Press release

MONTY PUTS VETERANS ON A PATH TO HEALING
IN MILITARY CHANNEL’S HORSE SENSE AND SOLDIERS

–One-Hour Special Premieres Sunday, September 19 at 10 PM on Military Channel–

(Silver Spring, Md.) – In the newest special in Military Channel’s Coming Home initiative, original “horse whisperer” and American renaissance cowboy Monty Roberts works with three veterans of the Iraq war, each of whom suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  The result is nothing short of magic.

Through an innovative yet experimental approach to coping with PTSD, Roberts shares his lifetime of experience and insight in non-violent training as he gently coaches each veteran to read the silent language of horses and reach the point of breakthrough, or “Join-Up®,” the moment at which a wild horse will trust and accept human contact.  It is an emotional and striking metaphor for how these soldiers can work through and cope with their debilitating depression and anger.  HORSE SENSE AND SOLDIERS premieres Sunday, September 19 at 10 PM on Military Channel.
“The impressive, unique work that Monty Roberts has pioneered, using untrained horses as a therapeutic tool for veterans who are trying to work through anger and depression is absolutely inspiring.  We are honored that Monty and the veterans allowed us to document their deeply personal stories,” said Henry Schleiff, president and general manager of Military Channel, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater. “All too often we forget about the after effects of combat and, accordingly, since Military Channel is the only destination dedicated to honoring the U.S. armed forces, we are proud to showcase this special as part of our ongoing salute to our returning troops.”

Each of the three remarkable veterans profiled has struggled as a result of the trauma of war and each is experiencing difficulties interacting with their loved ones and going about their daily lives.  In

HORSE SENSE AND SOLDIERS, Roberts, who holds one PhD in Human Psychology and another in Behavioral Sciences for both humans and animals, only has these United States Army and Marine veterans for four short days at his Flag Is Up Farms in Solvang, Calif., where he demonstrates the deeply emotional healing power of establishing a trusting relationship with wild horses without the use of whips, restraints or physical violence.  

Roberts uses his soft-spoken, nurturing style to show how to send signals through body language while interpreting silent messages from the horse establishing a trusting relationship that culminates in an affirming moment of partnership and trust between man and beast.  After four transformational days, the soldiers ultimately better understand how to control their anger, confront painful memories, cope with real-life situations and move on with their lives and relationships.

About Monty Roberts
The New York Times bestselling author and world-renowned horse trainer Monty Roberts is available for select interviews to discuss his upcoming appearances on Discovery Military Channel (September 19, 2010), the International Equestrian Festival, the Equine Affaire Massachusetts, amongst other significant events. MONTY ROBERTS first gained widespread fame with the release of his New York Times Best Selling book, The Man Who Listens To Horses; a chronicle of his life and development of his non-violent horse training methods called Join-Up®. Monty grew up on a working horse farm as a firsthand witness to traditional, often violent methods of horse training and breaking the spirit with an abusive hand. Rejecting that, he went on to win nine world’s championships in the show ring . Today, Monty’s goal is to share his message that “Violence is never the answer.” Roberts has been encouraged by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as well as the ASPCA “Founders” award and the MSPCA George T. Angell Humanitarian Award. He recently launched his Equus Online University ; an interactive online lesson site that is already being considered the most effective educational tool for horsemen on the web.

Join-Up philosophies can be seen at work with both humans and horses across the world, from farms to major corporations. To learn more about Monty Roberts or the many applications of his Join-Up training methods, visit www.montyroberts.com or contact debbie@montyroberts.com 949-632-1856

Photos available upon request

HORSE SENSE AND SOLDIERS is produced by Lone Wolf Documentary Group for Military Channel.  Lisa Quijano Wolfinger is the producer, writer and director for Lone Wolf Documentary Group, and Bob Scanlon is executive producer for Military Channel.

About Military Channel
The Military Channel brings viewers compelling, real-world stories of heroism, military strategy, and significant turning points in history.  Currently available in more than 57 million homes, the network takes viewers “behind the lines” to hear the personal stories of servicemen and women and offers in-depth explorations of military training, aviation technology and cutting-edge weaponry.  As the only cable network devoted to military subjects, it also provides unique access to this world, allowing viewers to experience and understand the full spectrum of human drama, courage, and patriotism intrinsic to the armed forces, as well as, the long-held traditions of the military.  For more information, please visit military.discovery.com.

I have a question about horses: When you breathe onto a horse’s muzzle and it breathes back what does this mean? Thank you, please reply, A TRUE HORSE LOVER

Monty’s Answer:

The olfactory system of Equus is probably the most sensitive area of their anatomy. Smell is used by the flight animal far more than sight and I believe more than sound. The snorting that we hear when a horse is concerned for its safety constitutes the act of clearing off the olfactory plate so that there is a clean landing field for particles of smell which are on the air.

Through the growing up process horses learn to identify various substances that may be emanating from locations miles away. They process these odors and then prioritize as to their potential danger. Smelling is a process which has been refined through survival of the fittest, scientists say, for millions of years.

Horses have developed the keenest sense of smell imaginable. It has served them well over the millennium.
When we breathe into the nostrils of the horse we are giving that animal far more than our DNA. It is my opinion that they can read adrenaline levels, heart rates, what we had for breakfast and a lot about our intentions. They are keenly interested in these facets of our existence. If you have a good relationship with your horse, this procedure will be much more out of curiosity than fear. They will however check you out on a regular basis.

