The Horseman Cometh

Melissa Schorr

Friday, Dec. 4, 1998 | 10:08 a.m.

The Nevada desert will always be a pivotal place for Monty Roberts.

Roberts, 63, is the author of "The Man Who Listens to Horses," the 1997 autobiography that spent a year on the the New York Times best-seller list.

But the best way to describe him may be as a real "horse whisperer," as portrayed in Robert Redford's film of the same name.

Roberts' skill of communicating with horses led to several incarnations of work -- gigs as a Hollywood stunt double, a race horse trainer, a rodeo cowboy and, most recently, as the personal horse trainer for the Queen of England.

Now, he is taking his horse show on the road, making a 72-stop nationwide tour, one part book signing and one part demonstration of his legendary work with the animals. The program will be demonstrated in Las Vegas for nine days beginning today, across from the Gold Coast Hotel.

It all began 50 years ago. At 13, Roberts traveled to the high Nevada desert to tame wild horses and began his lifelong study of their behavior.

"Nevada has some very special memories for me," the California native says, calling along the tour from "somewhere near Wilmington, North Carolina."

The process he developed, which Roberts calls "the join-up" is his way of gently "starting" (he abhors the term breaking) a never-ridden horse by using the animal's natural inclination to merge with a herd, rather than using whips and ropes to "break" the animal's sprit. Monty calls the language he uses to communicate with the horses "Equus."

The crux of his nonviolent method is summed up in his book, in which Roberts writes: "Instead of telling young horses 'you must,' I wanted to ask them, 'will you?' "

Roberts' anti-violence crusade comes directly from his fascinating life story, which has already gripped two million readers worldwide, and may be coming to television screens soon, via a project in development.

Roberts was thrust into equestrian work, riding by age 2 and competing at 4, with the encouragement of his father, who also trained horses.

His early aptitude for riding earned him appearances in about 80 Hollywood films as a stunt double for various stars, including Elizabeth Taylor in "National Velvet." In 1955, he befriended James Dean when the studio hired him to give the rising star tips on ranching and horsemanship to portray the lead in the film "East of Eden."

However, as Roberts grew older, he came to disagree with his father's method of taming horses, which included harshly whipping them -- an abusive practice he extended to his own son when the young Roberts suggested there might be another way.

Instead of fleeing from the field, Roberts was determined to someday change it.

In 1966, Roberts, along with a partner who provided the financing,founded Flag Is Up Farms, in Solvang,Calif., where he used his method to breed, raise and train horses. These included several champion thoroughbred horses such as Alleged, the world champion race horse of 1977 and 1978.

In 1981, tragedy struck. Almost. After years of riding and placing stress on his body, Roberts was hospitalized with a spinal injury that doctors predicted would end his riding career -- and might have ended his walking career, as well. Eventually, after months of therapy and recovery, he returned to both.

When asked what he misses most about his acitivites over the years, Roberts turns wistful for his youth. "I miss being fit and young," he says. "So much of my life was rooted in being athletic, and I miss that physical youth and vibrancy."

In 1989, Roberts was summoned by Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II, to Windsor Castle to give a demonstration of his technique. Impressed, she suggested that Roberts write a book about his life and his technique.

Of course, a suggestion from a queen is hardly a suggestion.

"I never thought I would write a book, but ... Her Majesty asked me to do it, and ... " He pauses diplomatically. "I've done it."

Following the surprise sucess of the book, Roberts has already produced a second book for children called "Shy Boy: The Horse That Came in from the Wild," which has already become a best-seller in Germany and will reach the U.S. in the spring.

His success has led him to the lecture circut, where he has expounded on his anti-violence beliefs -- and expanded them to the human sector. Now he has another book in the works, tentatively titled "Horse Sense for People," based on his speeches to more than 240 firms, including IBM and Merrill Lynch.

"I believe that violence is never the answer," Roberts insists. "When adrenaline is up, learning is down. Violence is a less effective way of teaching by far than negotiations and real communications."

Roberts' anti-violence campaign won him the 1998 Founders Award of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

As a former rodeo hand himself, and winner of several world championships for Reined Cow Horse Events and Stallion competitions, Roberts is a vocal supporter of the current rodeo system and disputes charges that cruelty is still prevalent.

"That's hogwash," he snorts, "built up in the minds of paranoid people, just totatlly misinformed people. Those who say the flankstraps have tacks in them and barbed wire, that is so far from the truth. The changes have been utterly dramatic.The bulls are treated like royalty now. Anyne who has those valuable animals treats them well.

"I think the rodeo still has some things to do," he adds, "but rather than be a critic, I'll be a supporter and work behind the scenes to abridge some of the situations."

His main crusade today is trying to get jockeys to forgo the traditional whips used in horse racing. This campaign has not been easy -- the first whipless race ever to be organized was set to be held in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Roberts says, but was cancelled after it was boycotted by the jockey's union.

But this setback is a small one in his larger goal to stamp out violence.

"I think the book has crossed over because the world is ready to say 'no more' to violence," he says. "We see it on our television, we hear it on our radio, TV, in the streets. It's not right and we want it out."

The message has being carried out, at least on his farm: By the end of next year, Roberts estimates that he will have "started" approximately 100,000 horses and trained more than 500 fellow "horse gentlers" to carry on his work.

And he uses the same philosophy for convincing others to follow his work that he employs to convince his horses to follow him.

"Mine is not to demand what you do, but mine is to convince," he says sanguinely. "I never want to say 'you must' -- not to you or my horses. My responsibility is to so convince you that this work is good, that you will carry it on."