Monty Roberts, who trained horses through trust, dies at 91
Monty Roberts, the American horse trainer known for promoting trust-based, non-violent methods, has died aged 91. His “Join-Up” approach challenged force-led training by focusing on horse behaviour, body language and cooperation, helping make him an influential figure in modern horsemanship.
Born in California in 1935, Roberts developed his methods after observing wild mustangs and rejecting the harsh practices he associated with his father’s work. He trained racehorses, wrote the bestselling autobiography *The Man Who Listens to Horses*, and formed a long friendship with Queen Elizabeth II after working with her horses; his daughter Debbie is expected to continue his training centre and online work.
In short
- Trust-based horse trainer Monty Roberts has died aged 91.
- His methods emphasised communication over force.
- His daughter will continue his work.
Explained simply
Monty Roberts was an American horse trainer who became known for teaching people to work with horses through observation and cooperation. His approach, called “Join-Up”, drew on horse behaviour and body language to encourage a horse to approach and work with a person, rather than relying on force.
Roberts said he developed these ideas by watching wild mustangs and questioning harsh training methods. He also trained racehorses and wrote The Man Who Listens to Horses, which introduced his ideas to a wide readership.
His work helped bring trust-based training into wider discussion of horsemanship. His friendship with Queen Elizabeth II, whose horses he worked with, also raised his public profile; his daughter Debbie has been involved in carrying on his work.