TerraNova Annual Book Review: Starting in the Middle by Tik Maynard
Book Review by Natalee Herrig
Set to the rhythm of the round pen, the implied metaphor throughout Starting in the Middle by Tik Maynard is found in the parallel between starting the colt and starting the man. Even though Tik begins somewhere in the middle, “between vanity and wisdom” (p.8), he comes full circle in the end. The tools, the dance, the artistry, and the questions in the round pen are echoes of the training Tik experiences along the way to meeting TomCatt at the Road to the Horse in 2024, with options for success and threads of legends woven throughout.
The themes as he travels along the road to excellence are big and universal: fear, trust, love, humility, integrity, family, friendship,and grace. Tik tackles them all with raw vulnerability, often citing heartwarming examples (many with the universal appeal of adorable children and a golden retriever) and frequently incorporating not only the wisdom of equestrian sages but also a depth of knowledge found only through a lifelong love of literature.
Many of the interactions with his wife, Sinead, spark curiosity about what it would be like to sit at their kitchen table and hear first-hand conversations about Japanese Ikagai or see the expression on Tik’s face when Sinead quotes Mary Oliver and asks “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” (p.85). Their intellectual banter is both a source of comic relief and an invitation to greater insight.
The importance of ideas and knowledge is even reflected in Tik’s booth at Road to the Horse, which was not a typical display of branded “merch,” but rather:
…it was set up with a bookshop theme: frayed red-and-gold carpets, two deep leather chairs, a dark wooden table with a lamp on it, and bookshelves, crammed with books.” (p. 388)
Starting in the Middle is the story of Tik’s quest to gather all of the knowledge, tips, tactics, philosophies, advice, examples, and experience he can through travel, books, legendary horsemen, instinct, observation, practice, and introspection to find his place and his peace, as well as the kind of peace that horses want, “whether we call it ‘solace’ or ‘rest’ or ‘peace’- that’s what horses want, and that’s what I would need to be able to offer them.” (p.355) From elephants to chickens, Texas to Argentina, the sandbox river of a grub sampling child to finding the middle ground between fast and slow and the ultimate revelation of deciding to be the person he wanted to be, Starting in the Middle is the gift of seeing excellence under construction.
It is technical in its equestrian descriptions, rich with horsemanship, and robust in universal themes both human and equine. The best part, however, is that it is served on a plate of humility, beginning with the Dedication to his wife and children before the story even begins and ending with pages of gratitude for his family, friends, team, TomCatt, and all who helped him. Tik’s summary of his success is a generous lesson for anyone thinking about chasing after an opportunity:
…I had prepared with my whole heart, and I was present the whole time. To give anything less that that would have been unfair… To give anything less than my best would have been to snub my nose at an immense opportunity, a great gift. (p.443)
In celebration of three surprise references to TerraNova in Starting in the Middle, we are offering a prize for each person who can list the three page numbers where “TerraNova” appears in the book. Just visit our store our boutique to participate.
