New book by C. B. Crumpton Jr. argues that the most important work happens long before you ever enter a round pen

– A seasoned horse trainer asks why a colleague teaches only the basic beginner course year after year. The answer arrives without hesitation: because people need it. They do not practice what they learn. They are afraid of their horses. They cannot advance because they refuse to put in the work necessary to progress.

That exchange opens Before the Horse, the debut book from C. B. Crumpton Jr., a horseman with over 45 years of experience working with difficult people and difficult horses. The book is not a training manual in the conventional sense. It contains no step‑by‑step riding instructions or mechanical cues. Instead, it focuses entirely on what comes before the horse: self‑control, patience, timing, feel, softness, and the willingness to think.

Crumpton writes: “This book is not about horse training. It can be used and studied as life lessons that can be applied to almost any and every life situation. Why? Because it is not about the horse!”

Core Themes

Across eight chapters and a detailed conclusion, Before the Horse addresses subjects rarely discussed in equine literature:

• “Shut the* Up!” – Why being quiet is not the same as shutting up, and how body language speaks louder than words
• “Patience takes too long!” – Redefining patience as “waiting with a glad heart,” a definition the author learned from a seven‑year‑old girl
• “Times Change” – The critical role of timing in training and why three seconds is all you get
• “Feel the difference!” – Why feel cannot be taught but must be learned through thousands of hours of genuine work
• “Softness” – How hardness is weakness and softness is confidence
• “Thinking is Hard Work” – Why a human’s ability to think is the only advantage over a 1,500‑pound horse
• “Fear” – Distinguishing fear based in the past (depression) from fear based in the future (anxiety), and why horses live only in the present

A Book Written in Earnest, Not Comfort

Crumpton makes no apology for his direct tone. In the conclusion, he writes: “In this manuscript, I am not trying to make you feel good or stroke your ego in any way. I am trying to teach you something on a grassroots level. Teach simple, learn simple. If you think you know better, then ignore this and go on about your business.”

The author also includes a candid warning: those who refuse to practice, who believe they already know everything, or who bring a bad attitude to training will fail, and failure can mean injury or worse. “Life is harder when you are stupid,” he writes.

From the Introduction

“No matter what area, profession, or field of study, most of your time must always be spent learning and becoming the basics. When, not if, a problem arises in the future, a return to the basics is always the necessary and required way to go. There is no substitute for ‘putting in the time’ it takes to achieve what you want.”

Target Audience

Before the Horse is written for:

• Horse owners frustrated by stalled progress with their animals
• Trainers who struggle to communicate with students or horses
• Riders who have been hurt or are afraid
• Anyone in a teaching, coaching, or leadership role
• Readers interested in personal discipline, patience, and practical philosophy

Book Details

• Title: Before the Horse
• Author: C. B. Crumpton Jr.
• Publication Date: 2026
• Pages: Approximately 90
• Formats: Paperback (digital forthcoming)
• Availability: Direct from the author
• ISBN: 979-8904051884

About the Author

C. B. Crumpton Jr. is a simple, private man who seeks peace from the chaos of the world. He has acquired over 45 years of experience learning, training, and communicating with difficult people and difficult horses in the most arduous and stressful of circumstances. He lives near Fredericksburg, Virginia. Before the Horse is his first book. A second volume is forthcoming.

Media, Review Copies, and Interview Requests

Review copies, cover image, author photo, and interview requests are available by contacting the author directly.

C. B. Crumpton Jr. [email protected]

#BeforeTheHorse #Horsemanship #PatienceTimingFeel #NotAboutTheHorse

Media Contact
Company Name: The Times Publishers
Contact Person: Mr. Clarence Crumpton, Jr.
Email: Send Email
City: Thornburg
State: Virginia
Country: United States
Website: https://www.thetimespublishers.com/