‘He left the world a better place’: farewell to Monty Roberts, the man who listened to horses, aged 91
Monty Roberts has died aged 91, after eight decades of changing the way we see horses
The man who listened to horses for over eight decades, changed collective thinking and touched human and equine lives across the world has died aged 91.
Tributes have flooded in to Monty Roberts, whose lifelong goal was to “leave the world a better place than I found it, for horses and for people”.
Monty was born in California in 1935, the son of a horse trainer who used methods “often violent and rarely fair to the horse”, in Monty’s words. Having watched wild mustangs and learned how horses communicate, he realised using their body language in training would be more effective and humane, and build better relationships.
Monty developed his “join-up” method, which became used all over the world, worked with racehorses and wrote articles about his non-violent methods. These came to the attention of The late Queen, who invited him to Windsor to work with some of her horses. This was the start of a 30-year friendship, and Her late Majesty encouraged Monty to travel the world to share his methods and write a book, both of which he did.
Monty described The Queen as “the wind beneath my wings”; he told H&H in 2016 that she was “responsible for allowing me to go global”.
“Without her I would still be in California dribbling along as a cowboy, telling people not to beat up horses,” he said at the time.
Monty’s autobiography, The Man who Listens to Horses, has sold more than six million copies. His Dually halter is designed to reward horses for working in partnership with their handlers and his starting stalls blanket designed with Sir Mark Prescott to protect vulnerable areas has helped hundreds of racehorses.
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Terry Pendry, former stud groom to Her late Majesty and Household Cavalry senior instructor, and his wife Sue were friends with Monty and his wife Pat for decades, and Terry has used Monty’s methods to train hundreds of horses.
“What an incredible, incredible man he was to share his concepts with the world,” he told H&H. “The horse world is going to be a sad place without him.
“But thank goodness he was courageous enough to show his methods to the world, and that he has now enough disciples, for want of another word, around the world, who will carry on his concepts.
“I remember once, in my living room, he said to me: ‘You can’t actually teach anybody anything. But what you can do is to provide an environment in which people choose to learn. And I’ve never forgotten that.
“He knew no bounds; whether he worked with royalty or the lady with the happy hacker down the road, there was no side to him. Monty Roberts had time for everyone.”
Sir Terry paid tribute to the breadth of Monty’s work, with charities, in prisons and with armed forces veterans.
“He was mainly equestrian but he also helped an awful lot of people,” he said.
Sir Terry added that he and his wife are in constant contact with the Robertses; there will be a private family funeral followed later by a celebration of his life.
“Everyone in in the horse world, our hearts go out to the family,” he said. “But how privileged we were all to have met and known such an incredible man. What a wonderful man; he has left the world a better place for the horse.”
Monty Roberts: “the horseman’s horseman”
Kelly Marks of Intelligent Horsemanship met Monty in 1992, wrote the first courses using his methods and was the first teacher of them around the world.
She told H&H Monty was “the horseman’s horseman”, and admired by so many.
“But what set him apart was his extraordinary curiosity as to how to make things better ‘without violence’,” she said. “He had a great gift as a communicator and also a love of sharing ideas; after a long morning working horses, whether with just three of us over lunch or later, as people warmed to his huge charisma, with an audience of nearly 5,000 at London Arena.”
Kelly said Monty was always good company and passionate about many things, citing his work with charities and armed forces veterans.
“He was just as enthusiastic with or without an audience,” she said. “I remember a stable lass turned up one day because there was an unrideable youngster at her yard. Monty went off on a few spare afternoons to help her get this horse right. What made him happiest was not only the horse improved (that was a given) but that the horse had taught him something new.
“Monty touched an extraordinary number of lives. He changed how many of us understood horses, but perhaps just as importantly, he encouraged us to stay curious, to question what has always been done and to look for a kinder way. He is greatly missed.”
A man of “extraordinary kindness”
In 2011, The late Queen made Monty an honorary member of the Royal Victorian Order, which she gave people who have served her or the monarchy in a personal way. His many other honours included honorary university doctorates and humanitarian and welfare awards. He had a long association with H&H, from the days the then editor Michael Clayton asked him to back a horse, whom Michael named Monty.
Monty died on 31 July, surrounded by his family. He had been married to Pat for 70 years and they had three children.
His daughter Debbie Roberts Loucks is to carry on Monty’s work at his training centre in California and his online “university”.
“For the world, he was known as the man who listens to horses,” she said. “To me, he was simply Dad, a man of extraordinary kindness, unwavering integrity and an unshakable belief that trust could accomplish what force never could.
“For more than eight decades, he dedicated his life to changing the way people understand and work with horses. His mission reached far beyond horsemanship. He believed that true leadership is built on communication, patience, empathy, and respect; lessons that have touched the lives of countless people around the world.
“Our family is deeply grateful for the love, friendship, and support you have shown him throughout his remarkable life. Your letters, visits, stories, and shared experiences have meant more than you could ever know. Together, you became part of a worldwide community united by a common belief that both horses and people thrive when they are treated with kindness and understanding.
“While our hearts are broken, we also find comfort in knowing that his legacy lives on every time someone chooses compassion over force, listens before asking, and seeks a better partnership with their horse.”
● Do you have a special memory of Monty Roberts that you’d like to share? Let us know at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine and on the website.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.