So, You Think You Love Horses? Some Reflections on the Nature of Horses and Man

More Discussions by “The Accidental Horseman”

Monty Robert's Book
Photo:Christopher Dydyk

I have watched videos of famed horseman, Monty Roberts, starting horses in a round pen using a technique he calls “Join Up.” By starting a horse, he means what was often called “breaking” a horse or more specifically, getting a green (young inexperienced) horse to accept a bit, saddle and rider for the first time. I have also read Monty Roberts’ book, “The Man Who Listens to Horses.” This gives an in-depth description of his techniques and the history of how he originated them. He is able to routinely start horses, often in less than 30 minutes, and is able to predict the horse’s behavior in advance. It is very impressive to watch for the first time. In prior times horses were often subjected to brutalization in the process of being “broken.” I always assumed from watching cowboy movies that all horses acted like bucking broncos the first time saddles were put on their backs.

Most of the horses that I have owned and ridden were pre-owned and came to me already started by someone else. However, we did start my gray gelding, and I was surprised that it was not nearly as difficult as I imagined. Because we had cared for him since he was weaned, he knew us and trusted us. He was cooperative and seemed more puzzled by the process than resistant or upset. In slow, easy steps he accepted the bit, saddle and rider. We did not use Monty Roberts’ method, and I am uncertain if I even knew of it at the time.

When you watch Monty Roberts explaining the technique, some of the things he says seem counter-intuitive. However, basically what he is doing is pushing certain behavioral buttons that nature has built into the horse’s normal behavior. Those behaviors have to do with two different areas that are hardwired into a horse’s psyche. For the most part the technique is dependent on the facets of herding instinct and inter-herd behavior. To a much lesser extent it is also based on certain aspects of predator-prey interaction.

Roberts’ technique is first to pressure the horse to flee from him. A horse is a prey and flight animal. Their first reaction is to flee from novel situations that might indicate danger. In his demonstrations, Roberts uses a round pen and the horse soon discovers that he is fleeing in circles, and this person is not going away. There is only so much running and then the horse asks itself if there might be an easier way. Worse than that, the horse is alone in this situation. There is no herd to watch his back or give solace to him. At this point Roberts changes tactic and takes the pressure off. He invites the horse to join his herd, and soon the horse is following him around. What the horse discovers is by doing this Roberts takes the pressure off. Roberts describes how the lead mare of a herd behaves in the same way with an unruly colt. She first drives him off and then accepts him back on her terms. These are facets of herd behavior and things that the horse has experienced before. Join up is not particularly a facet of predator-prey interaction. There is no negotiating or joining up with a predator; it is interested only in a meal.

Among the signs Roberts looks for is a “licking and chewing” action of the horse’s month. I view this as an indicator that the animal is acknowledging that it is submissive to the trainer. It is the equine version of the Chinese kowtow or European bowing. The first time I noticed this was when we introduced my gray to the herd as a weanling. The other horses were aggressive toward him in an effort to establish their dominance, and he responded with this “licking and chewing” action. Clearly, this is a hardwired equine behavioral response that is recognized by other horses as saying, “I am just a baby and am not challenging you, so leave me alone.” Roberts explains this a little differently, but I like my explanation better. Roberts talks about horses having a language, a means of communicating with each other, that he calls “Equus.” This makes perfect sense. Any herd or social animal needs ways to communicate with its fellows and will tend to evolve a social hierarchy. Complex social behaviors exist in flocks of wild turkeys, wolf packs and any other cooperating group of animals that you might care to observe. It is no surprise that such communication behaviors exist among a herd of horses.

Perhaps, the most counter-intuitive behavioral feature he discussed is what he calls “advance and retreat.” A horse will retreat from a threat initially and then later reapproach it. I think if I were a horse facing a predator that I would rather be in the next county and not circling back toward it. However, the advance and retreat strategy may make sense. Most predators are ambush predators and if a prey animal keeps it in its sight, it is much less dangerous than if the prey loses sight of it, and the predator can launch a future undetected attack. I have noticed deer herds doing this. They will run a distance and then turn and stand and look at you.

Human beings have buttons that can be pushed.

I once tamed a wild bird. When there are no other kids to play with, an only child will do all kinds of strange things. With the bird it was very much advance and retreat at first. However, soon he trusted me and would actually come looking for a handout. What the bird discovered was that if he advanced he got to eat from a hand filled with bird seed, but that seemed too good to be true, and after a time he would retreat. When nothing happened, he advanced again. Horses by nature are cautious, but they also can be curious about novel things, and there is always a tension between investigating or running, that is to say, between advancing and retreating.

I know you have a Veg-O-Matic.

The bottom line is that Roberts method works, and it gives us insights into the psychology of the horse. Before you think that you are so smart and can basically trick this poor unsuspecting horse into accepting your dominance and submitting to being ridden around at your will, consider this fact. Humans have buttons of their own that may be pushed, and sometimes against their better judgment. This fact is well-known to advertizing people, military drill instructors, religious cult leaders, politicians and a host of others who wish in some way to influence human behavior. So, just how many times have you successfully resisted their blandishments? I happen to know that you have one of those Veg-o-Matics in the back of your kitchen cabinet. Admit it, I know that I do.