My Review of the Book “The Man Who Listens to Horses”
“The Dog Whisperer” is a popular television show in which a man uses his ability to communicate with dogs to help and train them. Along comes the book “The Man Who Listens to Horses” which tells a similar story about a man who is able to communicate with horses. Monty Roberts is the author, and this is truly a fascinating book that will take the reader on a journey into the internal workings of a horse’s mind. In this article we will not only review this book, but offer some glimpses into some of the highlights as well.
Monty Roberts has a love of horses, and he sure has a story to tell. He grew up with an abusive father, and this abuse not only extended to him, but to horses as well. This abuse formed a strong impression on Monty when he was young, and as he grew older he started to formulate an opinion that there must be a better way to communicate with the horses that he loves so much.
This “better way” was to become a horse breaking and training technique which he calls “join-up”. For starters, you need a round pen, and an unbroken horse. The handler stands in the middle of the pen, and the horse is encouraged to run away from him/her, circling the pen in attempts to get away. As the horse runs away, the handler forms steady eye contact, and assumes a very authoritative and imposing stance. As time goes by, the handler will look for three specific signs that the horse wishes to communicate with the handler. These signs are:
The ear of the horse that is closest to the handler will turn towards him/her.
The horse will start to chew and lick.
As the horse runs around the pen he will move his head closer to the ground.
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.
The book takes us on a journey into Robert’s life (in addition to the “join-up” technique). We learn of the various stages of his life and the events that have helped to shape his view of horses, and the techniques he has developed along the way. Some of the highlights are:
-The author’s successful childhood riding career
-The author’s relationship with his father
-The development of the author’s Thoroughbred racehorse facility
-Meeting Queen Elizabeth II of England
-Using the join-up technique with wild deer
-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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