Monty Roberts is well-known for his unique abilities and effective strategies in training wild horses. This man is outstanding in his knowledge of horses’ psychological peculiarities, and applying it into practice in his work on horse training. Generally, what Mr. Roberts’ approach implies can be described as negotiation process which helps him to persuade the horse to trust him and then to accept the changes he wants to put into effect.
Mr. Roberts’ approach can be well seen in the offered video where he is shown to be able to tame the horse in less than thirty minutes. The video begins showing the animal completely disregarding Mr. Roberts along with his efforts to lariat it. Instead, the horse resorts to the use of every possible method to escape; the animal is shown running very fast in every possible direction and searching for a way out. What can be seen as the most notorious actions by Mr. Roberts’ is his negotiation process with the horse. He constantly talks to her using direct address, constantly praising her and applying a special soothing language. After ten minutes of such cautious communication Mr. Roberts succeeds to establish a close contact with the animal: the horse no longer tries to run away from him, and more that this, she tries to come closer and shows her submissiveness. After twenty minutes of work, the result is impressive: the horse no longer shows wild tendencies in her conduct, and more that this, she becomes submissive and allows rider on her back.
Surely, what helps Mr. Roberts to succeed in his taming the horse is using specific techniques and approaches. Namely, Mr. Roberts’ main success strategy is applying of Motivational Interviewing approach. This approach implies such ways of communicating with the “object of work” as using soothing language, constant praising, and addressing the “object” in a friendly and welcoming manner. Motivational Interviewing approach teaches that ambivalence, resistance, and change are the necessary characteristics of the process of transformations within the object of influence. Ambivalence and then resistance is seen not as a reason for aggression and something wrong, but as a normal part of the process which if exists proves that the process progresses properly. We see it in the way Mr. Roberts talks; he explains the horse that he sees she does not like his actions, but he says that is normal. Furthermore, changes appear in case the specialist establishes close confidential relationship with the client. Thus, Mr. Roberts does not provoke the horse looking in her eyes directly; he also stops chasing her with a lasso very quickly, eventually showing some sort of an ignoring strategy. This is wise as the horse is sort of intrigued: she is expecting harsh methods and aggressive and annoying strategy, and instead the man leaves her in peace. This is the exact strategy which motivates the horse to make her first steps to the tamer.
As a final point, Mr. Roberts shows an example of successful strategies which can be applied to the other problematic individuals. Intriguing it is, but such strategies might not only be applied for animals, for humans as well. To practice this strategy while interacting with clients, the specialist might choose to be patient to the client’s ambivalence and resistance knowing that they eventually lead to change. All in all, negotiation process helps to establish confidential relationships between the parties of the process giving a way to the necessary changes.