Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: Backing up after Join Up

Learn all about Equus • Dually Halter • Shy Boy Mustang • Jumping Horses
• Story of a Horse Whisperer • Riding Horsemanship • Dressage Horses • Willing Partners
• Horse Training • Round Pen Lessons • Performance Horses • Join-Up

Watch Monty's horse training videos to learn how he demonstrates communication through horse training techniques that the amateur and professional alike consider to be the trainable skills of a horse whisperer yet Monty calls it horse gentling.
Monty's horse training techniques are non violent with intelligent natural horsemanship. In addition to video instructions, Monty has written many books related to natural horsemanship. Monty trains safe horses for nervous riders called Willing Partners. Monty trains world class race horses for sale.
“I am very proud to be a part of Her Majesty’s horse training and her passion for their welfare. I believe she is the leading monarch for the advocacy of horses in the world. She is a thought leader in this field. Her Majesty's horses are trained using the Dually Halter, making a difference in the training of sensitive animals by giving the horse the choice to partner in the training.” ~ Monty
“I communicate with a horse in what I call the Language of Equus; a silent language of gestures that is discernible, predictable and effective. Now you can learn from my videos, audio and notes to help you understand the horse as I do. This language is really quite simple, but simplicity becomes its greatest strength.” ~ Monty
Monty Roberts is a renowned horse trainer known as the man who listens to horses and the original horse whisperer. Monty's horse training instructions are accepted worldwide.
Monty has helped thousands of people globally through his Monty Roberts Online Videos to learn how to Join-Up with horses, training young horses, spooky horses, horses that bite. His mustang , Shy Boy , is his most famous horse.
Join-Up methods help horse and trainer to establish a bond of communication and trust. “You must somehow understand that we as horsemen can do very little to teach the horse. What we can do is to create an environment in which he can learn.” ~ Monty
Monty says, “We hear that ‘actions speak louder than words,’ but generally we do not live by it too successfully.” Now Monty has taught thousands of people worldwide how to build trust in animals through our actions and body language.
Monty’s principles really amount to common sense and immense patience. He believes that children and horses have the same behavioral patterns. They are both naturally “flight” animals. "If you frighten them and resort to confrontation, you’ll lose their trust." ~ Monty
"Simple one-on-one reassurances and praise reap long term dividends that can all be undone with the quick slamming of a book on a desk or shouting back." ~ Monty Roberts
"No one of us was born with the right to say 'You must or I'll hurt you' to any other living thing, animal or human". ~ Monty Roberts
"My life's goal is to leave the world a better place than I found it, for horses and for people too". ~ Monty Roberts

← back

My Join-Up® Experience

Backing up after Join Up

By:

keela.baty

Date:

2019-Dec-12 at 08:05PM

Hey All,

I just got a beautiful 5yo mare who is amazing at join up, only issue is whenever I go to walk towards her or move to her side, she backs up so shes about 1metre away from me. I try and correct it by pulling her until she takes a step forward back into position but it seems to be constant? Am I doing something wrong?

conniemacklill 2019-Dec-13 at 06:39PM

Hey back!!
It sounds like you're having a lot of fun with the new mare.
I'm new at the UNI but Monty has a video that's in his Join Up sessions. It's called My Horse Won't Draw to Me.
He makes the comment in that video for us all, him included, to look in the mirror each day and say, I'm the problem. He points out that repetition and consistent training will eventually work and also to check all your moves and body language to make sure you're not doing the wrong thing when she backs up.
I have 5 horses and believe me, I make mistakes every time I take one to the Round Pen.
But I just keep trying and eventually I figure out that it's me and not the horse.
Also, have you tried using the Dually halter during you're training session. I use it so much, I often forget to bridle my horse and find my self riding with it.
I hope someone with much more experience than me helps you and that you and your new mare work things out.
Bless You

Kicki -- Sweden 2019-Dec-14 at 06:08PM

Hi Keela,

I'm sorry I can't tell you right off the bat as I can't see you working with your horse. (Very possibly, I wouldn't be able even if I were! LOL) but we know so far that your horse is trying to tell you something.
Connie is definitely on to something mentioning body language. How are you approaching? Where are your eyes looking? Directly at your horse, at her front feet, in her eye?
I recently learned from watching French freedom dressage trainer Jean-François Pignon that horses look where they want to be (I am ad-libbing here so maybe not the exact words) So if a horse wants to great another horse it directs attention to its muzzle because that is how they say hello. If a horse stares at the other horse's body, that usually means "go away!" Staring at the ground in front of its fore legs usually means "step back out of my space!" Eyes to the flank means "move that butt or I will nip you!" (Or slap a hand there.)