Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: Having Fun

Learn all about Equus • Dually Halter • Shy Boy Mustang • Jumping Horses
• 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

← back

Horse Behavior and Training

Having Fun

By:

16dirtypaws

Date:

2010-Oct-09 at 12:44AM

I have a new horse that was a therapy horse previously. Yesterday was the first day I rode him and I discovered that he has a fixation with barrels. No matter what I ask him to do if there is a barrel within his vision we make a beeline to it. No amount of pressure, kicking or reining can change his mind.
Today when we rode my only goal was to make it around the arena without stopping at the barrels. Eventually, I was able to accomplish this by doing small circles every time he headed toward a barrel. I think he got tired of just turning in circles every time he spotted one.
I'd like him to get the idea that when a rider is on his back it doesn't mean he has to work. How can I undo his therapy training? More importantly, how can I teach him how to have fun?

Debbie Roberts Loucks, USA 2010-Oct-14 at 02:57PM

Great questions! Can you take him outside the arena? Its good you are establishing who controls the feet movements :)

renjaho - Hamburg, Germany 2010-Nov-03 at 11:42AM

I think it was a great idea to let him do small circles everytime he spotts one of the barrels. It is the same Monty does with a horse that like to cut the corners.
A good way to show him ho wto have fun while workng is normally to include small games. Sometimes they only need something new for their head.

16dirtypaws 2010-Nov-10 at 01:33AM

Thanks for the comments. Currently, I am not riding him due to navicular problems. We've been working on some tricks to stimulate his mind. We've also been doing a lot of ground work. So, the love affair with barrels is not an issue for now. I look forward to being able to ride Hosea in the future.