November 2007 E-Newsletter

Contents:

• Dear Friends: Fortunate to meet wonderful horses like Rommert
• Ask Monty: The inspiration for the Dually
• Monty's Principles for People: EnCOURAGEment
• Monty’s Challenge: Do you still see harsh techniques used on horses?
• Next Month in Monty's Dear Friends: Follow-up with King’s Alchemist
• Whitelist Monty’s E-Newsletter to ensure its arrival!
• Where in the world is Monty on tour next? Click here!

Dear Friends

I am writing to you from Equine Affaire in Springfield, Massachusetts November 2007 where I have been working with three horses each day for four days. I would like to relate to you the story of a very beautiful paint stallion that goes by the name of Joe.

When I first saw Joe during the vet exam he impressed me as being flashy, dashy, and sassy. He appeared to resemble a 16 year old boy who was handsome, arrogant and quite certain that he was the toughest kid in town. His owner John W. Kellar, III informed me that Joe was offered to Equine Affaire to receive his first saddle and rider.

There was no question that Joe was a bonafide raw starter but it occurred to me that he had a few other issues which might interest the audience. I asked the boys helping me to take a plastic bag into the round pen. It was attached to a stick and when Joe caught sight of it, one might have compared him to a launching rocket.

Joe certainly was accepted as a starter but I decided to add another component to the demonstration. My decision was to first do a “spooky horse” demo with Joe and then to proceed to ask him to accept his first saddle and rider. I don’t really know what gave me the right to think I could meet this challenge but it seemed doable to me. What came next was a privilege that my audience and I got to witness.

Joe clearly expressed his phobia for plastic the next day in front of approximately 2000 attendees. Once it was established how spooky he was, I set out with the stated goal of having him walk quietly over a rolled up and flattened plastic tarpaulin. My lesson for the audience that day was about incremental learning.

While Joe was a challenge to desensitize, within about 20 minutes we reached our goal and then some with no force, no pain, and no violence. Joe even followed me over the plastic with no lead on. Without sweating he stood and allowed me to stroke his forehead in the middle of a now spread out tarpaulin of 24’ x24’ (8 x 8 meters).

With the spooky demonstration in the bank, I proceeded to ask Joe to complete a starting demo. He was text book once I managed to get the Join-Up accomplished and then, while he bucked significantly with the saddle, he carried my rider Jared Huhta around the pen in a state of complete relaxation.

It was an inspirational 40 minutes or so with Joe and I consider myself extremely lucky to continue to meet wonderful horses like this as I travel the world with my mission to eliminate violence from all training routines. I think Joe was a surprise even to his owner and I have asked my daughter Debbie to get a few comments from him for you for next week’s weeks Ask Monty.

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November 14, 2007 Question and Answer

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

Monty's Principles for People

Encouragement: I want to give you encouragement.
Embedded in the word is courage.

By Pamela Bening-Hale , the talented teacher from Konocti Unified School District

Part II of a two part article

Be aware that at this point the student quite possibly will have a fit, due to past training that the bigger the fit, the more likely they will get their way. Stand your ground calmly and invite the class to focus on their tasks. I have even asked the class, “This student wants to be kicked out. What do you think, should I give him/her their way?” The class now is a part of the decision and has been respected. They have always answered, “No.” They actually ignore the student in the Project Zone. I have gone on to give the class extra free time or early dismissal to show my appreciation for their extra hard work.

Once the student in the Project Zone learns they do not get their way, they do learn to calm down. Some students have never had this experience of what it feels like and how the behavior is to be clam and cooperative. Thank you, the teacher, for giving them this gift. Now they really do have the choice to be calm.

The teacher’s discretion of the situation is important: if the student is undermining the class then putting them to work helping and supporting the class could be a gentle ‘go to work’ form of the Project Zone. If the student is destroying the entire class, the secluded area removes the child’s body from the main group is the most restrictive form of the Project Zone. Some teachers have a Refocus Form that they like. Whatever works. The main point is that the student needs to make the behavior and attitude shift to calm cooperative. This is the most valuable outcome, more than the project or task itself.

In all situations the teacher’s body language should be calm, yet assertive. Examples of language to use: I would rather you are with the class…. Your actions and choices of behavior have caused this… I want all of us to be successful; however I can’t allow you to steal the education from the entire class… You are stealing your own education… As soon as your are ready, I welcome you back, and you know the acceptable behavior… For extremely bright and challenging students I say, “I believe that if you leave the room (due to violence) we both lose. I want you to be here to get an education.”

The adult’s body language and voice tone carry more weight than our exact words. When I began I had to tell myself not to be angry. Then I quickly realized that my feelings of frustration needed to be converted to self- confidence and strength. I have to get across that I want them to succeed. I want to support them to be with the class.

At times the adult uses small, subtle clues that the child has the final say. This choice would only be true in the beginning, while setting up the rules or contracts. Contracts have mutual agreements and team work. Their behavior becomes their choice, therefore, now they must comply with the consequence of their behavior. When adults say, “Do this, okay,” it puts the power of the situation back to the student. When they are at the point of the Project Zone, the adult body language and word choice is “I’m the leader and follow me. The unspoken “please J” is the gentle side of the leader that creates the student to want to be with or return to the teacher.”

Now, it is equally paramount to explain that the teacher is also training the class. Creating a class in which students don’t want to be treated like the classmate has treated them. This is the most powerful shift from past teaching because students are in the habit of letting the teacher take care of the bully. But all of us, all of the class, are being bullied. Students must learn to stand up for their classroom. It shifts the bully from a power struggle with you the teacher, to a class that is working together, caring for one another. This has the potential to change our society from bullies picking on victims and victims thinking others will ‘make the bully go away’.

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Monty’s Challenge: Next Week’s Question to Answer

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?

Test yourself!
I want all of my students to learn to be better trainers than me! Test yourself each week as I challenge you to answer the question from below by writing to newsletter@montyroberts.com. I mean this. Sit down and write an answer. Don't wait for my answer next week.

If you have been reading my Weekly Questions and Answers for the last six months, you should be in a position to do this.

Why should you bother? Because it will help you focus. There is probably a comparable question in your life that needs answering – or will be. If you can gain insight into how to go about answering a practical question that is loosely related to your problem, this exercise will help you answer your nagging question.Then read my answer. Then read my other answers at this link: Ask Monty. The closest answer to mine each week will be awarded a DVD but more importantly you will learn! That's good for you! That's good for horses!

-Monty

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