At a recent Martin Black clinic, we found ourselves deep in conversation about Tom Dorrance and his legendary sense of feel, timing, and balance. For many of Tom’s admirers — particularly those who never had the chance to learn from him in person — he remains somewhat of an enigma.
To this day, there appear to be no known videos of Tom riding a horse, and only a handful of recordings of him coaching others. As a result, understanding his methods and philosophy relies heavily on his writings and the reflections of those fortunate enough to have spent time around him.
The popular image of Tom Dorrance is that of a gentle soul — deeply compassionate and endlessly patient with horses. And while that impression holds true in many respects, my conversation with Martin Black added some nuance to that picture. Martin shared that Tom, while deeply kind, was not above firming up when the situation called for it. It wasn’t about force — it was about appropriate response, always in the horse’s best interest.
What struck me most, though, was Martin’s observation that Tom may have been even more absorbed in his engineering projects than in training horses. He described how Tom would design and build stock gates so precisely balanced that, despite their weight, they could be lifted with a single finger. Some even had self-closing mechanical features — marvels of practical engineering.
With that in mind, Tom’s horsemanship begins to make even more sense. Instead of seeing him as a mystic or, as some have speculated, neurodivergent, it might be more accurate to view him as someone utterly devoted to the principles of balance. And from balance, naturally, flow timing and feel.
There’s no doubt that Tom Dorrance was a kind and thoughtful man, but perhaps balance — more than anything else — was the true cornerstone of his horsemanship. So many stories about his work with horses seem to circle back to this idea: finding that precise balance point, applying pressure and release in just the right amount, at just the right time.
If we could all strive to find that balance with our own horses, we might just elevate our horsemanship in ways we never imagined.