Took the old man along to see Monty Roberts in a show at the Boondal Entertainment centre a fair while ago. Gee he is a good man with a horse that bloke.
The old man was like a kid in a lolly shop, he lined up and got an autographed book and a photo etc.
Actually the old man was a bit before his time as well as he was breaking in horses using the "Jeffrey Method" as far back as I can recall. That method used kindness and firmness as opposed to cruelty I suppose.
I think a lot of this comes back to the horse itself though. As an example the old man and a mate of his broke in a horse each, the old man using the Jeffrey method and his mate using the old throw them on the ground and put the tackle on them, break their spirit type method.
When they were finished, both horses were roughly the same to handle and ride.

I have heard from a few old timers that it is not actually the breaking in that is most important but the work that is put into them once they are broken. In fact a few of them used to swear by giving a freshly broken horse to a drover for a few months to pour some work into them.
Bit long winded sorry, just got on a roll.

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Jose'.