Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: Manners on th trail

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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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University Suggestion Box

Manners on th trail

By:

Jules 970

Date:

2009-Nov-21 at 05:56PM

I'd like to see something that covers some of the sort of problems you come across when riding out - for example grabbing mouthfuls of grass (or passing leaves and branches, even on one occasion someone's nice Rose !), getting excited when in a group, reacting when other horses overtake etc.

lisa-claudia 2009-Nov-21 at 11:17PM

yes it will be realy nice!

Debbie Roberts Loucks, USA 2009-Nov-27 at 05:45PM

These are great suggestions Jules! There may be a few answered in the Q&As to explore. We will definitely bring this to Monty - thanks!

Irishwabbit 2009-Nov-29 at 12:17AM

I recently took a mare I saddle trained after the previous owner had done some ground work with her. It was not until I got into the saddle and out into the field that it made sense to me she would normally "dive" for the grass, nearly pitching me over the top. She had been a horse left at a barn with others at a corner of an intersection fenced in maybe and acre with a walk in barn. She was a field horse! A horse in a field to her meant eat...period. She had a tough time understanding inside arena stalls, nevermind riding in the arena. Then I remembered that I could use the pulley system of wrapping the leadrope from each side of the dually halter I ride her with there by giving me leverage to stop her before she got momentum diving and pulling my neck discs out of place. It gave me the upperhand! A few times of this and she no longer dove, it took awhile and probably will take more sessions but she knows now that she does not have the element of suprise or strength any longer.

sandigrow 2009-Nov-30 at 07:56PM

My horse gets almost uncontrollable when around lots of horses. I took him on a trail ride with 100 horses recently, and he was way, WAY too excited. He almost reverts to "wild horse" rather than my sweet partner around home. It is as if I am not there. THis morning on a cold, blustery day, he pulled out of his halter as I was undoing it, to join his buddies and run around and kick and buck and play. It made me feel as if all my training was for NOTHING.

Sandi

Dolly Daydream 2011-Mar-18 at 10:02AM

I quite agree. We have just got a new horse onlone who has some problems with his bad manners.

when ever you stop on a ride, he pulls his head down to eat grass and he knows how to use his weight to get his own way!

vicci - UK (North Wales) 2011-Mar-18 at 07:45PM

A thought on those of you that are having issues with 'grass grabbers' (we all have a particular behaviour we really really dont like and that one is mine! :-) )

An approach I have used that may help is to pick a route/trail and walk along it in hand with horse in the Dually - much easier (and safer for you) to prevent the grass grabbing by correcting the unwanted behaviour without it being a big deal and then carrying on; horse usually gives up after a couple of attempts (though they are all different of course). I then progress to longlining down the route (bearing in mind all safety provisos. A few times of correcting the behaviour from the ground led to it being a lot easier (if necessary at all) to correct it from the saddle.

palomino4475 2011-Mar-21 at 08:58PM

My horse tends to grab leaves rather than grass... he has gotten quite good at snatching a branch while still walking forward - quite a rubber neck thing going on. Grr...