Have you ever seen the popular television show “The Dog Whisperer”? It highlights a man who loves dogs, and has a unique ability to communicate with them, and train them as well. The book “The Man Who Listens to Horses” offers a similar story, about a man who is able to train and communicate with horses. Written by Monty Roberts, it showcases the internal workings of a horse’s mind. In this article I will be offering my humble opinion on this remarkable book, and offer what I think are some of the highlights that I think other readers might enjoy.

Monty Roberts is a remarkable man, with a story to tell. He grew up with an abusive father who not only abused him, but his horses as well. This formed a strong impression on the young Monty, and as he grew into a man he started to formulate thoughts on “there must be a better way” to communicate with these magnificent creatures.

The “join-up” technique is his better way of horse breaking and training. He outlines the process in this book. In a nutshell, here it is. To begin, you need a round pen and an unbroken horse of course. The handler then stands in the middle of the pen, and the unbroken horse is encouraged to run around the perimeter of the pen. The handler will keep steady eye contact on the horse, and will stand in a very authoritative and imposing way. During this stage the handler will be looking for signs that the horse no longer wants to get away, but wants to communicate. These three signs are:

The horse will gradually turn the ear that is closest to the handler towards him/her.

The horse will begin a process of chewing and licking.

The horse will lower his head near to the ground as he runs around the pen.

When the handler is assured that the horse wishes to communicate, he/she will turn his back and start to gradually move away. The horse will then come closer to the handler, and permit the handler to touch him. Now that contact has been established, the saddling, bridling, mounting, and riding process can begin.

In addition to the “join-up” technique, the book takes us on a journey of Robert’s life as well. We learn of the various stages of his life, how he developed his horse techniques, and what has made him into the man that he is today. Some of the highlights in the book are:

-The successful childhood riding career of the author

-The author’s relationship with his father

-The Thoroughbred racehorse facility that the author developed

-His meeting with Queen Elizabeth II of England

-Wild deer and the use of the “join-up” technique

-Mustang horses and the author’s experiences with them

-Three of his favorite horses: Brownie, Johnny Tivio, and Dually

Do you love horses? If so, you will love this book on a humane way to communicate with them and train them as well. Be sure to check it out, read it over, and let the information sink into your mind.

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