A quiet, lifelong student of horses whose philosophy of feel, timing, and softness helped lay the foundation for modern natural horsemanship.
True Horsemanship Through Feel · 1999Vaquero Tradition · CaliforniaBrother of Tom DorranceInfluenced Ray Hunt & Buck Brannaman
Bill Dorrance — California rancher and horseman
1906
Born near Enterprise, Oregon
80+
Years Working with Horses & Cattle
1999
True Horsemanship Through Feel Published
93
Age at Death · July 20, 1999
Feel
Core Teaching Philosophy
Background
A Ranch Upbringing in Oregon — Eight Children, Horses, and Cattle
William "Bill" Dorrance was born near Enterprise, Oregon, on January 19, 1906. He was raised on the family ranch in Wallowa County, Oregon, established by his parents William "Church" Dorrance and Minnie Dorrance. Bill was one of eight children in a ranching family where horses, cattle, and practical ranch work were central to everyday life. The Dorrance family operated within the traditions of western ranch horsemanship that later became associated with the vaquero and buckaroo traditions of the American West.
As a young man, Dorrance worked extensively with cattle and ranch horses. He later relocated to California — settling in the Salinas area, where he spent the last five decades of his life — and became increasingly involved in ranch roping and rawhide braiding. Dorrance eventually became widely respected for his craftsmanship in making reatas, hackamores, bosals, reins, hobbles, and other traditional vaquero gear.
Horsemanship
Feel, Timing, and Softness — A Philosophy Built in California
Bill Dorrance riding in the California hills
Over several decades, Dorrance spent much of his life working on ranches in California, particularly around Salinas and Monterey County, where he ran his Mt. Toro Ranch. His horsemanship became known among ranchers, cowboys, and working horsemen who valued practical, responsive horses capable of handling cattle work efficiently. Unlike many trainers associated with competitive horse showing, Dorrance's reputation developed largely through word of mouth among cattlemen and horsemen who observed his ability to communicate quietly and effectively with horses.
Bill Dorrance's teaching style focused heavily on softness, responsiveness, and helping horses gain confidence while learning. He became associated with the phrase "true horsemanship through feel," which later became the title of his best-known book — co-authored with Leslie Desmond and published shortly before his death in 1999. The book documented many of his thoughts on horse handling, communication, ranch roping, and the importance of timing and sensitivity while working with horses.
Ranch Roping
The Vaquero Tradition — Reata, Rawhide, and Cattle Work
In addition to horsemanship, Dorrance was highly respected in ranch roping circles. He frequently worked cattle using a rawhide reata in the California vaquero tradition. In the final years of his life he put on demonstrations and held clinics around Monterey County alongside Leslie Desmond, with whom he co-authored his book.
Although Bill Dorrance did not pursue celebrity status, his influence spread widely through students, fellow horsemen, and later generations of clinicians. Horsemen including Ray Hunt and Buck Brannaman were influenced by the teachings of Bill and Tom Dorrance, helping expand the reach of their horsemanship philosophy throughout the United States.
Legacy
More Than Eighty Years in the Saddle
Dorrance spent more than eighty years working with horses and cattle. According to family records, he continued riding, roping, and rawhide braiding into his nineties. He and his wife, Marie, raised three sons — Bill, Dave, and Steve — in Salinas.
Bill Dorrance died on July 20, 1999, at the age of 93, about six weeks after the publication of True Horsemanship Through Feel. His legacy continues through his writings, recorded clinics, rawhide craftsmanship, and lasting influence on western horsemanship and natural horse training traditions.
Watch & Learn
Dorrance — Featured Videos
Lessons from a Legend — Randy Rieman and Bill Dorrance
Eclectic Horseman
Book Review: True Horsemanship Through Feel by Bill Dorrance
