Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: Join-Up Question...?

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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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Horse Behavior and Training

Join-Up Question...?

By:

JoJo<3

Date:

2012-Oct-28 at 01:40PM

Hi there!

So last December my quarter horse had a leg injury. He was a lesson horse at the place where I board him, and probably their best one for beginners. Well, on a schooling show day one of the other lesson horses was unavailable on short notice, and my horse, Jojo, was used in that horses place, and was still used by the original people who were planning on riding him. Well, I had no idea that he was used ALL day without any break doing jumping and dressage.... so he was overused and ended up being injured... I only heard about it afterwards.

Anyways, that was kind of unnecessary, but I wanted you to know the background of my story...

I haven't been able to canter Jojo until just this past August because of his injury, and I really haven't been able to go out and visit him very often so he's kinda chunky now (lol). And because of that, I don't know if I want to canter him the ENTIRE session of Join-Up.

So here's my final question: Do you HAVE to canter your horse while working on Join-Up, or can you just trot, and maybe canter a little bit?

I suppose I could canter him... I'm just worried about how long the session will take (I think it might take a while... but honestly I have no idea) and I don't think he really CAN canter that long, and I don't know if its healthy...?

Any suggestions or answers to my question??

Thanks in advance! :)

Kleinne - Utah, U.S.A. 2012-Oct-28 at 03:02PM

Join up should only take about 4 to 6 minutes, if you feel that cantering your horse for this amount of time would hurt him than I wouldn't. Trotting him would work just as well, he does not need to canter to join up.
Good luck.

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia 2012-Oct-30 at 03:54AM

Just to agree with Kleinne. You can get join up with just trotting and maybe just a little canter in each direction at the beginning but only if he feels like it.

Howlin'MadHolly 2012-Nov-02 at 10:04PM

I agree with Kleinne and Maggie! I can actually relate to you because the first time I did Join-Up with my horse, he was also a bit overweight! I was planning on giving him a pretty good workout afterwards so I didn't want to tire him out! So throughout the entire Join-Up, we never did ANY cantering! We went through about 15 minutes of trotting and- at the end- walking and completed a successful Join-Up!
Let us know when you've done Join-Up with your horse! :D Have fun!
Nickers,
Holly

Nadine 2012-Nov-03 at 02:49AM

I agree with the above. :)
As long as he gets the message that you want him to move, and move a lot, it should work the same. Try it, and tell us if you get the 4 signals the same.