Hi Joanna,
She will Join-Up with you when you get your body language right. Please watch the videos of Monty doing Join-Up and follow carefully what he does. Write us and let us know please.

Hi Sally 

There are several videos on join up that are not in the join up section of the lessons 
That have greatly helped me see more things from different angles and with different horses etc.  the one with Mariposa was very helpful to me.  And I watched all the join up lessons and fundamentals 2 times each and have read some of the text and diagrams in Montys book “From my hands to yours” also if you have not watched all the introductory videos on horse psychology and vision those too can help in how you approach your equine partner.  Keep practicing and tweaking and just spending tons of time with your horse. Study her movements.   Her body.  Lips, ears, tail, breathing.  How she interacts with other horses if she does.   And keep trying your body language.   You’ll get it one day! Best of luck.  

Also I actually had a chance to work with a lovely OTB gelding from Montys facility that a friend adopted and I don’t recall ever once doing a join up with him but I just felt I didn’t need to.  Especially since he came from Flag is up Farm.  So I just lived by join up principles.   Getting his attention on me.  Asking him in.  For this guy it was having him get out of my space.  And I just felt that maybe he had made up his mind about running around the round pen.  Because he wouldn’t lunge or move. Like me and people but had some respect issues.  I decided I just didn’t need to lunge him.  I could saddle him and ride him just fine.   So I hand walked him for a couple weeks on the trail and around the block and I worked on him walked around me on a lead to the left and to the right.  Backing from the ground.   Passing in between me and the fence from the ground.   (Non of these he did perfect. BUT he eventually did them without a big fuss and at a walk) once I had that I knew we were good and I just rode him out on the trail.  He didn’t know where to put his feet but he loved it! Like a kid in a candy shop and we went through some rough trail together and it bounded us.   I hope this helps.   

I’m sorry Joanna the  “Horse who didn’t want to be caught” series with Sonny is the one where I learned even more and this one helped me with my Paso fino.   And a young Andalusian stallion who again I had no round pen or arena to work in.  Just a very small box stall with low walls that I could bale out if I was in danger.  He wouldn’t let me near him  to get the dually halter or a rope halter at all. So I had the crazy idea to start the conversation of equus  right there in this tiny box stall ( this was a horse breeding farm in ca and not great conditions ) with very low energy in my body and eyes and very slow movements I began to send him off me in a circle to the left at a slow walk.  It was like a tango.  Then to the right waiting for just one gesture, two if I was lucky.  I finally got the ear then a smaller circle I invited him in a few times with no luck.  So I arched best I could around him and with my eyes at his chest.  Energy still low and deep diaphragmatic breathing (which I picked up from vocal lessons ) he allowed me to approach him and put the dually on then lead him out.  This beautiful buckskin 2 year old stallion had been handled but in a domineering way and a very strong “come here” demeanor.  He did not know me.  So after all this I watched “the horse who didn’t want to be caught series” and learned even more.  It clicked.  Keep going and Be safe and have fun!