Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: Working at a racetrack; behaviour help

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• 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

Working at a racetrack; behaviour help

By:

Lefrancois762

Date:

2026-May-27 at 08:17PM

Hi there! This is my first season working at a racetrack, with previous horse experience many (many!) years ago with jumping, trail rides, and sanctuary volunteer work. I am curious for tips on correcting unwanted behaviours in young thoroughbreds (2-3 years old) when A) I do not own the horses B) the common way of correction for barn workers is yelling, chain shanks around the nose, or physical correction like slapping, and C) there is no round pen to work off energy and do a join-up for establishing leadership and bonding. My job is to walk the horses for cooldown after their morning exercise on the track, and to groom in their stall (in the stall there is little to no room to back up the horse as "work"). I want to better manage unwanted behaviours such as nipping/ biting, crowding/ kicking/ butt-shuffling into me in the stall, and stop head strong horses from pulling me when walking. I want to use Monty's methods to correct these behaviours for my own safety and the horses', but I have to work around specific limited time frames, limited space, and a sometimes chaotic environment.
Does anyone else have racetrack experience or tips? Thanks so much.