Free Rein

Moving and refreshingly irreverentJohn Nichol
A brilliant book that gave me hope for the future Dr Duncan Harding

The powerful and heart-warming story of how horses and humans can find happiness.

On a remote Scottish farm, something remarkable happens. Broken people – the war wounded, the vulnerable, the desperate seekers of happiness or well-being – start to feel whole again. Because a man in a cowboy hat, helped by a large herd of horses, shows them how he learned to live. He has known great success but also suffered failures, humiliations and mental health challenges. And so have his horses. But they have found a way to heal.

Even as a small child, Jock Hutchison was fascinated by horses. His first pony gave him an escape from a difficult home life and offered him solace. His career took him from Royal Marines officer to helicopter pilot but it ended abruptly. He ran a successful business but that culminated in a breakdown. Then horses called Jock back. He rediscovered their transformative power and in 2009 co-founded the charity HorseBack UK, initially for veterans recovering from injury but in a short time for everyone battling to find their path in life.

Jock takes the reader on a vivid ride with a group of struggling teenagers as they learn how to work with their horses and with one another. On the farm, they leave their anxieties and their phones behind as, supported by his talented team, he shares powerful lessons from his own mistakes and triumphs.

Inspirational and compelling, Free Rein is a story that shows how there is always a way forward, no matter how tough the challenges.