The Cowboy and His Elephant: The Story of a Remarkable Friendship

The Cowboy and His Elephant:The Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Malcom MacPherson warmed my heart. The story begins in the late 1980s on the plains of southern Africa. A baby elephant, weighing about 150 pounds, was born into a herd of elephants. A single elephant can eat more than 300 pounds of food a day. A herd constantly moves in their quest for food. They can easily trample down fences and they were becoming a threat to a local tribe, eating crops in the fields, and endangering tribesmen. When the baby elephant was two years old, the entire herd was “culled,” slaughtered within a few moments. Only the baby’s life was spared. She was named Amy and transported to America to be sold. Bob Norris was a successful Colorado cattle rancher and horse breeder. The T-Cross Ranch was one of the larger ranches in North America. A handsome fellow, Bob became the Marlboro Man and appeared on TV and billboards all over the world. But that’s another story. One day a fellow came by the T-Cross asking if he could temporarily rent some stalls in Bob’s huge barn. The fellow needed a place to house a few baby elephants, just until they were sold. He managed to sell all but Amy. Norris’s heart went out to the pitiful little thing. She was obviously severely traumatized, terrified and bewildered. He bought the elephant, knowing how incongruous having an elephant on a ranch would be, but not fully realizing the impact it would have on his life. An incredible bond developed between the rancher and the baby elephant. Bob felt his first obligation was to help Amy overcome her fear of the world, of her mistrust of humans. Gradually she began to trust him and to discover how to play with some of the ranch animals. Amy would accompany Bob on chores and became a beloved member of the Norris family. Her intelligence was obvious. She learned to open gates, to turn on faucets, to outsmart the other animals. Elephants continue to grow throughout their life. It was clear that Amy’s life on the T-Cross could not go on forever. Bob’s goal was to help her develop confidence. Her bulk and grace were obvious. Bob discovered there was no better friend, but if she chose, no worse enemy. She needed to be with other elephants, to find her real place in the world. Bob’s goal now was to find a permanent home for Amy, a challenge that took time, determination and resources. I loved The Cowboy and His Elephant which deals with two of my favorite subjects: cowboys and elephants. The author vividly describes the various settings of the story, the strong personalities of both Bob and Amy, and the plight of the elephant in the wild, and in captivity.

I couldn’t stop reading this narrative. This is a brief review as it’s way past bedtime. I’ve ordered a copy for a friend’s Christmas.

Nice to read a simple feel good story . Held my interest and love that’s it’s a true life experience about authentic people who really care.

I have never heard this story before. Living near Colorado Springs as I do I of course have heard of Mr. Norris. Getting to know a little bit more about Mr. Norris and His life is wonderful. He was an amazing man. The way He loved Amy shows the true Cowboy heart. Thank you for writing this amazing story about the love between a cowboy and a very special Elephant.

Of course, for me and so many animal-lovers, animals ARE human. This is a tender, beautiful story, and one of the later chapters (which I won't spoil for future readers) is so moving that I've read it at least 20 times. It's an easy read (I couldn't put it down) and will draw you in and not let you go. Amazing and beautifully written.

This is a short read about a man who we were lucky enough to know for a short time. His story here about this elephant that ended up at his ranch in Colorado is very heart warming!

I loved this book! Although I cringed somewhat at the “entertainment” purposes for which some of the elephants were used, there was no doubt that everyone involved with them loved them deeply and understood the incredible nature of elephants. They provided them with the best of care and they were never treated cruelly. Thank you, Bob, for always, always loving Amy!

Bob and his elephant, Amy, are a wonderful pair with a great story to tell! It is enjoyable to hear about all their adventures together & it is a good reminder about the intelligence of elephants!

Liked that I could actually get a copy

Loved this book. Gives real insight into the intelligence, emotions and playfulness of elephants. I would definitely recommend it to all animal lovers, or anyone who enjoys true stories.

A great story is one that causes the reader to google the people involved int he book they just read. This one does that.

I loved this book!

What an amazing read! Makes me all the more curious about these incredible creatures! Well written and almost too good to be true!