Monty

September 25 – 26: Monty is demonstrating at IEF during the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. Find out about it here. http://www.equinechronicle.com/riding-and-training/monty-roberts-to-appear-at-international-equestrian-festival-will-use-heart-rate-monitor-to-demonstrate-effectiveness-of-techinques.html

October 2nd – Gleneagles, Scotland
October 4th – Carlisle, England
October 9th to 10th – Monty awarding at Horse of the Year Show (no demo)
October 15th – The Grange, England
October 17th – Myserscough, England
October 22nd – Hartpury, England
October 29th - Quob, England
November 6th – Towerlands, England

November 11-14 Equine Affaire Massachusetts   http://www.equineaffaire.com/massachusetts/features/program/featured-presenters/

More information about Monty’s demonstration schedule, here:
www.montyroberts.com/ab_about_monty_calend

For 9 year olds and up!
I’M SHY BOY, Here’s My Story 
Interpreted by Monty Roberts
Illustrations by Sisko Tahon-Raulo and Phillipa “Millie” Raulo
SHY BOY SPEAKS!
I’m Shy Boy is the story of Monty Roberts’ mustang companion, beginning before he was adopted. His tale begins in the Nevada mountains, where Shy Boy was born into a wild herd of horses. Seeing the world through the eyes of a horse, you experience his first encounters with the humans who capture him. His surprise at meeting Monty, a man who moves and speaks like a horse, develops into a bond of trust that will last a lifetime. Shy Boy begins an ongoing adventure to bring non-violence and communication into people’s lives, and to allow them to treat their horses with respect and understanding. Shy Boy and Monty live on Flag Is Up Farms in California, where they continue their adventures together and fulfill Monty’s mission, “To leave the world a better place than I found it for horses and for people too.”

Beautifully illustrated, for young people of all ages. You can order it right here at Monty’s shop: www.montyroberts.com

Congratulations Temple Grandin, Emmy Winner!

The very talented cast and crew of the HBO film Temple Grandin received most of the major awards in their catagory! It won for Best Made-for-Television Movie, Best Director, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Music Composition, and Best Camera Editing at the 62nd Emmy Awards on Sunday August 29, 2010.

About Temple:

“Through a unique set of circumstances, Temple Grandin was born with the ability to live in the animal world, completely understanding their environment. At the same time, she possesses the complex brain of a learned human being whom I consider a genius. Animals in Translation is a must-read. I found it impossible to put down.”
— Monty Roberts, author of The Man Who Listens to Horses

Dr. Grandin, who is autistic, has used her unique view of the world to design 50% of the cattle-handling facilities in the U.S. in a more humane fashion and has developed several videos that help families with autistic children. She is the bestselling author of Thinking in Pictures: and Other Reports from My Life with Autism (1996) and Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior (2005).

Dr. Grandin has appeared on numerous radio and TV shows discussing her seminal work with animals and her hopeful insights into autism. She has been called “One of the most celebrated – and effective – animal advocates on the planet”.
“In this unprecedented book, Grandin delivers a report from the country of autism. Writing from the dual perspectives of a scientist and an autistic person, she tells us how that country is experienced by its inhabitants and how she managed to breach the boundaries to function in the outside world.”

Thinking in Pictures and Other Reports from My Life with Autism 
Find out more here: http://www.templegrandin.com/

Monty teaches Hard to Bridle, Hard to Catch, Headshy, Georgia’s Phobias, Join-Up without a Round Pen, and last but not least: Join-Up for Children! Catch the vision here: www.montyroberts.com/university

Check it out: Pat Roberts will be exhibiting some of her latest bronzes at The Living Bluegrass Exhibit in Kentucky this month. The show runs from September 10 through October 30. For more details, go to www.patrobertssculpture.com or visit www.galleryblexington.com

At last, the latest book from the pen of New York Times bestselling author, Monty Roberts, is available to purchase today!

To order the book, just click on this link: http://store.nexternal.com/monty/im-shy-boy-p106.aspx

Rumors have suggested for months that Monty has been working on “something unusual”, “different” and “top secret”. Other leaks suggested that the project was skewed towards the whole family and that it would have something to do with Shy Boy, Monty’s American Mustang that he joined-up with in the wild… Well now we know. Today, Monty unveiled his new book. It’s called I’m Shy Boy And Here’s My Story.

Was it worth the wait?

Monty’s been accused of producing books that are easy to read and unputdownable before now, but this one really is wonderful. It is unbelievably fun, clever and a rip roaring read.

Why is it so good? Well, strictly speaking it is Shy Boy’s book. Monty “interpreted” the book from Shy Boy’s own words so in essence it is an “autobiography” with Monty as Shy Boy’s translator! So the book is written from Shy Boy’s point-of-view, in his own words. This is fiction based on fact, charting Shy Boy’s earliest memories with his mother and the herd, through to becoming the international superstar he is today, thanks to the BBC documentary film about his first meeting with Monty.

Lavishly illustrated in full-color throughout, it is a fun family-friendly novel rich with the principles of Join-Up®.

If you cherish childhood memories of Black Beauty, told from the horse’s point-of-view, you will love this book. It is a “must have”, and priced at only $19.95. Order it before September 1, 2010 and you will receive a Shy Boy DVD free, with every book.

Q: Is there a best way to train a horse in order for “him” to become a therapy horse?

Monty’s Answer: In an effort to train the ideal therapeutic riding horse, it is critical to start with an animal possessing the proper mindset. Once it has been established that the subject horse wants to be gentle, the work begins to give your animal experiences that will cause your work to be successful?

Eliminating any violence from the training is essential.

To take your training to the next level, recognize that when you are doing your work right repetition is your greatest ally and when you are doing your work wrong, repetition is your greatest enemy. Over and over again measures must be taken to make sure your horse is at ease with situations that would otherwise seem chaotic.

One must never assume that the horse is OK until the horse proves to you that he’s OK. If something bad can happen, one must assume it will happen. A precious human life can literally hang in the balance depending upon a perfect job of training.