Product Description

When Monty Roberts was thirteen years old he went off on his own to the deserts of Nevada to watch mustangs in the wild. What he learned about their methods of communication changed his life forever. The Man Who Listens to Horses reveals his deep love and understanding of horses. We learn how, through his relationship with various horses, he gradually developed the methods which enabled him to communicate in their own language: a silent language of gestures like signing for the deaf. According to Monty, anyone can learn the language of the horse and anyone can learn his Join-Up(R) methods. In this book he tells you how. This is the bestselling autobiography that spread Monty Roberts' message across the world and changed his life forever. Unique and inspirational, and with a message that resonates far wider than its application to horses, it might change your life too.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19907 in Books
• Published on: 1997-10-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

From the Inside Flap
When Monty Roberts was thirteen years old he went off on his own to the deserts of Nevada to watch mustangs in the wild. What he learned about their methods of communication changed his life forever.

The Man Who Listens to Horses reveals his deep love and understanding of horses. We learn how, through his relationship with various horses, he gradually acquired his knowledge of their language and developed the methods which enabled him to communicate in the horse’s own language: a silent language of gestures like signing for the deaf. According to Monty, anyone can learn the language of the horse and anyone can learn his Join-Up® methods. In this book he tells you how.

This new edition contains text and photos that take the reader on a journey through the ten years since the first publication of The Man Who Listens to Horses, the bestselling autobiography that spread Monty Roberts’ message across the world and changed his life forever. Unique and inspirational, and with a message that resonates far wider than its application to horses, it might change your life too.

From the Back Cover
Wild horses should not drag you away from finding out more about Monty Roberts' Independent
When Monty Roberts was thirteen years old he went off on his own to the deserts of Nevada to watch mustangs in the wild. What he learned about their methods of communication changed his life forever.
The Man Who Listens to Horses reveals his deep love and understanding of horses. We learn how, through his relationship with various horses, he gradually acquired his knowledge of their language and developed the methods which enabled him to perform his 'miracles'. According to Monty, anyone can learn the language of the horse and anyone can learn his 'join up' methods.
A new chapter specially written for this paperback edition describes his 1997 adventure 'joining up' with a wild mustang. As he says, 'Good trainers can hear horses talking to them; great trainers can hear them whisper.' In this book he tells you how. Unique and inspirational, and with a message far wider than simply its application to horses, it might change your life too.
'Contains enough plotlines to keep Dick Francis busy for years.' Spectator

'For anyone who cares about animals - it is required reading.' John Oakes, Daily Telegraph

About the Author
Monty Roberts, known as the ‘Man Who Listens to Horses’ leads an extraordinary life. An award-winning trainer of championship horses, bestselling author, Hollywood stunt man, foster dad to 47 children (in addition to three of his own) and creator of the world-renowned and revolutionary equine training technique called Join-Up®, Roberts has won countless awards and received immense worldwide press coverage. He trains horses for the Queen and has been awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Zurich and the University of Parma. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals honored Roberts with their Founders Award. He is now much in demand as a motivational speaker and executives from groups as diverse as the CIA to Volkswagen have invited him to share his experiences with their leaders. He lives at Flag is Up Farms in Solvang, California, with his wife, Pat.

Customer Reviews

A great trainer, a great technique, and a great book!
This is a fascinating autobiography of one of the most sought-after horse trainers in the world. Monty Roberts takes us from his childhood, growing up on a ranch in California, all the way up through the years right before the book was first published in 1996. He learned to ride at a very young age and was quite successful on the rodeo circuit and in reined cow horse competitions. But what really gave him his ambition to develop a method of communicating with horses was the abuse with which he saw his father treat horses, and the the abuse he himself received from his father. Convinced that there must be a better way to train horses, he observed the behavior of mustangs, and ultimately came up with a technique he calls 'join-up'.

