07/08/2026
Min fina kollega Miss Kelly ( som jag kallar henne) har en fin text här nedan.
När jag skulle göra mitt praktiska prov och bli instruktör, spenderade jag 3 månader hos Kelly. Det var jag och Adrien Maby, fransk hoppryttare och Montys Tour rider som bodde hos Kelly. Vi visste aldrig riktigt vilken typ av hästar hon ordnat till oss att ”öva på” 🤗 men där är många spännande och roliga historier om det! Hur som helst, jag flög över, flyget försenat, hiskelig trafik. Rätt in i rundpaddocken hos Ian och Kelly viskade till mig precis innan jag skulle in : remember to school her and be aware of your personal space. Jösses tänkte jag! Monty kom gående, satte sig ned och sa:Varsågod och börja och Lycka till. Det blev jösses nr 2 😃.
När sadeln väl var på, långlinat lite så kom Adrien in i rundpaddocken. Jag sa att det nog behövdes en session till …. Adrien sa: Ann, du kan det här. Vi drack champagne den kvällen ❤️🥂.
Thank you Kelly Marks for being my breath so many times. Thank you Monty for supporting me in everything I”ve done and tried and Thank you all my lovely a professional fellow instructors throughout the years ❤️🙏
Were you in the audience?
I must find a Horse and Hound today to see what they've written up about Monty. They've already put it online and I'll put it in the firIst comment so you can read the full story. I'm looking for a Monty picture to make the front cover of the next Intelligent Horsemanship magazine. Would this be it do you think?
ADDED: If you go on the emailist (go to website) we'll make sure you get the digital free pullout of his 90th birthday :)
This was what I sent in:
Monty the Horseman’s Horseman
Monty was the horseman’s horseman, admired by many in the professional world. But what set him apart was his extraordinary curiosity as to how to make things better ‘without violence’.
He had a great gift as a communicator and also had a love of sharing ideas; after a long morning working horses, whether with just three of us over lunch (remembering Tim Piper and Richard Maxwell Business page in, for me, those early days 1993) or later, as people warmed to his huge charisma, with an audience of nearly 5,000 at London Arena.
He was terrifically good company! He was always passionate about something or other and between demos there was always something going on; there was an underperforming school in Solihull we used to visit, charities such as the RDA and other favourites such as Shy Lowen Horse & Pony Sanctuary in Liverpool and HorseWorld Trustn Bristol.
He also did a lot with the armed forces in Britain to see how horses can help humans with Post Traumatic Stress.
He was just as enthusiastic with or without an audience, and I remember a stable lass turned up one day because there was an unrideable youngster at her yard. Monty went off on a few spare afternoons to help her get this horse right. What made him happiest was not only the horse improved (that was a given) but that the horse had taught him something new.
He asked me to set up courses in his name at West Oxfordshire College, Witney where I was supported by Ian Vandenberghe and they spread out around the world.
Monty touched an extraordinary number of lives. There are so many people I could mention but can't miss out Terry Pendry (remember his holding Emma at Queen Elizabeth ll funeral?) who was a great friend to us both.
Monty changed how many of us understood horses, but perhaps just as importantly, he encouraged us to stay curious, to question what has always been done and to look for better ways.
He is greatly missed.
Kelly Marks and Intelligent Horsemanship
PS Actually I've added a few bits in there! Also I am going to reply to everyone who has written to me as I appreciate you so much but it is taking a bit of time...
Photo: Ele Milright
