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11/28/07: After attending one of your demonstrations where you used a dummy rider to start a colt under saddle, I made a dummy for our trainer as a Christmas present. The problem is Leroy ends up leaning to his right after a lap or two. How did you secure your dummy to the saddle to avoid this? I bought your book in hopes of learning this, but it didn't illustrate the assembly or securing of it.

I would also be interested in the starting saddle you use in your demos when a horse is being ridden for the first time? It looks almost like a large lead line saddle.

11/21/07: Your passion for using non-violent techniques dates back to your childhood. How many times these days do you see those harsh techniques used on horses?

11/14/07: How did you come up with the idea for the Dually halter?

11/07/07: There is a point before Join-Up that seems stressful to the horse. Does the horse learn when it is fleeing from you?

Answers to November 2007 Ask Monty Questions

Question: After attending one of your demonstrations where you used a dummy rider to start a colt under saddle, I made a dummy for our trainer as a Christmas present. The problem is Leroy ends up leaning to his right after a lap or two. How did you secure your dummy to the saddle to avoid this? I bought your book in hopes of learning this, but it didn't illustrate the assembly or securing of it.

I would also be interested in the starting saddle you use in your demos when a horse is being ridden for the first time? It looks almost like a large lead line saddle.

Our Herman-dummy is about five feet tall and weighs about 40 pounds. His body size proportions are about the same as an adult of the same height.

He is wearing a man's pair of jeans but with shortened legs. We have learned that legs with an inseam of about 18 inches is about right and will allow for an elastic strap to be sewn at the bottom of each leg. The elastic strap is equipped with a snap at the bottom that will clip onto the stirrups. Make the elastic strap just long enough so that there is good tension when it is fixed into place. The two stirrups are strapped together under the chest of the horse with a strap and buckle. This prevents the stirrups from rising allowing the dummy to dislodge.

The skeleton of our dummy is comprised of three fiberglass buggy whips on each side, cut so that they reach to the bottom of the sewn pant legs then all the way to the top of the head of the dummy. One can gather these buggy whips at the neck so that they are bundled as they go into the head itself. One can use a short broom stick wired or taped to the buggy whips just below the neck. This broom stick should be about 20 inches and fixed into place so as to form the shoulders.

I suggest using a heavy canvas type work shirt for the upper body and recommend sewing it inside the jeans as well as sewing up the front. Once you have the jeans connected to the shirt and sewn at the bottom of the legs then one can begin to fill the jeans and the shirt with material of a fluffy nature. I suggest more weighty material at the bottom of the legs and mostly lightweight bubble wrap to stuff the shirt. This will create the lighter upper body thus assisting an upright position.

I use a child’s play ball to create the head of an appropriate size. I simply make a small hole only large enough for the buggy whips to enter the “head”. I push the buggy whips to the top of the play ball then use large amounts of duct tape to secure the “head” to the buggy whips. I utilize duct tape to create an appropriate neck, fixing it strongly to the shoulders and to the buggy whips securely. I generally put a scarf around the neck, a face mask on the ball and a light hard-hat on the head.

I have the sleeves sewn closed and utilize elastic straps with snaps that reach the eye ring of the halter. The elastic used to secure the dummy at the area of the waist should pass inward and be firmly attached to the buggy whips about 8 inches above the saddle (see this illustrated in Chapter 8 of From My Hands to Yours). I allow these elastics with a snap attached to emerge one from the front and one from the back. These will be your main source of attachment: one to the rear of the saddle and one to the front. I have a ring sewn into the saddle at the back and I use the hand-hold of my starting saddle for the front attachment.

For the saddle, our manufacturer is a local tack shop called Frontier Saddlery. Their phone number is: 1+ 805-686-5144 in Buellton, California. If you mention that you'd like a saddle made like Monty's starter saddles with the handle, they will know what you're after!

- Monty

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Question: Your passion for using non-violent techniques dates back to your childhood. How many times these days do you see those harsh techniques used on horses?

Monty's Answer: I see far too much violence even today, but it is true that the world of training horses is changing, and I would like to think that I have helped play a role in this effort. One should remember that the whip is still the number-one selling piece of equipment in the ride shops of the world. I am pleased with the changes I have seen, and I hope that this trend continues. There is a good reason I have on the cover of my textbook The Definitive Guide to Violence-Free Training (click here).

- Monty

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Question: How did you come up with the idea for the Dually halter?

Monty's Answer: I didn’t come up with the idea for the Dually halter. An old man taught the concept to me in the late 1940’s. It was originally made from a piece of rope and you had to know how to tie it. I designed and patented my Dually so anyone could easily use it.

The concept was to allow the horse to train itself. The Dually halter becomes uncomfortable when the horse resists it, but properly handled, it becomes very comfortable when he cooperates with it. I have never injured a horse with the Dually halter and the rope portion of it is very soft and only acts by getting smaller, not by causing pain.

I named it the ‘Dually’ because it can be used as a normal halter or as a training halter. It’s also true that my horse at the time was called Dually; it seemed natural.

Recently, I have become aware of the fact that the world of professional dog training has developed equipment using very similar techniques. I am told that it is helping dogs all over the world. The producers of this device decided to name it ‘The Gentle Leader.’ I have no idea whether they are criticized by some of the dog world, but I congratulate them for the selection of the name. I have seen this device at work, and I believe it has helped many dogs.

- Monty

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Question: There is a point before Join-Up that seems stressful to the horse. Does the horse learn when it is fleeing from you?

Monty's Answer: There are stressful points in each of our lives, and then there are times when we are relaxed and we feel safe. My work reduces to a minimum those times when the horse feels stress. I believe, however, that it is necessary for the horse to feel less than comfortable when it is negative, and then very comfortable when it is positive. It is nearly impossible to feel great comfort if one never knows discomfort. Scientists should be mindful that violence is acting out to forcefully alter behavior. Discipline is allowing the student to create a negative or positive environment wherever possible. Join-Up between you and your horse heralds an end to isolation and separation of both our species by bonding though communication.

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