Buck Brannaman

One of Brannaman's stated goals is to make the animal feel safe and secure around humans so that the horse and rider can achieve a true union.

Brannaman was for many years a disciple of Ray Hunt, one of the founders of the natural horsemanship movement, and also inspired by Tom and Bill Dorrance.

"[3] Brannaman had a difficult childhood, characterized by considerable child abuse at the hands of his father, to the extent that he and his brother spent a number of years in foster care placement.

Brannaman has written: He later used these experiences in his career as a horse trainer, recognizing in difficult animals the same fear and hostile reactions he remembered from his own childhood: In recent years, he has become a motivational speaker for groups outside of the horse world,[7] frequently describing the connection between animal abuse and abuse of children and other human beings.

[8] Brannaman was one of the primary individuals who inspired the character of "Tom Booker" in the Nicholas Evans novel The Horse Whisperer, and was the lead equine consultant for the film of the same name.