Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: Building a Dummy rider

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• Story of a Horse Whisperer • Riding Horsemanship • Dressage Horses • Willing Partners
• Horse Training • Round Pen Lessons • Performance Horses • Join-Up

Watch Monty's horse training videos to learn how he demonstrates communication through horse training techniques that the amateur and professional alike consider to be the trainable skills of a horse whisperer yet Monty calls it horse gentling.
Monty's horse training techniques are non violent with intelligent natural horsemanship. In addition to video instructions, Monty has written many books related to natural horsemanship. Monty trains safe horses for nervous riders called Willing Partners. Monty trains world class race horses for sale.
“I am very proud to be a part of Her Majesty’s horse training and her passion for their welfare. I believe she is the leading monarch for the advocacy of horses in the world. She is a thought leader in this field. Her Majesty's horses are trained using the Dually Halter, making a difference in the training of sensitive animals by giving the horse the choice to partner in the training.” ~ Monty
“I communicate with a horse in what I call the Language of Equus; a silent language of gestures that is discernible, predictable and effective. Now you can learn from my videos, audio and notes to help you understand the horse as I do. This language is really quite simple, but simplicity becomes its greatest strength.” ~ Monty
Monty Roberts is a renowned horse trainer known as the man who listens to horses and the original horse whisperer. Monty's horse training instructions are accepted worldwide.
Monty has helped thousands of people globally through his Monty Roberts Online Videos to learn how to Join-Up with horses, training young horses, spooky horses, horses that bite. His mustang , Shy Boy , is his most famous horse.
Join-Up methods help horse and trainer to establish a bond of communication and trust. “You must somehow understand that we as horsemen can do very little to teach the horse. What we can do is to create an environment in which he can learn.” ~ Monty
Monty says, “We hear that ‘actions speak louder than words,’ but generally we do not live by it too successfully.” Now Monty has taught thousands of people worldwide how to build trust in animals through our actions and body language.
Monty’s principles really amount to common sense and immense patience. He believes that children and horses have the same behavioral patterns. They are both naturally “flight” animals. "If you frighten them and resort to confrontation, you’ll lose their trust." ~ Monty
"Simple one-on-one reassurances and praise reap long term dividends that can all be undone with the quick slamming of a book on a desk or shouting back." ~ Monty Roberts
"No one of us was born with the right to say 'You must or I'll hurt you' to any other living thing, animal or human". ~ Monty Roberts
"My life's goal is to leave the world a better place than I found it, for horses and for people too". ~ Monty Roberts

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Horse Behavior and Training

Building a Dummy rider

By:

LMSedgwick(Canada)

Date:

2019-Aug-06 at 05:30PM

Having an Ardall would be great however my budget just doesn’t allow it currently. What materials were used to make the original Dummy riders at MRILC? I remember coveralls, stuffed with a pillows and a head with strings securing the arms? What was used to stiffen the back? Many thanks in advance!

JoHewittVINTA 2019-Aug-09 at 11:04PM

Hi. I used pipe insulation, taped together & stiffened with lengths of garden cane where needed. A coat hanger taped into place gave width. A long sleeved top & jogging bottoms transformed this - with towels & rags for stuffing to give bulk (well stitched in). A small beach ball in an old net sack served as a head & the net sack made attachment to the "body" easy - with the option to add a hat. Well attached strings allowed the dummy to be firmly tied onto the saddle front & back. I used this with Max when we first met in 2010. It proved robust & stayed perfectly in place - even when the saddle slipped. I think Max was most spooked by a rider still calmly in place at a 90 degree angle to his back! Even several bursts of maximum acceleration with much bucking failed to dislodge it. Hope this provokes some of your own ideas. Cheers, Jo.

bahila73 2019-Aug-12 at 02:43PM

Hi Jo; I did much the same as you many years ago. I stuffed the pants and long sleeve shirt with straw and 5 gallon bucket for strength at the waistline. All of this was held together with tie wire even the rubber boots. I topped him [Pecos Bill] off with a hard hat for effect. He wiggled and bounced while on top of the horses, but managed to stay in tack. I attached reins to his arms and the halter which helped to strengthen the connection of rider and the horse. His body was held in place to the saddle with bungie cord.

Fun times,
Bud