Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: first full join up with an unbroken horse!

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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

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My Join-Up® Experience

first full join up with an unbroken horse!

By:

Tessa Horan Certified Instructor

Date:

2012-Jul-14 at 11:49AM

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Here's some waffling but I'm just so excited after this!

Yesterday was my first full join-up (with long-lining) with an unbroken, but well-handled, little rescue pony. I used a roller surcingle rather than a saddle, more because this is my first time rather than hers and I wanted to transfer confidence to her and not be fiddling with saddle parts (wanted it to be smooth). She wasn't keen at all on the lines going through the rings or around her back end but decided they were alright as long as they gave her a good itch-relieving rub whilst they were being fed through those clanky rings.
She didn't want to be sent back away and kept trying to turn back towards me but eventually figured out that she could make the pressure on the other side of the halter and the flapping of the inside line go away if she stayed on the circle. We got some decent turns, more off body-language than line at this stage, once she worked out that's what I was after. Then a tiny little go at a stop and rein-back, after which she stood still for an eternity (15 sec). So I dropped the lines, walked towards her and then turned slightly away to invite her to come to me (yes, trailing the lines behind but she had wanted to turn many times and I had kept her out so I felt this was a greater reward than just walking up and unclipping her).

Then I took everything off her, letting it drop, unclipped her and we had some quality time with lots and lots of licking and chewing. I clipped back on, opened the door to the roundpen (leads on to her field, where pals were waiting) and then took the headcollar off. She followed me around a bit more in the field until I left to pick up all the gear at the same time as her field mates bounded over. Then they all set about rolling in the field.

Sorry that is so long! And probably not interesting to anyone but me, think I better buy a diary! Haha.

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia 2012-Jul-14 at 12:27PM

Well done, Tessahoran. You seem to have had a successful long lining session here but I am a little confused about the join-up part. Have you previously done a typical Monty type join up with this rescue pony i.e. sending them off without any halter leads at all as Monty does in his join up videos? Regardless you sound as if you and your pony had a fun and successful time together so congratulations.

Tessa Horan Certified Instructor 2012-Jul-31 at 08:04PM

Yes I passed my Intro exams recently and I'm working towards the Advanced course. I've also worked with this pony before doing some desensitising etc but only really the one join-up the first time I met her (the second time she gave me follow-up unclipped instantly so I thought I'd save some join-ups for saddling and first rider days).

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Tessa Horan Certified Instructor 2012-Jul-31 at 08:06PM

Meaning second join-up was the session I described above, hope that clears it up. Sorry, I wrote that when I was all excited & just wanted to get it all down! Haha

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MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia 2012-Jul-31 at 11:08PM

thanks - I can appreciate your excitement. I just wasn't sure if you had her running free for the join up or whether you achieved it with the long lines on. Regardless well done and very exciting.