Loading...
17th out of 224 books
—
157 voters
My rating:
add to my books
The Man Who Listens to Horses
"It all dates from those summers alone in the high desert, me lying on my belly and watching wild horses with my binoculars for hours at a time. Straining to see in the moonlight, striving to fathom mustang ways, I knew instinctively I had chanced upon something important but could not know that it would shape my life. In 1948 I was a boy of thirteen learning the language ...more
Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Published
November 28th 1998
by Ballantine Books
(first published January 1st 1997)
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,881)
My review from BookCrossing: I started and finished this book on airplanes! I'm in NYC for a business trip this week, and finished this on the plane here yesterday. Thank goodness I had this book with me, as the movie on the plane was "Big Mama's House 2", which looked dumb and was confirmed to be dumb by the lady who sat next to me afterwards :) I think her exact words were, "that was the dumbest movie I have ever seen in my life." Followed by, "I wonder who choose...more
I read this book in a week, in the midst of reading another book and a very hectic work and holiday schedule. If I had no other obligations, I would have read it in one sitting. Monty Roberts is a gifted story-teller who can not only decipher horses' body language, but then communicate it in a captivating and clear way to others.
Roberts regales with vignettes of his relationships with memorable horses like the mustang herds he spent two summers with, his childhood show horses Brownie ...more
Roberts regales with vignettes of his relationships with memorable horses like the mustang herds he spent two summers with, his childhood show horses Brownie ...more
I grew up eating, breathing and thinking horses--and, to my great shame, abusing horses. For all my obsession with the critters I couldn't take the xtra step and Understand them---when I did comprehend what I had done, it hurt to know that I had been so cruel to one of God's greatest living beings. Monty Robert's writings helped me to 'see the light'-I am proud to know that he lives on this Earth, making his way thru ignorant humanity, fighting that ignorance with every step, every word, every...more
Monty's relationship with his father had such an incredible impact on his life. Throughout the book, I was still seeing someone still looking for approval. My opinion is that Monty is still seeking it. The other poignant moment was when he talked about the number of people attending his father's funeral vs. his mother's funeral. A cruel confirmation on how we can turn away from what is really happening and how the forgotten the others become. It is truly a book of raw emotion behind his wor...more
As a horse owner, I have a HUGE problem with so-called "gurus". I've seen to many people who follow one guru this week, the next one next week, all without any regard for what their horse needs and certainly without ever questioning the "guru's" methods.
Roberts is not really one of those people I'd call a "guru". Sure, he sells, but then, everyone's gotta make a living. But in everything I read from him and about him, I had the feeling that he cares firs...more
Roberts is not really one of those people I'd call a "guru". Sure, he sells, but then, everyone's gotta make a living. But in everything I read from him and about him, I had the feeling that he cares firs...more
The book is a biography of monty's life. A small chapter in the end is on join up. I thought it was cool to find out that Monty is colorblind. He sees the world in black and white. He tells his story about being a boy whose father broke horses. He tried to brake his son but in the end Monty still has his spirit. He found a way to communicate and get horses to trust him and join up. When he was just a young boy, he went into the desserts of Nevada to study wild mustangs and learned their ways of...more
When I read this book 10 or so years ago, I had never heard of Monty Roberts before, or at least, I couldn't remember ever having read of him before even though I had been a subscriber to popular horse magazines such as Western Horseman from the time I was a kid.
I took the book at face value, until it was proven to my satisfaction by several various other sources that much of the autobiographical information in it disqualifies the book from 'nonfiction' status. Marvin Roberts did not...more
I took the book at face value, until it was proven to my satisfaction by several various other sources that much of the autobiographical information in it disqualifies the book from 'nonfiction' status. Marvin Roberts did not...more
The man who listens to horses
by Monty Roberts
Autobiography
I realy enjoyed this book. I had been very intrested in Montys work and how well he can relate to horses and think its amazing what he has learnt from horses.
from this text i learnt alot more about join-up and found it amazing that i could be done with many diffrent animals in the wild.
i recomend this book to anyone who wants to have a deeper conection with their horse.
by Monty Roberts
Autobiography
I realy enjoyed this book. I had been very intrested in Montys work and how well he can relate to horses and think its amazing what he has learnt from horses.
from this text i learnt alot more about join-up and found it amazing that i could be done with many diffrent animals in the wild.
i recomend this book to anyone who wants to have a deeper conection with their horse.
Monty discovered a way to use body language to ask untamed horses to partner with him, and he was able to get a rider on a horse in about half an hour (the old way took a week or more). The old way, of course, was to break the horse's will by terrifying him and wearing him down. This created an adversarial relationship from the start--the horse obeyed out of fear, but not out of a desire to please or serve.
I think this concept of breaking a will or asking for willingness easily c...more
I think this concept of breaking a will or asking for willingness easily c...more
I read this book several years ago when it was fashionable in the UK and when I was still riding. Interestingly all the riding instructors seemed to hate it. I found it fascinating and pretty much took it at face value. I find animal psychology fascinating in as much as it equally relates to humans (us other herd animals!) I think if you ride or are merely interested in horses this would be an interesting read.
