Hoofprints on the Land

‘I never knew how fascinating a book about herding and grazing could be… This book is remarkable.’ Joanna Lumley

‘Ilse’s deep understanding of herding cultures, and their relationship with the land and life itself, is both moving and revelatory… I loved this book.’ Isabella Tree, author of Wilding

‘Ilse Köhler-Rollefson emerges as a voice worth listening to in this fascinating book about traditional herding culture.’ Country Life

Hoofprints on the Land is a fascinating, original and lyrical description of the working partnerships between people and animals that are based on profound respect and relationships that, with the land itself, are founded not on exploitation but reciprocity.

Ilse draws on her experience of living with the Raika camel herding community in India for the past 30 years to  show how herding cultures tend their flocks in harmony with the land and in partnership with their animals. Nomadic livestock herding is the most ancient and natural means of keeping livestock, yet through colonisation and modernisation, these pioneers have been pushed to the edges of society and their methods have been dismissed as old fashioned and out of touch. 

Hoofprints on the Land debunks the myth that animal-free agriculture is the only way forward for a healthy planet, and reflects on how we can work with animals to regenerate the landscape. As Ilse writes: ‘Herding is therapy, not just for the planet, but also for our souls.’