One Good Horse [Hardcover]

This narrative of self-discovery encompassing hope, struggle, loss and redemption picks up from Groneberg's last book, The Secret Life of C. This new memoir finds him still in Montana, working various ranch jobs to support his growing family. After a difficult year tending to his newborn twin sons, one of whom has Down syndrome, Groneberg decides to "regain" that year by pursuing one of his cowboy dreams: buying and training a horse. This book slowly unfolds through three interlaced narratives: Groneberg's life with and without his spunky new colt, Blue; a depiction of Blue's life from birth to when he joins his new owner; and the story of Teddy Blue Albott, a cowpuncher whose rugged Montana life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries stands in contrast to Groneberg's tale. While it takes a few chapters for Groneberg to successfully blend his narratives, overall he succeeds in exploring a deep sense of personal understanding and revelation, and he ultimately accepts that the attempt to be a good father is the most important thing in his life: "it is all that I am. It is all that I need to be." (Feb.)
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"Sometimes stories about horses aren't really about the horse. Tom Groneberg gives us a rare, clear-eyed glimpse into his own humanity. Beautifully written and disarmingly honest, this book was a great pleasure to read."

-- Marcus Stevens, author of "The Curve of the World"

Since moving west over a decade ago, Tom Groneberg has worked with horses as a trail guide, as a ranch hand, and as the manager of his own ranch in Montana, but he has never owned a really good horse. Until, on an autumn night, in a warm barn under a blanket of snow, Blue is born. Soon, he will belong to Tom Groneberg. "If I had a good horse," writes Tom, "I could give it my life. I could ride it for years. We could grow old together." So begins this unique American love story about a man and his horse.

In straightforward, poetic prose, Tom Groneberg chronicles the early successes and failures of trying to train Blue, earning the animal's trust, and saddling him for the first time. The experience is challenging, but ultimately rewarding for Tom. Through his relationship with the animal, he develops a deeper understanding of the land and his community, and of himself -- as a man, and as a husband and father. In a world in which horses are fast becoming nothing more than warm-blooded lawn ornaments, Tom still believes these animals are important in human lives.

At its heart, "One Good Horse" is about the power of hope, the simple story of a horse and the way people connect with nature and with each other across the generations.

Tom Groneberg is the author of The Secret Life of Cowboys and has written for a number of publications, including Men's Journal and Sports Afield. He lives in northwest Montana with his wife, three sons, and his horse, Blue.