A horseman’s vision for kinder horse training methods

Photo credit: Tom Roberts and Spring Song demonstrate ‘feeling for the mouth’ to Virginia Batten, Coromandel Valley , South Australia, 1972. Photograph by Webb McKelvey. Published in Tom Roberts, Horse Control – The Young Horse

Horse SA has launched their first crowdfunding project which will see the writing of a book dedicated to the visionary horse training principles developed by Tom Roberts. 

The book, to be co-authored by Dr. Andrew McLean, follows the recent donation to Horse SA of the contents of Tom Robert’s lecture room.

Discussing Roberts’ visionary approach, Dr. Andrew McLean of the Australian Equine Behavior Centre says “He was the first person I have ever known who correctly described negative reinforcement in user-friendly terms of ‘profit’ and ‘profit you not’, as an integral part of his horse training principles.”  

During his lifetime, Roberts produced a priceless body of work about horse training that includes four ground breaking books, photographs, films, articles and lecture notes. He made a significant contribution to Australia’s development as an equestrian country through horse training and rider education from pony club to dressage, polo, hunting and Police horses.

“The crowdfunding program sounds very exciting, giving the horse world a great opportunity to gain knowledge and skills from a foundation of basic horse control skills. Consequently merging the Horse Control techniques with 21st Century technology, and with top instructor Dr. Andrew McLean as a voice for these basic skills to be supported and recognised as a natural behaviour and "Go Forward" educational tool of horse training.” said Tom’s niece, Robyn Beasley.

A link to the crowd funding project hosted on the Australian site Pozible, can be found here: http://pozible.com/fundkinderhorsetraining