ce livre on est sur d'en retirer quelques choses, pour nous, pour notre cheval, où même pour la vie de tout les jours...
C'est un très bon livre, qui nous en apprend plus sur les chevaux, sur la relation que l'on peut avoir avec eu, mais aussi sur nous même. Il fait beaucoup réfléchir sur ce que l'on fait, sur le comportement du cheval et sur le pourquoi du comment de tout ça.
Et surtout ce livre permet de mettre le doigt sur certaine chose que l'on fait ou pas. Il permet d'appréhender le cheval de façon différente, ou d'en améliorer ça vision.
En tout cas en lisant ce livre on est sur d'en retirer quelques choses, pour nous, pour notre cheval, où même pour la vie de tout les jours...
April 28, 2016
Horses Don’t Lie is part autobiography, part horse behavior primer, part horse training instruction manual, and part horse therapy guide. It details Chris Irwin’s journey into horse training and later horse therapy and what he’s learned about horses along the way. It’s an engaging quick read (can finish it in an evening!) that will feel comfortable to those who are familiar with current trends in horse training practices and will be eye-opening for newbies. Chris really speaks to the horse-human connection/bond in a powerful way.
February 24, 2015
This is an outstanding book - it a quick read yet gives very logical information for relating to horses. By including personal insight, the reader can get a sense for the author, as well as why his techniques are successful. His information is universal and can help anyone with any level of experience better handle their horse. I absolutely love this inviting read and would HIGHLY recommend it to all horse lovers.
September 27, 2008
Not a how-to book about horses, although there is some excellent advice of that nature. Mostly a book about what horses teach us in our relationships with them. Thoroughly enjoyed it and even choked up at one point.
June 29, 2011
Great book!!!
Even for someone who doesn't love horses, this book gives you so much more. It's a great lesson in human humility and reverence to a species that has done so much for us.
Give it a try....it's short and I doubt you will hate it. :)
Even for someone who doesn't love horses, this book gives you so much more. It's a great lesson in human humility and reverence to a species that has done so much for us.
Give it a try....it's short and I doubt you will hate it. :)
April 7, 2012
Probably wouldn't enjoy this if you don't love horses. Chris Irwin tells an entertaining story of his life and uses those experiences to illustrate the principles he is teaching of how to successfully work with horses, and to learn to be your best self in the process.
June 10, 2012
I LOVED this book. It really helped me step back and re-evaluate my approach to working with my horses. It always made me want to improve my horsemanship and add a few more horsey books to my "to-read" list. A definite read for all riders.
June 11, 2008
Horse psychology.
Most of the ideas in this book I have heard from other places, but it's always good to reinforce it.
Most of the ideas in this book I have heard from other places, but it's always good to reinforce it.
May 31, 2008
Wonderful, anyone who has a horse or spends time around horses should read this book!
August 6, 2008
I am very interested in equine therapy because I have been lucky enough to experience the power of a horse to heal.
March 8, 2011
Short, good read, to keep and read again in a couple years.
What horses teach us, and how this has evolved to horse therapy programs
What horses teach us, and how this has evolved to horse therapy programs
April 28, 2011
The title says it all....." Horses Don't Lie: What Horses Teach Us About Our Natural Capacity for Awareness, Confidence, Courage, and Trust."
October 13, 2014
maybe it's a difficult subject to write about, when dealing with horses firsthand would be better.
May 10, 2016
Great info, profoundly accurate self help for all aspects of life.
December 2, 2021
What horses teach us about ourselves
2/5 memoir disguised as an unoriginal self help book
2/5 memoir disguised as an unoriginal self help book
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews