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Monty Roberts Equus Online University
Horse Training Video Instruction Program

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

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The Listening Lounge

Lots of questions!

By:
cmc_roxanne
Date:
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed
Hi all,
I am new to the Uni. I read Monty's book back in the 90's but wasn't really doing anything with horses at the time due to family and children responsibilities. I have become 'reaquainted' with Monty through the Horse Radio Network and recently started listening to Debbie on the Horsemanship radio show. So I signed up! I am working with my young 5 year old TB/Cleveland Bay gelding. He is very full of himself and his favourite evasion is to wheel away and pull out of my hands while leading. He is very friendly and a 'people' horse. He comes up to me in the paddock or pasture and hangs around, sometimes too close. Even though he seems to want to be with me all the time, I thought I would attempt a join up. I rigged up a small enclosure at one end of a paddock with some panels.I have done this a couple of times and he goes around the whole time looking out at everything around him. He seems to eventually put an inside ear on me, sometimes lowers his head, blows but no licking and chewing yet and his circles are never as big as they could be even though the enclosure isn't very big so I wouldn't say i am getting a smaller circle. I don't want to go too long to make him tired as Monty says that is not the point of join up, but I am uncertain if I am doing it long enough. He will sometimes join up, a bit of follow up but then he stops to eat or wanders over to sniff something or whatever. 
Leading is another issue and I am debating buying a dually halter. My issue is the shipping to Canada and the terrible exchange rate the Canadian dollar is at for the longest time. It will cost over $110 by the time I get it and pay in Canadian funds. Right now i am using a rope halter but he doesn't listen to it or respect it or me. 
I hope there will be some responses to my dilemmas! I am just getting started! Thanks in advance all!
JoHewittVINTA
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed
Hi & welcome to the Uni. There is a wealth of information here for you & I guarantee it will change your life. Working on grass is always more difficult as food is a distraction. Perhaps your horse needs to graze that off thoroughly? Leaving him confined in your round pen for a few hours should help. Also, practice your body language in the mirror & compare with Monty's - this & controlling your breathing is crucial. Bearing in mind the Dually is also a bitless bridle, as well as an invaluable training tool, I can tell you the one I bought 10 years ago is still fully functional, shows no signs of real wear apart from a little colour fading - mainly due to being washed. You might get a better price if you bought yours from Kelly Marks here in Britain - intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk as the exchange rate might be better. Hope this helps. Keep in touch & we will support your efforts. Cheers, Jo.
Debbie Roberts Loucks, USA
Hello! 2014 Cyberhunt winner 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed
Welcome cmc_roxanne! And good job on your first 100+ lessons rosette. 
Jo Is right about the grass. It makes your Join-Up much harder. Sounds like you're getting it though. It doesn't need to be at speed or to exhaustion, more about getting the signs of communication.
Thanks for listening to Horsemanship Radio, we have fun exploring good horsemanship there. 
For that favorite evasion of his, the whirl and go, you might try a longer lead. We use either a long line (30 feet) or at least a 12 foot size so you can have a chance to turn him back when he does that. Jo is right about the Dually too, which will help focus on his ground manners and keep you safe too.
cmc_roxanne
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed
Hi all, thanks for the responses to my dilemmas. I have moved to a different location for the join ups. I am now using a small square pen and leave him in there on his own to poke around and check things out before I enter and do join up. He seems to settle better this way. This area is not ideal either, but the ground is less rocky so hopefully it is easier on his feet. The first time i did it he went counter clockwise pretty good. when we changed directions he got quite worked up and kept trying to turn around. At each corner he would face into it and look like he was thinking of jumping over. I worked on lowering my energy as i think I was maybe being too energetic in the sending away. Today he was much better. He still does a smaller than necessary circle but he did make it smaller, turned his inner ear to me and slight head lowering and one lick and chew. He did also join up but wouldn't follow up. I am hopeful that we are making progress though as he was much less agitated this time and did do join up right away even though he didn't follow up.
cmc_roxanne
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed
I have another question. My horse doesn't seem to like his head rubbed. After join up or just when he is sticking his head over the fence i try to look down and be calm but when I try to rub his forehead his head goes up and his ears go back and he shakes his head back and forth aggressively. Before I got him as a three year old he had some sort of issue with an attempted deworming and then wouldn't be caught for months after. He is now easy to catch and wants to be with me all the time, following me around like a puppy (except after join up, then he won't follow) but he doesn't really want to be touched anywhere on his face and particularly near or on his mouth. I do wither scratches but even that he doesn't seem to overly enjoy but he tolerates it better than his face. Any suggestions? 
For the worming issue, I worked with applesauce in a syringe and squirted it in like wormer. He won't tolerate it from the left side, but on the right, once he gets a taste that it is applesauce he is happy to eat it all. When deworming time came this spring I put applesauce in the syringe, then squirted in the dewormer, then more applesauce. Unfortunately, all the applesauce went in around the dewormer, leaving the dewormer paste in the syringe. He wasn't impressed with the taste at the end.
Debbie Roberts Loucks, USA
Hello! 2014 Cyberhunt winner 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed
Someone might have been forceful during worming or he might just really hate the taste. You've come up with a nice solution. Keep building trust as you have been and soon your touch will be OK for him. Try watching the Georgia Chronicles to get some ideas: https://www.montyrobertsuniversity.com/training/2031188623

cmc_roxanne
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed
Thanks Debbie. I enjoyed Georgia's lessons. I appreciate the feedback and advice. I am  looking forward to getting my dually halter in the mail. I hope it doesn't take too long.
Laura Lachhein, Puyehue, Chile
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed
Hello,
I bought the Dually Halters and other things from Montys online-shop and it arrived to Chile within only 2 days...here it took some more days to get through customs. Tomorrow it will arrive :) with fedex priority. I think that the dially halters will be an essential tool for the work with our horses. Even if it is expensive to ship it, it is a so important thing to have.
Good luck and kind regards :)

Laura
cmc_roxanne
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed
I ordered my Dually over a month ago. the tracking number has ended as soon as it reached Canada on July 7 and i am unable to get a live person at either Canada Border or Canada Post to determine where it is at. this is very frustrating :-( Have you received yours through customs in Chile Laura?
Laura Lachhein, Puyehue, Chile
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed
Hello,
I called customs and had to pay an importation fee (35% of the product price) and then they delivered the next day  to me. Did you order via Fedex international? If yes, they often transfer the package to a local distributor, which delivers after payment of the importation fee. If you have the trackingnumber from Fedex, they will assist you in finding your package. 
Good luck. Hope you get your products soon.
Kind regards,
Laura
cmc_roxanne
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed
My Dually arrived yesterday! Can't wait to try it out!
Debbie Roberts Loucks, USA
Hello! 2014 Cyberhunt winner 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed
@cmc_roxanne Please let us know if you need any help with the fitting or use of the Dually 
jean-f.brigitte
Please upload your photo
I tought of bying dually halter from Monty's shop, but with all the curency exchange, tax, shipping and customs (I'm in Canada), I guess my best bet is to go with Amazon.ca which garantee a max of 10 days shipping...no custom fees!

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