About the Book
A smart, funny memoir exploring the evolution of a man and his relationship with his daughters as they grow up in the grips of the equestrian life. When Chad Oldfather found himself the parent of a toddler who, out of nowhere, became obsessed with horses, he had no idea what awaited. With his younger daughters similarly afflicted, Oldfather was soon enmeshed in the consuming subculture of barns, riding, and horse shows, learning not just about the animals that so inexplicably drew his girls, but also about the people and personalities that populated the spaces around them. A book for parents, whatever their children's interests, and for equestrians, who know what it's like 'on the inside' (but maybe not what it's like on the outside, looking in), A Man Walks into a Barn is a wise, witty, and, at times, critical look at both the light and dark sides of youth sports, and equestrianism in particular. Readers find themselves rooting for Oldfather as he struggles to be the best dad he can, supporting a child's dreams in the face of long odds and extraordinary expenses. He writes about his parenting choices and the strange world he finds himself in with humor and honesty, critically examining riding's high cost and the inaccessibility and inequality that results. Aware of the flaws and dangers of youth athletics, as well as the benefits, he strives to protect his girls while supporting their ambitions the best ways he knows how. Filled with the joys, heartbreaks, and life lessons that come from training, competition, and time in the company of horses, this is mostly a book about family, and the strong bonds that can form when parent and child join hands and pursue a passion together.
About the Author :
Chad Oldfather has ridden horses just enough times to appreciate how difficult it is to do well. He has also mucked stalls, cleaned tack, stacked hay, helped fix fences, and logged hundreds of hours ringside as his daughters have taken lessons and ridden in shows. By day he is a professor at Marquette University Law School where, among other things, he teaches classes on and writes about judicial behavior, constitutional law, and the jurisprudence of sport, and serves on the Board of Advisors to the National Sports Law Institute. His non-legal writings have appeared in the Chronicle of the Horse, the World Equestrian Center Magazine, and Harvard Magazine.
Review :
"Books about fathers and sons are fairly common, books about fathers and their daughters somewhat less so. A book about a father, three daughters, several horses, social demographics, and the teaching and practice of both law and riding must surely belong to a genre of one. Chad Oldfather is a professor at Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee and the father of three horse-crazy girls (now grown) A Man Walks Into a Barn is his witty, often wistful take on parenting, pedagogy, and life lessons learned while navigating the insular and expensive world of horses and 'horse people.'" --The Wall Street Journal
"... yields
valuable life lessons, gently expressed." --Harvard Magazine"This title is a great read. Honest and forthright, a guide that every parent embarking on the path of equestrian sport for their children should uncover." --Catskill Horse Magazine
"How grateful I am for this gentle, thoughtful, humorous book. Oldfather strikes that sweet balance between guiding our children and allowing them their lead--even when it is daunting to do so. And if you are not--as we used to say on the dairy farm--'horse people, ' have no fear, Oldfather is an engaging guide to a world he didn't understand, either." --Michael Perry, a New York Times bestselling author, humorist, playwright, and radio show host
"Even if you're not the father of a horse-loving daughter--or a father at all--you'll still find poignant takeaways from the book's pages thanks to the beauty of Oldfather's prose, which is at times deeply wistful and other times just plain funny." --UnTacked magazine
"A
book for parents and equestrians, A Man Walks Into a Barn is a
wise, witty look at the world of horses and horse people. Oldfather strives to
be the best dad he can, supporting his children's dreams, writing about
his parenting choices. He describes this world with humor and honesty,
critically examining riding's high cost and the inaccessibility and inequality
that results." --Mid-South Horse Review