I just listened to this book, and several times, I didn't want to get out of the car. It was interesting. I want to learn more about how Monty interacts with the horses to get them trusting them because he says it's a similar concept for humans. Hmmm. . . His approach and methods have been very, very successful consistently. I was sad to learn that his dad was abusive.
Summer
rated it
Recommends it for:
George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, Ann Coulter, the Taliban, Hamas, Al-Qaeda...
Shelves:
nonfiction
I asked Mom to borrow this book because I wanted to create an accurate horse culture in the fantasy I'm writing, in which the animals are speaking characters. I had no idea just how much this book would change my own. Monty Roberts' life shows, in ways the fiction writer wouldn't dare to make up, the parallels in how we treat animals and how we treat people. My disapparate novel - tales of an estranged dragon, a brutal warrior prince, and a war that must be stopped - crystalized into something w...more
Monty Roberts didn't only stumble across the secrets of horse-whispering - mastering how to win the trust, confidence and affection of these highly intelligent and sensitive animals - he went out into the world and shared his knowledge with all those who were willing to listen.
As a result Monty improved the lives of countless horses - and his teachings will affect many generations to come.
What a wonderful man he was! I loved this book.
As a result Monty improved the lives of countless horses - and his teachings will affect many generations to come.
What a wonderful man he was! I loved this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed Monty's story. I cried with sorrow and joy for his pain and his accomplishments. He found the strength to own his gifts despite other's disbeliefs. I enjoyed reading about the personalities of all his horses. I got this at a Library sale and am so glad I picked it up. It picked ME up.
Please add him to my list of 6 guests I'd like to collect for dinner. Sure, he's good with horses, and I'm willing to bet that makes him a pretty decent human being. I once worked for a man who hit a horse...don't make me go on. If a man can't be kind to a waiter, a child or an animal, he has no place in my life.
Wonderful read! I had done join up before with a natural horsemanship trainer, this book practically closed in everything for me, what i knew i understood better, what i thought i knew changed, and what i didnt know - i know know. I also loved the personal journey, this is the sort of person i aim to be.
An excellent book about overcoming the cycle of abuse, toward both humans and animals. His revolutionary approach to training horses changed the way I look at horses and how they are treated, as well as influenced my interactions with them. A relevant read for horse lovers and non-horse-people alike.
A great read from one of the first people who looked at the horse as more than on object. This is his story of how he learned through observation how horses communicated to each other and then took what he learned and applied it to the horse and human relationship.
I found this book on my mother's bookshelf, and decided to give it a read. Since I'm a horsey-person, I must say that I loved this book from the get-go!
His early childhood experiences and his development/ journey into a older man is just fascinating. It has become one of my favorite books, and I would recommend it to anyone :)
His early childhood experiences and his development/ journey into a older man is just fascinating. It has become one of my favorite books, and I would recommend it to anyone :)
this book is a must for all horse lovers, and especially anyone who has horses themselves. you may know much yourself, but you never stop learning and there is so much to learn just by reading this wonderful book.
I am very glad i have read this!
I am very glad i have read this!
This is a powerful true story of a man who trains horses and wins them over with love. Flag is Up Farms is in Solvang California, north of Santa Barbara. On Saturdays you can visit the ranch and watch a demonstration of Monte Roberts Join Up method.
An interesting view of horses through the eyes of a great man. I learnt a lot but found the odd part did drag. I would love to be able to try out the techniques described and forge the bond he suceeds in securing with horses.
I thought I would love this book because of the horses. I love horses. And I did. But the book is so much more than that. It is the story of a boy who, having been raised with an iron fist, made a life of compassion; of a strong work ethic; of the nature of man and beast; of how our seeing impairs our perception; and of the difference love and understanding make, in humans as well as animals. Highly recommended.
Interesting and definitely a book horse owners should read. Weather you agree with the man or not, it contains interesting experiences and is well written with great horse characterisation.
Read this book many years ago it seeems.It was such a dynamite book_I recalled the essence thereof_recently naming my Blog_ http://sagebookwhisperer.blogspot.com/.
I must read it again
I must read it again
I loved this book! It was inpirational, highly interesting, entertaining, and moving. I intend to read all of Monty Roberts books and learn more about his amazing abilities and break-through methods of training and understanding horses.
Monty and this book has really changed the way that I look at horses and the way that I work with them. This book inspired me to be a better person while working with horses.
I really liked this book because it is about a real person. It is so interesting and changed my way of thinking about horses forever. He has such a gift.
Even better than the movie, Monty Roberts will pull you into a world where horses speak to you... and in much louder tones than a whisper. Lovely book.
equine communication book....wonderful read if you love horses or would like to get to know about Monty Roberts and his methods of training horses.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers Also Enjoyed
He wrote that by personally observing horses in the wild, he learned to "listen" to their non-verbal "language"; that when horses understood that they can trust you, they will decide to be with you. Roberts registered as his term for "hooking on", the phrase "Join~Up", in which a trainer negotiates with an untamed horse to form a voluntary relationship with ...more
More about Monty Roberts...
Share This Book
1 trivia question
More quizzes & trivia...
