Foal Handling with Monty Roberts 

I love that when he trains a foal he has the mother in the arena with her baby. Wonderful method of to teach the foal and not be scaring it, this guys amazing I wish we had more people like Monty in the world.

There is a difference between handling and training. Sometimes it might be necessary to handle a foal. I don't know a better way then what Monty shows here.

What a precious foal! That face, those spindly legs! ♡

I worked with my friends Marsh Tacky foals last weekend, and while we did put a halter on it was only for a few minutes. The rest of the "lesson" was teaching them with the figure 8 rope. The colt got it quick, but the filly wasn't too happy so someone stood on her other side then she moved forward nicely. When people say let them be babies, yes, but start teaching at hour one. The filly was already hours old before she saw a human, the colts birth was supervised and he saw people from the second he could stand. The filly is skittish and spunky, the colt comes up to give kisses and loves to be scratched. Be kind, be gentle, but don't wait to start a bond.

Why am I learning to tame horses at 4am? I dont even live near one xD

I'm late to this video, but I just HAD TO add that this is one gorgeous little foal! He/She is about 5+ years old by now, and I bet is one outstanding beauty! I quickly glanced over the comment section here & would like to add one more comment. I'm VERY familiar w/ YTube & have to say that there are viewers that will complain about every single YTube video I've ever seen. If you offer free money, they'll complain it's in the wrong denomination....Offer to give them free beer & they'll complain it's the wrong label. It surely must be disappointing to read such comments, since you take time out of your busy schedule to post something as gentle as this video is, but PLEASE don't get discouraged. There are a LOT of people viewing this that truly appreciate you & your knowledge.....and also appreciate that you take the time to share special tips from your lifetime of equine education by posting these videos. Truly, THANK YOU!

Hi monty s figure of eight is a great idea, ive previously used to ropes the one attached to the halter around the neck and a second one over the rump but that looks so much simplier to use. thank you monty for sharing

I recently got a Monty Roberts book autobiography for my birthday and I think it's an amazing thing he did, handling, taming and training a horse without "breaking" it or dominating it with fear- hats off to you, Sir.

To bad so many people insist on comment on Mr. Roberts and revealing how little they know about his personal story, know how and proven techniques.

oh so sweet! I don't speak english but I understood all what he said. ;-) Really nice!!!! And you are so nice to the horses... and the horses are so beatyful!!!

Monty is such an intelligent and handsome man.

All foals should be handled well, right from the start. Too bad so many ignore them until it's time to "break" them:( Thanks for being there, Monty.

Great work

Received our new foal today with her mama till weening worked with her for a couple hours just getting her too feel safe with me ,2 months old ,seems very smart got her too stand beside me licking her lips rubbing her from top too bottom turned her and mama loose too enjoy pasture how rewarding

I can the logic of the foal handling belt; especially when they are first learning to accept being led. It gives the handler more control over where they are going. Starting at four should be bringing together the earlier lessons he's learnt; accepting examination, greeting other horses appropriately, accepting being tied up etc. Then teaching them accept tack, the aids, before finally, a rider.

Brilliant. Thank you Monty Roberts. In the event I meet a foal here . .

Mister Robert, I have a crazy pony and I want to teach it

Freaking adorable!

So cute

This was 7 years ago. Holy shit.

I have a new born baby horse, What ideal recommended age for train foal sir

MUITO lindo o trabalho!

sweet i met you in person a long time ago and enjoyed your show here in texas

🤗❤️So considerate

the best...

