Remembering ‘The Man Who Listens to Horses’

This section provides an overview of Monty Roberts' life and contributions to horse training. Roberts was a pioneering horseman known for his gentle, trust-based approach called JoinUp, which contrasted sharply with traditional, punishment-based methods. His techniques were inspired by observing wild mustangs and their non-verbal language, which he learned during his youth in California. Roberts gained international fame, notably through Queen Elizabeth II's support, and authored the bestseller 'The Man Who Listens to Horses'. His methodology emphasized asking horses to cooperate rather than demanding submission through pain, transforming the way horses are trained and handled.

This section explains Roberts' core philosophy of communicating with horses through their natural language. He describes how horses use sending away, ear movements, licking, chewing, and head lowering to signal their state of mind and willingness to cooperate. Roberts details his process—from initiating send-away signals to re-establishing trust and cooperation—highlighting his observations of wild horse social behavior. His approach aims to create a partnership based on respect and understanding, avoiding punishment and instead fostering voluntary compliance.

Roberts recounts how growing up around horses and observing wild mustangs in wilderness areas helped him understand their social structures and communication. He recognized the dominance of the matriarch in wild herds and how horses send signals of submission and respect. His experiences in capturing and rehabilitating wild horses to prevent slaughter further reinforced his observations, illustrating how understanding horse language can be applied to real-world scenarios to improve their treatment and usability.

Roberts discusses his approach to rehabilitating horses with serious behavioral issues, emphasizing that there are no 'problem horses'—only horses with problems with humans. Through patience, understanding, and communication, Roberts has successfully transformed horses with violent tendencies into confident and competitive animals. His techniques stress the importance of gaining trust, especially in horses that have been mistreated, by using non-violent methods and meticulous observation of horse behavior.

This section touches on Roberts' background, including his childhood in rodeo and his work as a stunt rider for movies such as 'National Velvet'. It also highlights his adoption of foster children, often abused or troubled, applying his principles of trust, respect, and patience in raising them. Roberts’ personal journey reflects his deep commitment to understanding and compassion, both towards horses and humans, demonstrating how his philosophical approach extends beyond animal training into family and social work.