you give me hope that I will finally have my first horse with 44 years although the time that I have really ENOUGH time is yet to come !
I like what you have told about your new experience with Join-Up and I do love it too ! Have fun, Vio Berlin

Well done pcolwell and don't forget that your horse will be patient with you. You can help him and he will help you.

i remember the first time i completed a join up all on my own with no help from an instructor, on day 3 of my 5 day course at witney, england.i had been so nervous and self conscious before i began. once i got started, i felt like myself and the horse (i will always remember her a lovely little mare called fern) were the only beings in the world. it went beautifully, and afterwards as i left the round pen i had tears rolling down my cheeks, and my instructor was quite emotional too. she said, "dont look round now but some of the other students are having a bit of a weep too" ! i know this sounds a bit gushy but i think it shows just how powerful an experience join up is. it has changed my life. enjoy the experience everyone.

I am 65 and I know practically nothing about horses (although I owned some every now and then in my life). Now I own three mares since few months, after a long time far from horses.

I first heard about Monty’s Join-Up technique no more than a month ago. While my wife was taking a riding lesson, I had the chance to witness to a first join-up session with a huge black stallion. The yang fellow performing it was so nice to explain to me every move he was making and why. The session lasted no more than twenty minutes.

I was astonished and, as creasy as I am, I wanted to take a chance with my mares. No knowledge, no round pan, nothing but some shaded memories of what I had seen. I tried with two of them and it worked. As astonishing as it may sound, they came to me and followed me all around. I thought: “I did it”. But I was wrong, they did it; because when I tried it again, it didn’t work the same way at all.

This is why I joined Equus University tonight.

The first time I did a Join-Up was at Montys farm in a class and his head instructor Maya was my coach. They gave me a 4 year old stallion named Jack. A rather large Palomino who needed to be brushed. In all my horse dealings I have never been around stallions, scared of them. Maya said my face went white and my eyes were huge. She assured me he was "quite sweet" and I would be fine. Well you know, I was fine and she coached me beautifully. The join up went smoothly and he came in like the gentleman that he is. I understand the tears after word. It felt so right. It was not fear based training and I was responsible for "asking" in the correct mannerI remained calm and so did he. I guess the tears for me meant relief and happiness that I clould make a difference in all the dealings of my life.

Bruno and pcolwell; I am Christy and I am 55. Willow was my 54rth birthday present from my husband. First horse ever and very but very little knowledge of horse caring. She is almost 2 years old and already knows so much more than I do. I have posted notes in other parts of this forum but it is heartening to know that I am not so crazy as some people have tried to make me appear, for starting with horses at a later time in our lives. thanks! Very encouraging.
Christy