Has anyone read his book Quiet Boy??? That book is very interestiing

After teaching him many years ago that his methods were wrong, and exhausting a horse in a round pen is not the answer. He still doesn’t get it, that the simplest way to communicate with ANY horse of ANY age is not with all of his gadgetry and BS. But with simple gentile tension release, the release is the reward. Not given to the horse by the handler, but taken by the horse by giving in to the tension. Very light tension BTW. Years ago, I watched him and Ron Rawls and a Cutting horse trainer, try for over an hour to get a thoroughbred yearling onto a step-up stock trailer using all the pain, coercion, and aversion methods that they both knew, and they still failed. At which point when he saw that I was watching, he said to me if I thought I could do it better then I was welcome to try. So, I agreed with one condition, that they both get as far away from me the horse and the trailer as they could, basically out of sight. At which point I attached my simple cotton lead rope with a swivel snap in the end to the bottom ring in the halter, and after walking around behind the trailer for a couple of minutes the horse and I walked calmly onto the trailer. Then Monty said, “I bet you can’t do that again”. At which point I calmly walked the horse off the trailer and turned around and walked him back on again. And do you know what Monty said to me a week or so later? He wanted me to look at his invention that he called the Dully Halter. I said it inflicts pain for noncompliance and it is completely unnecessary. And I reminded him that I had already demonstrated that. His reply was, “yes but I can’t make any money off your method”. SMH. So, if you want to follow what this guy and so many other so-called “HORSE WHISPERERS” teach, then you go right ahead, but know this. They are in it for one reason only, and that is to make money off the less knowledgeable and the gullible, seeking quick fixes and shortcuts. But if you want to learn about real horsemanship skills, learn from the Bedouins that have been doing it for thousands of years. Or simply follow the instructions below. It's FREE, and all I ask in return is that you carefully follow the instructions, and when you are convinced that it works every time on any horse. Then share it with others for FREE, for the betterment of horses, not someone's wallet. Leading a horse I believe that leading a horse is the single most important foundation thing any horse person new or experienced, needs to learn. NOT teaching the horse to lead; they already how to be led. They, after all, are herd animals and as such, are natural followers. No, the handler needs to learn how to lead the horse. This is an amazingly simple thing to do that is all too often made complicated by various human issues, not the least of which is anthropomorphizing human behaviors onto a horse. This is also the thing that is most often overlooked in training new people about horses and working with them. Horses do not speak or understand any human language. And they do not love, hate or hold grudges. Those are EMOTIONAL responses. Horses are not capable of such reactions. They do not even possess that part of the brain that can interpret and express those things. They are prey animals like most animals, with their eyes on the side of their heads. As a result, the only thing paramount in their mind is survival and, if so, equipped reproduction when that time of year rolls around. So, talking to them or at them is an exercise in self-delusion and nothing more. Horses could not care less what any human has to say, be it “GOOD GIRL/BOY, walk-on ho, sit, stay,” or any other such nonsense. Typically, when leading a foal for the first time, there are a couple of ques that you teach them early on. When I face you, that means STOP, and two is, when I put my hands on you anywhere, that means STAND STILL. Knowing that, why would you give either of those ques to a horse that you are trying to lead someplace? DON’T DO IT! Do not look at the horse; when you look at the horse, you are in effect facing them, which means STOP, look where you are going instead. The simplest explanation of leading a horse, ANY horse is slight, very slight, maintained tension on the lead in the direction of preference, and ALLOW the horse to come toward that tension to get their release on their own, NEVER GIVE THEM THE RELEASE. Let them come to you, thus giving the release to themselves. The release is the reward; but when they realize that they gave themselves that release instead of you GIVING it to them, nothing more is needed. No vocal accolades food treats, or physical contact is necessary. They do not offer anything other than self-affirmation for the one doing the leading. After a few of these simple exercises, the horse gets it, and leading becomes a non-confrontational endeavor. And they become part of your herd, and you are their herd leader. So, with the lead attached to the bottom of the halter, you stand to the left side of the horse, the horse on your right with just enough slack in the lead to allow the horse’s head to move freely. Holding the lead in your right hand tightly, make a fist and place it on your sternum, allowing the lead to flow over the crook of your right elbow while holding the trailing part of the lead with your left hand. Never lead a horse with an extended arm. If you, do it becomes a spring and does not offer the rigidity and unyielding tension that you need for this activity. Now while facing in the direction, you want to go, (DO NOT LOOK AT THE HORSE) apply just enough tension on the lead to take up all of the slack and apply just a very slight tension. Then stand very still, essentially become a post. And allow the horse to make a forward move to get the release from that tension. When they do, even if it is only just stretching their nose out to get that release, they will have rewarded themselves, then gently repeat the same process. Each time you see that you gain more movement from the horse until you are getting forward steps. If at any point they pull back. You do not move, and you become a post firmly planted in the ground. Do not fight or tug; stand very still, maintaining the slightest of tension on the lead, locking the trailing part of the lead on your left hip if need be to maintain that tension. They will reach for that release again. Then when they get the release the second or third time, is usually when you see the light bulb go on in their eyes and they understand what you are asking. Then you continue to build on that achievement, and if they seem to forget and start to pull back at some point, you return to your fixed position and let them seek release by doing what you wanted them to do in the first place. There is no pain or punishment of any kind involved in this technique, only rewards. While some folks feel the need to vocalize positive and negative things while doing this. Remember, horses do not speak English or any other human language, so your vocalizations are for you, not the horse. If you become proficient at this technique so that it becomes second nature for you. You will then also be able to load any horse onto any kind of trailer without any issue at all. Because you will not be loading, you will be leading. It is no different than walking a horse into a barn stall. You will also find that it can be applied to a variety of training techniques not related to leading, usually with surprisingly positive results. I have taught hundreds perhaps a thousand or more horses this, and never once has it failed to achieve the desired results almost instantly. With no pain, coercion food treats, or any other rewards other than an understanding that we are now speaking a common language that the horse readily understands and accepts.

