Mirror Horse: A Memoir

English/Canadian indie musician Tamara Williamson offers an unbridled account of a life in the world of horses.

From her first clever little bay pony, Stroller, to brilliant ribbon-winning Fletcher, Tamara Williamson recalls the many significant horses in her life, grappling with what it means to be horse-obsessed and what drives this desire to connect with horses. As Williamson discovers, during the tumultuous years of relationships with people and horses, these complicated equine creatures reflect back to us our best and worst selves.

Woven throughout the stories of individual horses in Williamson’s life is her own story of a creative, chaotic, challenging and adventurous life. Raised by an eccentric family, with a distant mother who disappeared into alcoholism and a charismatic father who left one sunny morning with a younger woman, Williamson struggles with dyslexia and a sense of increasing detachment. Horses, and the exacting sport of dressage, provide her with opportunities to connect, sometimes imperfectly. Her drive for accomplishment in equestrian sports, whether as a trainer or a rider, is regularly at odds with the fear that lingers from a traumatic childhood riding accident.

While reckoning with the financial and psychological expense of training and competition, and with the multitude of industries that benefit from horses, Williamson never loses sight of the enormous burden of responsibility she feels toward horses and the respect she has for their individual characters, memories and instincts. On the surface, Mirror Horse is a book about horses—but beyond the bridles and braided manes, Williamson crafts a complex story about courage, family, and the unexpected places where we find a reflection of our souls: As a rider you can confuse yourself with being the teacher, but horses are constantly showing us something important. They are holding up a mirror.

A percentage of the author's royalties from the sales of this book will go to the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition.

“An exquisite and unique book about growing up and living in an equine world, told with the intimacy of a whisper.”

“Honest, humorous and full of wit and wisdom, Mirror Horse is a life’s journey of self-discovery told through horses. Tamara Williamson takes courage and aims right at the heart of how these creatures can be frustratingly difficult to understand and yet so deft at holding up a mirror to our souls. Whether you’re an equestrian or not, these horse tales will keep you hanging onto the reins.”

“The Canadian Horse Defence Coalition was offered a first glimpse at Tamara’s wonderful book Mirror Horse in 2021. It was an immense pleasure to read her reminisces and the life lessons that her love of horses instilled in her. Tamara writes with expected passion, but it was the honesty of her words that spoke; without guile, her prose is sincere and not masked with overt sentiment. Mirror Horse will naturally appeal to horse lovers of all ages, but it should also appeal to a wider audience interested in the animal-human bond and how this bond shapes our lives. We applaud Tamara’s first book and sincerely hope this is the first of many more.”

“Mirror Horse is about an equestrian life, but it's also about an examined life: about what our relationships with animals teach us about ourselves, about the lessons the world is trying to teach us when we don't even realize it. Williamson is an engaging writer, telling a personal story with universal resonance.”

“A beautifully moving book about the author’s life and her love of horses. At times both joyful and sad. Tamara Williamson’s eloquent storytelling can’t help but absorb you. A definite read, not only for horse lovers, but anyone whose life has been touched by animals.”

“The author writes with an authenticity and honesty about her life—and the horses within it—that is refreshing and relatable throughout. … It’s heartfelt and moving at times, as the horses reflect the best and worst of the author’s intentions and emotions, shining a light on a relationship that requires absolute authenticity in order to thrive. VERDICT: An engaging and endearing book that is ideal to read over multiple sittings with much to offer both horse enthusiasts and a wider audience.”