# 36 Communicating with Horses

Ever hear of Monty Roberts? Probably not. Not many people have. Roberts is the man who "listens" to horses. "Listen," of course, does not mean verbal language. Yet he and horses "talk" to each other. How? Through the use of body language.

Here is why Roberts learned the sign language of horses. He hated the cruelty of "breaking" a horse. Breaking meant breaking a horse's spirit. To the old bronco busters, this was the only way. But it was a cruel way. A horse would be driven into a corral. It would be lassoed. Then it would be tied to a post. The buster would get on. He would wear a pair of spurs. Then the battle would begin. The horse would panic. It would try to throw the buster off its back. The horse when broken would never trust people again. An imprint had been made on its brain. People meant pain. Horses feared people.

Roberts, though, believed in a gentle way. He wanted to gain the horse's trust. He wanted to show that he would not hurt it. That a man could be a friend. Roberts's gentle way uses body language. Here is how he learned what to do. He watched a herd of wild mustangs. He went out into the high Nevada desert. He was only 14. He spent three weeks alone. He carried simple food with him. When he found the herd, he hobbled his packhorses. Then he crept forward. He got to within a quarter of a mile of the herd. He looked through his binoculars. The mustangs seemed very close by. He could see the smallest movements of their heads and ears.

Roberts watched the horses intently. He learned a great deal about their behavior.

# 36 與馬溝通

聽說過蒙蒂·羅伯茨嗎？可能沒有。沒有多少人聽說過。羅伯茨是那個「傾聽」馬的人。「傾聽」，當然，不是指口頭語言。然而他和馬彼此「交談」。怎麼做到？透過使用身體語言。

以下是羅伯茨學習馬的肢體語言的原因。他厭惡「馴服」馬的殘酷方式。馴服意味著摧毀馬的精神。對老派的野馬馴服師來說，這是唯一的方法。但這是一種殘酷的方式。一匹馬會被趕進圍欄。牠會被套索套住。然後牠會被拴在柱子上。馴馬師會騎上去。他會穿著一對馬刺。然後戰鬥開始。馬會驚慌。牠會試圖把馴馬師從背上甩下來。被馴服的馬將不再信任人類。一個印記已經烙在牠的腦海中。人類意味著痛苦。馬害怕人類。

然而，羅伯茨相信一種溫和的方式。他想獲得馬的信任。他想表明他不會傷害牠。人類可以成為朋友。羅伯茨的溫和方式使用身體語言。以下是他如何學會該做什麼。他觀察了一群野馬。他去了內華達的高地沙漠。他只有14歲。他獨自待了三週。他隨身帶著簡單的食物。當他找到馬群時，他拴住了他的馱馬。然後他匍匐前進。他到達了離馬群四分之一英里以內的地方。他用雙筒望遠鏡觀察。野馬似乎非常近。他能看到牠們頭和耳朵最微小的動作。

羅伯茨專注地觀察馬匹。他學到了很多關於牠們行為的知識。