Tom Dorrance

Tom Dorrance is a horseman's horseman. Although he looks like the "cowboy next door", the horse trainer has been profiled in People magazine and has been called the "patron saint of horses" by the New York Times. He is sought out by horse owners from around the world for his kinder, gentler, much-proven technique of training horses.
	"I believe horses naturally have tremendous faith in the human being. It is their natural instinct of self-preservation that the person needs to understand in order to gain the confidence of the horse. - TD
"The horse knows where the person is all the time. Now we are trying to help the person know where the horse is all the time. The horse knows where the person is; the person needs to learn to catch up with the horse on that" - TD "Now when the whole horse is together, he will feel good to you, I am sure. All we are trying to do is fix these things up to where he can find them; then it's the horse's idea. But that is a little easier said than done. - TD
	Tom is the recipient of the 1995 Chester Reynolds Memorial Award presented by the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. The Chester A. Reynolds Award was established in 1990 in honor of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum's founder, and recognizes a person whose lifestyle represents the ideals of the American West.
In 1999, The American Association of Equine Practitioners awarded Tom "The Lavin Cup". The Lavin Cup, named for AAEP past president Gary A. Lavin, VMD, recognized non-veterinary organizations or individuals that have demonstrated exceptional compassion for or developed and enforced rules and guidelines that protect the welfare of the horse. In 1994, The National Reined Cow Horse Association (N.R.C.H.A) awarded Tom "The Vaquero Award".	Tom has been referred to as the "horse's lawyer". He gives the horse credit for his knowledge of a horse's feelings and problems. He says, "What I know about the horse I learned from the horse." When the horse is standing, before you reach to ask him to go forward or back, or turn right or left; before you ask him, have a picture in your mind of what you are going to ask him to do, and how you expect him to respond - before you start. - TD
"You feel and listen to the horse. The experience of the results of his response helps you understand for the next time." - TD Thank you for taking the time to visit the Tom Dorrance website. We invite you to join the mailing list so that we may keep you informed of Special Events as they occur. Click here.