The Man Who Listens to Horses

The Man Who Listens to Horses – Monty Roberts

Monty Roberts grew up around horses in California and, as a young man, spent time observing wild mustangs in the Nevada desert. Watching how the horses communicated with one another through movement and body language, he developed a gentle method of training horses based on understanding and trust rather than force and fear.

In The Man Who Listens to Horses, Roberts tells the story of his life and of how he developed the technique that became known as join-up. He describes how, by using the silent language of horses, which he calls Equus, a trainer can gain a horse’s trust and willing cooperation, often in a remarkably short time, without whips, ropes or violence.

Roberts recounts his experiences as a horse trainer, rodeo competitor and breeder, including the difficult relationship with his father, whose harsh methods with horses he rejected. He also describes the moment when his work came to wider attention, including demonstrations for Queen Elizabeth II, who encouraged him to share his methods with the world.

The book explores not only training techniques but also broader lessons about communication, patience and nonviolence that Roberts believes apply to relationships between people as well.

Inspiring and fascinating, The Man Who Listens to Horses is a compelling read for horse lovers, riders, trainers and anyone interested in animal behavior and gentle approaches to communication. Some aspects of Roberts’s personal account have been disputed by others.