ANTOINE de Pluvinel, one of the first French riding masters, who has had a great influence on modern dressage once said: “You can never rely on a horse who is educated by fear. There will always be something he fears more than you. But, when he trusts you he will ask you what to do when he is afraid.”

So how can we build trust and communicate effectively with our horses? Is there any one particular method of achieving the afore-mentioned? Despite there being a steady increase in studies relative to training techniques, there are still many techniques which still need to be evaluated in order for us to be able to answer this question objectively and scientifically.

With that said, I believe it is important to have an awareness and understanding of the many different training methods which are being practiced around the world. One such method which has grown enormously in popularity over the last number of years is the Monty Roberts method.

In an effort to find out more about his methods I attended a Monty Roberts training course hosted by Caitriona O’Meara, one of just four fully qualified Monty Roberts instructors based in Ireland.

EQUUS

Mutual understanding and ultimately trust is achieved through good communication. Horses are naturally herd animals and as with many animals that live in groups there is a hierarchical system in which all horses play their part, this contributes to safety within the herd. The system is built on effective communication - and in turn trust.

Therefore the logical thing for us to do as trainers is to gain a better understanding of how horses communicate with each other so that we can communicate more effectively with them and gain their trust. This is where Caitriona began her course - introducing us to the language of ‘Equus’.

Caitriona explained that: “While tracking wild mustangs as a young boy Monty Roberts observed a nonverbal communication between horses, a language he calls Equus.”

Without ever acknowledging it many of us are already aware of how horses communicate with each other. When horses are trying to tell another to go away we might see them make eye contact, square their shoulders, pin back their ears and even plunge forward.

When horses welcome the contact of another, they are relaxed, passive and with eyes averted. If horses spot a potential threat and want to alert the others in the group they raise their heads with energy up and may flare their nostrils or snort. Horses that are relaxed and content will lower their head and neck and exhibit signs such as licking and chewing.

JOIN-UP

Monty Roberts incorporates Equus into his training approach called Join-up. The aim of Join-up training is to produce a partnership with a foundation in mutual understanding, where the horse wants to be part of the team. Join-up is based on the language of Equus and two-way communication between horse and human is fundamental. Dictatorship is replaced by a 50/50 partnership based on trust and confidence in leadership.

Join-up is all based on herd behaviour and is done in a round pen.

The horse is encouraged to go its natural flight distance, in one direction then turned and asked to go the same distance the other direction by using non-verbal body language.

Horses are energy preservers and so will stop and reassess the situation after running their natural flight distance; this opens the lines of communication. Signs of communication from the horse happen at this stage - lowering of the head, circling closer, licking and chewing.

When this happens the horse chooses to be with the person and the foundation is laid for effective partnership.

THE BENEFITS

These concepts and procedures, utilising the language of Equus, can be used at all times when working with your horse. Every time we are in sight of our horses we need to be conscious of what we are communicating to them – each move of our body has a meaning that the horse understands and will respond to, if given the chance.

We use reduced forms of Join-up in everyday situations, such as grooming, catching and feeding our horses. It is not always necessary to bring the horse into a round-pen and complete a Join-up every day. A complete Join-up should be used when trust and communication has been broken down or not yet established.

CAITRIONA O’MEARA – MONTY ROBERTS INSTRUCTOR

CAITRIONA O’Meara is a secondary school teacher in Piper’s Hill College, Naas and her passion for horses has led her to train as an Equine Assisted Learning and Therapy facilitator and a Monty Roberts Instructor.

Her first steps in formal training in Monty’s methods began in 2010 when Caitriona attended a Join-up course with Caroline Jennings and progressed on to doing the introductory course the following November.

The course covered everything from Equine Anatomy and Physiology, Breeding, Nutrition, to Husbandry; and hands on practice – working with horses using Monty’s concepts.

2012 saw Caitriona passing the Introductory exams, a week before the birth of her daughter, and that October head to the Monty Roberts International Learning Centre in California to do the Advanced Course. She returned the following year to do her Advanced exams, under Monty’s watchful eye.

FINAL EXAMS

This involved several aspects: taking a complete starter into the round pen and within 30 minutes, have them accept a saddle, bridle and do their first long-lining session, a session with untouched horses – getting a halter on and leading them, a presentation in front of Monty and his team of instructors and a three hour written exam.

Caitriona was invited back to complete the final part of her training which was a three month Instructor’s internship at the Monty Roberts International Learning Centre in California. She spent the summer of 2014 there and was awarded her instructorship.

Since then Caitriona has been running courses in Monty’s Methods and been helping owners and horses sort out issues. She has helped a lot of horses who had issues loading, including an Irish draught who had slipped from a lorry ramp and could take anything from five minutes to an hour to get loaded. Through incremental learning the horse now loads happily with their owners without panic or stress, whips or lunge lines behind them.

Caitriona takes horses in for training and also travels to people’s yards, working with horses and owners on a one-to-one basis to help them overcome problems or issues they may have. She advices the owners/handlers of what works for their horses and how best to progress with the training.

As part of her continuous development, Caitriona assists at Monty’s demonstrations throughout the UK and Europe.

Caitriona runs demonstrations, clinics and courses around the country and from her yard in Kildare. She’s always up for a challenge!

Facebook: caitrionaomearaETS

Tel: 086 3753341

E-mail: caitriona_omeara@yahoo.com.

Web: caitrionaomeara.ie

EXPERT OPINION

William Hayes – Pre-trainer and Owner of The Curragh Equine Rehabilitation Centre

I was first introduced to Monty Roberts when he visited Ireland and held a demo in Kill Equestrian Centre. I remember he worked with a very hot-headed Irish Draught stallion that was being quite difficult for the handlers to manage.

Within about half an hour of working with the stallion, in the round pen, the stallion had calmed down and Monty was able to saddle him. It was very impressive.

After that I bought his books and I have now read them all. I continue to watch Monty’s demos on Horse and Country and find that I am continuously learning something new that I can apply at home in my own yard. I am now running a successful business based on his methods.

I practice Join-up firstly with almost all of the horses that are sent to me as it helps establish a trusting relationship with me as the leader, before beginning with training or dealing with any issues the horse may have. Horses that have had a traumatic experience, maybe in the starting stalls, often require more time spent doing Join-up.

THE LEADER

Once I have established myself as the leader and built up trust with the horse I find they respond much quicker to their training. It’s very important, however, having established yourself as the leader to remain calm.

As the leader, if the horse senses that you are afraid they will become even more panicked. Horses have an excellent sense for emotion and will pick up on your nerves and fear. I am quite conscious of this and do not allow others to enter the stable with me when I am working with a horse – because I cannot control their heartbeat, breathing or nervousness I can only control my own.

It is very important that the horse does not sense your fear.

Most of the horses that come to me for pre-training have been to the sales so they will be familiar with the bridle and bit. If a horse has not been bitted I would spend at least three days allowing them to get used to the bit and bridle before saddling. Once the horse has been bitted, I progress to my three phases to breaking.

Phase 1 – Saddling

Phase 2 – Driving

Phase 3 – Riding

On average I would have horses broken and riding within 10 working days over the space of two weeks. I keep sessions short and the horses rarely ever sweat.

I also find the Monty Roberts Stalls blanket to be a very effective training tool. It’s a heavy, protective blanket that is used to desensitize the horse to the feeling of the stalls around them. Often horses don’t like touching off the side of the stall walls and panic.

After putting the blanket on the horse and walking them through the stalls with it on the horses accept the sensation and rarely have any more problems.