Monty Roberts, the renowned American horse trainer who died at the weekend aged 91, was a man for his time. Today, skittish thoroughbreds throughout the world are calmed by the application of the ubiquitous “Monty Roberts blanket” at the start of races. In latter years, Roberts worked regularly in the areas of youth discipline and business corporate strategy, often integrating real-life horses into his demonstrations. HistoryMonty Roberts was born in California in 1935, the son of a horse trainer, and was an expert rider by the age of four, winning local rodeo trophies. She encouraged him to write books – which he did – conferred on him a royal honour and named one of her favourite corgis Monty.