Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: Mijo and Mija

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• Horse Training • Round Pen Lessons • Performance Horses • Join-Up

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

Mijo and Mija

By:

Tara

Date:

2020-Dec-31 at 04:49PM

I finally got back on here! Also, we finally got a round pen! So excited to be back and to actually be able to practice what I've learned from here.
I've had two attempts doing join up with my precious sweetheart mare Mija. I got all 4 gestures and something of a join-up but no follow-up both times. She would still stop abruptly and either face away or face me. At first, I would drive her on when she did this, but after the 4 gestures, I would try to get follow-up when she did it. Didn't work, but then, after all that, and numerous attempts at follow up, and not getting it, I clipped the line on and she led great; figure 8s in both directions and backing up when asked. So I don't know if I'd call it a win, certainly it was progressing from where we were a couple of years ago. She got some good kicks and bucks and definitely some energy out. Any suggestions and tips are greatly welcomed. Anyway, I'm absolutely about learning it so please comment and suggest, help me learn this.
Last weekend I took Mijo in the round pen. He was awesome. At first, he didn't know what to do not ever being in the round pen before but once he figured out that he could go away and run, he did, and then I got all 4 gestures and join-up AND follow up. We spent about 20 min in the round pen. After working with Mijo, who has never before been in a round pen and getting all the gestures and the join-up and the followup, thinking of Mija and her giving all the gestures, I believe with her I did get the join-up just not the follow-up, I think it's because she had to have been in a round pen before and worked without the final stages. (The in-laws had sent her to a trainer for about 3 months when I was up in Idaho,) it was not a good thing in the end, and he proved to be not a good trainer as he brought the two horses back (Mija and her brother Mateo) and when he brought them back he said he didn't really work with them that they were "too stupid to learn," plus he let them go horribly, their hooves had to be done, they were cracked badly and their weight was pulled down. I have no idea what he actually did or didn't do with her. So I came back to Texas on the first of 2020 and moved my horses to where they are now, a safe place, where I can see them. I figured that I was basically starting over with her at that point. So anyway what my theory is of it, after a lot of considering, that "trainer" must have had her in a round pen, cause she knew what to do but the person didn't know about finishing the procedure with join-up and followup. I think I will do one more join-up and if it is as successful as I was with Mijo then I will move him to the next stage, the saddle, bridle, and long lines, and with her, whether I get follow up or not I think I will move her to the same stage, and just play it by ear from there. Your thoughts are always welcome!

Tara 2021-Jan-10 at 03:07PM

Mija did great today in the round pen, this was her 3rd time in the round pen doing join-up. She gave me all 4 gestures, join-up AND followup although I had to coax her for the follow-up she did it. We didn't move to my next goal today, the weather was a bit prohibitive for that, it was starting to get windy and cold. That's ok, I'm not in a hurry, I want to progress at her pace and what she needs more than what I want. What I want doesn't really matter. She got some great kicks and bucks out there. Overall I would call this success. Posted the link on YouTube and facebook of the video of it. Shared on Monty's page on facebook.