Starting in the Middle (How Horses, Those Who Study Them, and 265 Minutes with One Colt Helped Me Find Myself at Midlife)

An extraordinary follow-up to the bestselling memoir In the Middle Are the Horsemen.

He thought he had everything he wanted. A dream farm. A wonderful wife. Great kids. A clear sense of purpose. Horses.

Then doubt crept in. Was he doing it well enough? Had he been doing it too long? Was it even the right path at all?

When midlife arrived, horseman Tik Maynard had no shortage of past adventures or future possibilities. Yet questions about his life as a trainer and competitor began to eclipse the joy of his accomplishments. He realized he needed to reconsider his direction and open himself to alternatives, even if that meant pursuing a course very different from what he had always imagined.

An invitation to compete in Road to the Horse presented exactly that opportunity. Maynard saw it as a chance to learn, to expand his world beyond what had begun to feel complete, and to rekindle the passion that had long driven him. Taking a leap of faith, he committed himself to the challenge, an unstarted colt, and the unknown.

In these thoughtful, deeply considered pages, Maynard chronicles a year spent reading, traveling, asking questions, and experimenting with new ideas. Supported by family and friends, he prepares for the intense reality of 265 minutes in front of a live audience, determined to make the experience a positive one for both himself and a horse he has yet to meet.

Along the way, readers accompany Maynard as he engages with leading figures in animal behavior and training, exploring how humans can communicate with other species through both traditional and unconventional approaches. Through vivid dialogue and honest reflection, he wrestles with the ethical and philosophical dimensions of his work, documenting the conversations that helped him build a belief system that both supported his natural talents and challenged long-held assumptions.

Starting in the Middle invites readers to grow alongside Maynard, not only as horse lovers, but as people. It is a candid account of trying, failing, learning, and ultimately choosing a direction for the second half of life.

Intelligent, searching, and unflinchingly honest, this book reaches far beyond the barn to address universal questions about purpose and fulfillment. It is for anyone wondering what comes next, and trying to find the courage to go out and look for it.