Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: Retraining the Pacer

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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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University Suggestion Box

Retraining the Pacer

By:

eternal_student NSW

Date:

2012-Dec-16 at 08:18AM

Hi Monty!

There are so many wonderful topics here, but one I would LOVE to see a lesson on is how to retrain the ex-pacer (or trotter).

There are 18-19,000 ex-racehorses that are sent to slaughter each year here in Australia, many of whom are pacers and trotters whose only fault is not being fast enough. I rescued 2 ex-pacers myself about 24 months ago and retrained them to saddle & rehomed them. It was a very rewarding experience but extremely difficult, as there are not a lot of resources out there. Perhaps if you made a few videos, more people could have the skills needed to give these gentle souls a second career? I would soak up anything you had to say on the matter!

Many many thanks for everything,

-Student :)

Kicki -- Sweden 2012-Dec-16 at 06:07PM

In Sweden lots of people have "ride-trotters". There's even a association formed around them. :)
I don't own one myself but I have known some quite closely and have the greatest respect and admiration for the amount of work put into their re-training.
.
There is at least one very good book written on the subject of re-training an ex-trotter into a ridden horse, and I wish I could recommend it for you but I realize the problem of language here.
.
Anyway, here's the contact address to the Swedish Ride-trotter Association:
info@ridtravare.com
Maybe they can be of some assistance to you?

eternal_student NSW 2012-Dec-23 at 08:43PM

Thanks heaps for that, Kicki :) There are indeed a few good books to be found if one looks hard enough, but I would still LOVE to hear what Monty has to say on the topic :)

Charlotte - Gauteng, South Africa 2012-Dec-24 at 08:41AM

Just Wondering....
Does anyone know if Monty ever looks at these messages?
Charlotte

Miriam (Holland&Germany) 2012-Dec-25 at 12:37PM

Merry Christmas Charlotte,
All I know is that the resident Instructors and Debbie Loucks( one of Monty's daughters) do look at these messages and I'm sure if there is anything that needs Monty's personal attention they will let him know. Other Instructors, like Ann Lindberg from Sweden, are regularly on this Uni, and they would get Monty's attention to special questions too.
Monty is not a computer-person, he depends on others to work on that side of the Uni, his is the role of giving direction to the lessons to come and of course being the main actor in them.
We are in very competent hands!
Miriam

eternal_student NSW 2013-Oct-03 at 01:14PM

Monty, please can you do a "retraining the OTTB/SB" package? :(

faymail 2013-Oct-04 at 03:54AM

I would love this as well! We have two retired-from-racing Standardbreds. They are wonderful horses, but would love to have Monty's perspective on retraining race horses, especially trotters/pacers.