Muito legal

I have a question. If you desensitize a foal and work with them and de spook them before you train, does it make it easier to train them? Like are they calmer? I am trying to learn a little about training:)

Bom dia eu gostaria muito de aprender com senhor ?deus o abençoe com essa dedicaçao e paciencia com os animais ??

Anyone knows how the foalhandler is called in German? Thanks 🙂

This is super information

Didn't show us how to make and put on the foal rope!

gostei do jeito de domar

I don't think you should handle a foal Leave them with their Moms Let them decide to approach you and be still

Este señor es un motro en cuestion delos caballos dio lo bendiga

Why are horses so hard to understand and train? I understand they are full of pride and demand respect. But why do humans need to control them?

You never turn a horse or a fial loose with a halter on 24vhrs a day thats a recipient for disaster

If Joe Namath never touched a football.

It’s 2022, no need to exploit horses anymore. Read “Riding on the Power of Others”. No one wants someone on their back, telling them what to do.

So Monty seem you talk about watching wild horses and learning to talk to horses I was wondering while you were studying the herds if you noticed any young foals with halters on and the mothers teaching the foals with a soft rope around their necks and bodies ? I think not because the mare is teaching the foal how to be a horse, theres no stress or fear involved just nature running its course. Foals that young should be left alone.

Hate that heavy halter that poor foal has on, surely there must be lightweight foal halters that don’t have all those horrible metal buckles on that must hurt when they bang against their faces.

well done but why not to put the halter on this baby while it was still in its mom's uterus?

Ne vedd el a gyerekkorát!

DONT PUT A HALTER ON A FOAL!

Hate it. Foals should just be left alone and untouched buy humans they turn out to be the best horses.

Clearly, English is your second language. What part of this video is "shit"? The part where he's gentling the foal? The part where he uses a foal rope, which many people already know how to use? Maybe you need to watch videos about shit. Learn what it actually is.

Baby's shouldn't have halters on,,,,,,,!!!!!

That's so stupid!

Place the mom and foal out in pasture. Let mom have the number of days necessary to teach the important parts of being a horse. Humans stay out of this part of the process. A horse is the best teacher of a horse, not a human.

You should be ashamed of what you're doing. You're an ethologist so you can't pretend not knowing the damages you're causing when you manipulate this baby. They shouldn't be touched by humans until 2 weeks after their birth. You make false but you make money, how can you keep doing this even if you know the problems it brings ?