September 2006 E-Newsletter
Contents:
• Dear Friends: Monty hosts upcoming all new RFD TV episodes from around the world
• Q&A: "Do you still have Shy Boy, or have you released him back into the wild?"
• Related links: You can't afford cruelty!
• Monty's Principles for People: K.A.R.E.
• Monty’s Challenge: NEW FEATURE!
• Catch Monty on tour in the UK, Netherlands and Switzerland. Click here!
• Upcoming issues
Dear Friends: Monty hosts upcoming all new RFD TV episodes from around the world
Dear Friends,
Ten years! Nearly 15% of my life! I was just reminded that 2007 will mark the 10th year anniversary of my adoption of Shy Boy, the American mustang that stole my heart and many of yours, too, I imagine.
Over the years Shy Boy and I have shared many extra-ordinary experiences. We have traveled extensively: San Francisco to San Antonio, Yakima to Pomona. We have been seen together by millions of people right around the world.
Donning his rubber boots and diaper, Shy Boy shares his gentle nature in television and radio stations with grace. Not even the chaos of one of the world’s largest parades - the Tournament of Roses Parade - caused him to fuss. With my wife Pat in the saddle, he led a group of other mustangs on the five mile adventure, encountering marching bands, gigantic floats and a raucous crowd of 1 million admirers.
At just 14.2 hands, Shy Boy is in the business of training young horses how to go to the racetrack and into starting gates and how to stay relaxed while doing their work.
He is a good friend to me and to the thousands of people who visit our Flag Is Up Farms annually near Santa Barbara, California.
Recently we hosted friends of ours from Denmark, Stina and Allan Elstrom. Stina wanted to ride Shy Boy to see the area where the Shy Boy video was filmed. She is a good rider and Shy Boy gave her a memorable holiday. Read their story next week in my Weekly Q&A. This has given me the idea to go back into the wilderness soon with Shy Boy on a special 10th Year Anniversary Ride. Perhaps we can offer this unique experience to those of you who would also like to visit the places that were the subjects of the beautiful photos used throughout the Shy Boy book.
Shy Boy and I will soon be seen again on the satellite television network RFD TV presenting Monty Roberts: A Backstage Pass! I am very excited to share new horses and the training techniques I have used successfully in ten countries this past year.
-Monty
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September 13 , 2006 Question and Answer
Question: Do you still have Shy Boy or have you released him back in the wild? Your DVD was vague because you did all that work with him then let him go in the wild. That night when you went out with your other two horses you found out that he didn’t come back. When you went back with that lad Shy Boy came galloping down the mountains. When everyone praised him, you put a bridle and a saddle on him then you asked the lad if he wanted to ride him home. The DVD didn’t say at the end if you released him back in the wild.
Monty's Answer: I had no idea that anyone was confused as to whether Shy Boy was at home or in the wild. He came back to us and we took him home. That second video was in 1998. I have had Shy Boy back to the wilderness several times in the past eight years and while we have had fun out there it seems to me he has been quite happy he returned home. Shy Boy lives on Flag Is Up Farms in Solvang, California. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) records show that he was born in 1994 and captured in 1997 near Tonopah, Nevada. On our front gate it says “Visitors Welcome” and we mean it. You can come and see Shy Boy any time you want.
He is a wonderful little horse who loves people and especially children. Thank you for asking about him as it gives me a chance to let everyone know that he is happy and fine.
-Monty
Monty's Principles for People
This week, we re-print with permission the newsletter created by Konocti educator Pamela Bening-Hale, the talented teacher from northern California who has been instrumental in collaborating with Monty on the use of Join-Up® concepts in the classroom. To learn more about Pamela and her school district’s commitment to Join-Up concepts, please click here.
K.A.R.E.
Volume 2.3 September 4, 2006 ©
Working Together
I have often heard teachers say, "Monty works with only one horse at a time. How can he help classroom teachers who have many students?"
I went to Monty's demonstration at the California Horse Expo in Sacramento last June. Walking to the arena I passed a team of horses, 8 or 10, pulling a large wagon. They were enormous, magnificent, black creatures. They happened to stop near me. The crew began unhitching them and putting them away. Like a well behaved class, they stood there knowing what, why and how the process worked. Thinking about what was involved to train the horses to behave and work this way, I consider the many hours of practice for the trainer to get the reins right, with the right tension for each, to create the best response from each horse. Now I think about my classroom of unique and priceless students. As I begin this year I am learning the right tension to put on each, to create a team, to achieve the optimum results. We practice this "reigning in" until it's successful. I am calm and consistent - as best as I can be. When I tug to hard, or not enough, I observe the student and the class. I think to myself, 'how could I have done better?' Monty says, smile and be calm, which is good advice for the teacher, as well as the students. These things take time. Sometimes it takes months or year to see the fullness of teamwork and achievement.
Monty also explains that a student's behavior, or misbehavior, is based on their personal, perceived survival. If it worked before, they will continue this behavior. I also became aware from Monty, that if a previous adult allowed this behavior to continue, it reinforced in the student that this behavior is "right". Several times misbehaving students have said to me, "I want to be suspended." Of course that's when I won't suspend them!
When a teacher creates Join-Up® (be gentle, listen, and communicate to earn trust) the student begins to feel safe and empowered to make their own personal change. The student must want to make the change.
All students really want to succeed and be praised. This is a good time to invite the student to set up a contract. When the teacher sets up a contract with the student it is enormously valuable for the student to generate the positive and negative consequences. Be sure to include internal and external-- such as I won't have friends and I should write an apology letter. Research shows that the initial external reward is the initial motivator, and then there must be a shift to the internal reward so this lesson becomes a lifelong behavior.
Best practices encourage us: what you pay attention to students will manifest. Pay attention to their success!
-Pamela Bening-Hale
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NEW FEATURE!
Monty’s Challenge
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
Next Week’s Question and Answer:
When I attend a competition, my jumper is ok when she is with other horses. However, when she comes to the place where we have to perform, she will be fearful immediately and does not trust her self to jump.
A horse stressed by a competition, exaggerated by my tension, sounds logical to me. But I have never experienced such a reaction from other horses.
I can not punish her for this behaviour because it would make her more fearful. Would it be possible that this behaviour is caused by her being separated from the other horses?
At home she does not like to be alone, but she normally gets used to it and becomes quieter.
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Look for these upcoming issues!
• Watch for November’s RFD TV release of Monty Roberts: A Backstage Pass!
• 2006 Monty Roberts newly Certified Instructors
• Brigitte von Rechenberg, DVM, on a vet’s epiphany regarding the Dually Halter versus a nose and ear twitch
• Upcoming release of the DVD Monty Roberts on How to Buy a Horse
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