Libel re: Monty Roberts

[lucitania]

"There is someone called Monty Roberts, but he simply serves the horse-devouring mechanism of racing. Being a part of this structure, that by its nature is hostile to horses, he simply cannot be called a teacher or a master. He is on the other, the torturers’ side of the barricade.

Horses’ psychoses and tragedies for Monty are like shooting in a saloon for an undertaker. Using some primitive techniques he “repairs” a little bit horse’s injured mind, and, rubbing his hands, watches how jockeys will break it again"

This was taken from the followin website: www.nevzorov-haute-ecole.com/en/haute_ecole.php

I obviously do NOT agree with the statement- has anyone ever heard of this Russian guy? How dare he publish such libellous statements, not even allowing a space for open discussion!

[fin]

Yes, I've come across this site too.... they were equally as rude about Parelli too, weren't they?

[lucitania]

On a quick glance Parelli level 1 is good, everything above it is evil. Hmmmm....
I wonder if MR himself knows of these libelous statements, or would he care? (I probably would be offended being called an animal torturer!)

[kas]

Ah, this bloke has something nasty to say about a lot of people. The freedom of the Net

[shep]

Sounds like some Nutter doing a bit of attention seeking. He is probably jealous of Monys acheivments.

[shep]

Sorry, I mean 'Montys' Lol I am a bit tired Lol

[sulasmum]

I should think Monty has too much about him to deign to reply to this vindictive rubbish. The way he is with horses speaks for itself, so I would think whatever this rusky has to say is treated with the contempt it deserves.

[jinks]

monty has probably heard it all before
but it up to the guy what he thinks we all have different points of view, people on here slate strasser thats no different than this russian slating monty

[fin]

Erm....depends whether it's based on hard evidence or not, rather than opinion, surely? That Monty is a slave to the horse eating racing machine is interpretation--or opinion, if you like. Strasser's trimming methods now, if you talk to say an EP, can be subjected to a certain amount of scientific and practical scrutiny.....

[susih]

Wau, didn't notice this thread before. I posted the same link.

As I said on the other thread, don't take this man too seriously re Monty Roberts. I don't know much of him, but what I know makes me rather critical about everything he says. He's an extremist through and through, has a questionable career as an extreme rightwing politician, and a long history as a professional soldier (as you can read in his CV). I've heard his political career being described as a "joke". Judging by his statement on MR he doesn't even know much about him. One can only wonder where that hostility comes from. It hardly has any solid grounding, so ignore it.

As you can see from that website, the tone in his writings is very emotional, extremist, and with a lot of pathos. It's like reading testimonies of a religious cult. This man is obviously just as charismatic as any cult leader, and is building himself up to become one. Whether he should be taken seriously or not, I leave it up to you to decide. The question whether he's dangerous or not depends on the number of followers he gets. I'm inclined to think that his extreme attitude towards everyone else is the very thing eroding the ground beneath him. I for one wouldn't want to hang around a man like this.

A word of explanation: I'm Finnish, and my father fought and was wounded in the Winter War of 1939-40 against the Russians. I grew up in a very anti-Russian, anti-communist home, and had I a chance to ask my father about this, his answer would be along the lines of "all ruskies are half-mad and evil, and this one should be sent to Siberia and shot". Not necessarily in that order . The thing is, Russia has always been a world apart from the Western world. It doesn't seem to operate by normal laws of nature. Nowadays it's fertile ground for any type of extremism, and this man is but one example. Their parliamentary history is full of mad extremist politicians out there to invade the world, and it's a mercy the worst cases seem to drop out in one way or the other. Here's hoping that trend will continue.

I choose to look at the photos on that site. I see beautiful, healthy horses, and that's all I care about. I will still steer clear off the man behind their wellbeing.

www.nevzorov-haute-ecole.com/en/photogallery.php?id=71&gid=1

www.nevzorov-haute-ecole.com/en/photogallery.php?id=58&gid=1&min=9

[mags]

Hmmm havent read the text yet but it struck me that every picture of a horse rearing he has a stick under its legs

[heather]

Hmm,,

There was a thread about this site/man on my own forum a few weeks ago, but I thought he was pro-Parelli? He has done demos I believe, with Silke Valentin, and there were a couple of photos in his gallery with Pat and Linda Parelli, seemed pretty much to concur with them from what I read into it.

Quote from his this site- "I did not mention the Natural Horsemanship, this is probably nor fair. Saying Natural Horsemanship I mean the teaching of Parelli and his followers that left him, and all similar teachings, that are based on attempts to understand horse’s psychology. «Natural Horsemanship» must be treated with great respect. Due to its democratic approach it represents a perfect system that helps millions of horsemen to solve their problems. "


Heather

[Cameo]

I think if you take timeto browse the whole site - there are interesting aspects to what he is saying overall about our treatment of horses.
If you read the text about Monty again (and put aside the emotive language) - it isn't criticising Monty's methods per se - but the Russian gent seems to be against the whole concept of racing - and by default, Monty's work that assists racehorses to be able to race again. He sees racing as a cruel sport.
Look at some of the photographs of horses ( with a horrible array of bits) from a show where there is obviously a lot of yanking around going on.
When there are cultural differences - it is very easy to criticise in a negative way - especially if we allow our own pre-conceived ideas into the arena (no offence at all, to anyone's father here Susi!).

Take some time to browse the whole site and I think there will be many connections. He does seem to be misinformed with regards to Monty and his work - but I don't think it is as terrible as it seems at first reading.

[fin]

I thought it was an interesting site...it is all very pro-horse in various ways, which is good. And there are more ways than one to skin a cat I suppose (or to go to Rome, if you're a Catholic or anti-Cat person ).

Lol, Susih!!! Like your father my German friend fought against the Russians, but on the Eastern Front for the Nazis in the same war.....he was supposed to be killing off Russians but the little unit he was fighting with were so ill-equipped they almost froze and starved to death and were taken in and saved by Russian peasant farmers. The poor beggars hardly had any food either but they shared what they had....except that one of the things they did have was opium, which my poor friend was totally ignorant about until the moment he smoked it!!! He's in his eighties now and he still pulls faces when he remembers how horrid the opium was--but his memories of the actual war still bring tears to his eyes. It's a strange world, isn't it? Must have been very difficult for your father...odd how we bring our own ideas of what consitutes a race. My experience of Russians (from gatecrashing lots of Russian Dept parties at college) is that they are all fantastic cooks despite the most basic of ingredients--which is a very good impression to get of a race, of course.

[rosieee]

I think this man is obviously an extremely talented horseman. But i think it is contradictory to have the 'horse union' trying to stop people competeing horses and treat their horses well. But then to not offer any alternative, insinuating that him and the few horsemen he mentions have a special gift and there is nothing more to it and no-one else will be able to reach that level. "That is why our methods and knowledge are not open to general use". It is also very wrong for him to criticise Monty, who is truly changing horses lives globally for the better instead of simply preaching the impossible and keeping his methods an inaccessible secret.