'Join-up' involves working with a horse in a round pen, first encouraging the horse to flee around the perimeter by making steady eye contact and assuming an imposing stance. The handler then watches for three tell-tale signs that the horse wishes to communicate - first the horse will lock his inside ear on the handler, then begin licking and chewing, and finally lower his head near the ground as he travels around the pen. Once the horse has given these signals, the handler takes his/her eyes off the horse and shifts away from from the animal. At this point the horse will usually come up behind the handler and stand very close, allowing the handler to touch him. Then the horse can be saddled, bridled, and at last, mounted and ridden. (This is a very truncated explanation - the book goes into much more detail.)

Of course Roberts was not the first to use methods like these. Some other reviewers here have complained about this fact, accusing him of taking undue credit. But Roberts himself admits this in his book. He points out that there were trainers in previous centuries that tried (and had success with) similar methods, but that for whatever reason these methods did not take a firm hold on the general equestrian population. So yes, Roberts does do a lot of self-promotion here (another thing some have complained about), but this is because he's attempting to spread the word about his method of training. He is using the book first and foremost to sell his technique, but this is because he wishes to make the training experience a better one for horses.

This book takes us through Roberts' journey of learning, and all the trials and triumphs that led him to where he is today. He tells us of his experience with mustangs, his successful childhood riding career, the encounters with his father that helped shape his own way of thinking, the development (and narrowly-avoided disaster) of his Thoroughbred racehorse facility Flag Is Up Farms, various success stories of his 'join-up' method, his meeting with Queen Elizabeth II of England, his many tours to demonstrate his techniques, and even his succes in using 'join-up' with wild deer. He also introduces us to the horses that have shaped his life and carved a place for themselves in his heart - Brownie, his childhood mount; Johnny Tivio, his all-time favorite; and Dually, his most recent mount.

Toward the end of the book there is a 'How To' appendix describing in detail the 'join-up' technique. Roberts lists all the necessary equipment (nothing fancy is needed - everything is standard equipment that any horse owner should already have; the only thing you may have to 'borrow' is the round pen itself if you do not have one), and takes us through the procedure in a clear step-by-step fashion. He explains the purpose of each aspect of 'join-up' and how the horse will perceive the handler's actions. He also explains the meaning of the horse's responses to these actions. The appendix is very easy to follow and the technique is simple enough that it is easy to remember afterward, without having to lug the book to the arena with you.

The book concludes with an afterword by Lawrence Scanlan, the author of 'Riding High' and co-author (with Ian Millar) of 'Big Ben'. Scanlan describes his experience observing the 'mustang project' that Roberts embarked upon in 1997. This takes us briefly into the story of Shy Boy, a small mustang stallion Roberts attempts to gentle (in the wild, not in a pen) with his 'join-up' technique. The afterword is very short. Roberts went on to write about his experience with Shy Boy in his next book 'Shy Boy: The Horse that Came in from the Wild'. I have not read that one yet, but plan to soon, as I was very impressed with 'The Man Who Listens to Horses'. I would highly recommend it to anyone involved with horses.

Open your mind and be amazed with the results
I've only had contact with horses for a year or so, and have always been a little weary, some would say fearful, of their power. So it was with a little apprehension that I sat to read this book. Its the first book I've read cover to cover in less than a week, and it was truly an revelation. I wished it would never end! For those who have broken horses in the conventional manner, you will be ashamed of your actions and enlightened by this book. For those with no contact with horses whatsoever, you will be wanting to get in the saddle before page 50. By page 250 you may have made the best and most satisfying friendship of your life..

This book truly changes your outlook on life. For the better of all species.

Truly interesting
After reading the Horse Whisperer, I wanted to know more about a real Horse Whisperer. And I was delighted to read The Man Who Listens to Horses. I unfortunately do not own a horse, but it made me understand what I have done wrong in the past while taking lessons. This book really puts an emphasis on horses behaviour and I am sure it will help every owner or horse lover like myself. Monty seems such a great and genuine man that I feel now that I would like to visit his ranch "Flag Is Up" for more advice! Definitely a good read.