HIS FAMILY CALL HIM A LIAR
by John Dolan
The following information has been gleaned from a Time Magazine article “Horse of a Different Color” by John Skow & James Willwerth appearing in the Dec. 14, 1998 issue currently on the newsstand as of this writing.
The so-called “horse whisperer”, Monty Roberts’ book the “Man Who Listens to Horses” has a number of flat-out lies according to Monty Roberts’ own brother Larry and his aunt Joyce Renebome. Roberts’ family members are currently undertaking writing their own book in protest called “Horse Whispers and Lies” to contest the endless inconsistencies with the truth.
Example: Monty says his father was abusive, routinely beat him with a chain and even committed murder. Larry and aunt Joyce say the father was kind and gentle and there was no evidence of such abuse. An independent source (presently a police officer), in addition to Larry, stated the “murder” never happened.
Example: Monty says that in his early teens he (and brother Larry) embarked on a trip to Nevada to round up wild mustangs for a race and in so doing, he studied their behavior. Larry and an independent source say the mustang trip never occurred.
Example: Monty says he wore a wig and was the stunt rider for Elizabeth Taylor when she made the film “National Velvet”. The author of a book about Liz Taylor listed someone else as the stunt rider.
Example: Monty says he was actor James Dean’s best buddy and that Dean lived with him prior to making “East of Eden”. An independent source says that’s a blatant lie.
Example: Monty says horse trainer Bill Dorrance was “like a grandfather to me”. Dorrance’s own son says his father hardly knows Monty.
Example: Monty says he worked 16 hour days in trainer Don Dodge’s stable as a young man. Dodge says Monty’s recollection of those days “just aren’t true”.
Please read the Time Magazine article for the complete story.