Good Horse is Never a Bad Color

The title spells out one of the book's twin morals; the other is ""Kindliness is better than force."" Rashid (Considering the Horse), a professional horse trainer and frequent contributor to western equestrian magazines, reiterates these two themes ad nauseam, illustrating them in long-winded and meandering anecdotes, many of them reminiscences of his childhood mentor and later employer, ""the old man."" Admittedly Rashid has extensive experience with horses and has encountered a wide range of colorful characters in his lifetime out West. However, readers looking to glean hard information about equine behavior or training techniques will find few in proportion to the ocean of verbiage. Those who just want to cozy up with some folksy horse tales may find themselves wishing that Rashid had reined in his prolixity. Best enjoyed by true converts. (June)