He
first "listened" while observing wild Mustangs in Nevada as a young
boy. Sent there to round up horses for the Salinas Rodeo Association's
Wild Horse Race, he spent hours silently watching the feral horses
interact with each other.
Soon he realised that they used a silent but
powerful language to communicate, set boundaries, show fear and express
annoyance, relaxation or affection. In a moment that would change his
life and the lives of horses and people forever, Monty understood
that utilising the silent language of horses (Equus) would allow training to commence in
a much more humane manner, encouraging a real partnership between
horses and humans.
Later, he would name this moment of partnership "Join-Up" and it would become the foundation of Monty Roberts's work with horses and people.