Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: Refusal to Move Out

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

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

← back

My Join-Up® Experience

Refusal to Move Out

By:

kathymw

Date:

2020-Feb-28 at 09:28PM

Hello,

My pony did join up perfectly four times, which is a testament to how smart he is, since I'm VERY green. I really wanted to perfect it for myself to be sure I had the hang of it, and to solidify the relationship. So, today I tried to do the join up for the fifth time.
My guy refused to move out and didn't seem to understand what I wanted. I tried to get him to go a couple of times, then thought that maybe he just had had enough. I'm trying to understand what happened. Please correct me or give me insight.
My thought is that I didn't really feel like he needed it again. This may have subconsciously made me hesitant to behave seriously about doing the join up with him again. Monty says that too many times can make your horse crazy. I may have been unknowingly remembering that and he felt it.
Should I try again tomorrow or let it go?
I've had Jack for two months and have done all the basic ground work with him. He lets me halter him with his head down. He will come to me when he's in the paddock, even when other horse are around, and will let me halter him and lead him away. He leads perfectly, stands, backs up, waits like a gentleman at the mounting block, lets me do his feet and groom him without any trouble. He will go over the tarpoline and even seems to enjoy mouthing it to show me that he's not afraid of it. He will go through the ground rails forward and backward as well.
I haven't ridden him yet. That will be this week's lesson.
Thank you for your insight. I am learning so much on this forum and through all of the great lessons!

Kathy

JoHewittVINTA 2020-Mar-01 at 03:18PM

Hi Kathy. I think Jack was telling you "We've done this - I accept you as my leader. So, lead me into something." Have you worked him on long lines? Try figures of 8, adding a couple of ground poles and/or some cones. Work both forwards & backwards. Once you are both confident try reversing around a corner. Place poles on the ground to create a double 'L' shape. Start with them about 4 feet apart so Jack can move easily without touching them. Give him time to work out how to negotiate the turn & remember to be very generous with your praise. You will both enjoy the mental stimulation & your mutual trust will grow enormously. Have fun. Cheers, Jo.

kathymw 2020-Dec-26 at 07:32PM

Hi Jo, any other ideas of what I can do with him during the winter months when not riding? One thing I'm doing is practicing moving to the mounting block. It's not Jack anymore. He went to the home of an experienced rider. It's Henry, an older quarter horse who knows so much and is a great horse for me, a greenish owner. Thanks for any advice.
Kathy

JoHewittVINTA 2020-Dec-27 at 02:39AM

Hi Kathy. What about, not leaving when my rider falls off? By using a dummy - which you can make from stuffed old clothes, you can school the horse to stop when the rider leaves the saddle. To be confident not to kick out when his sides or legs are touched unexpectedly & to stop still with a human form on the ground. Start by being with Henry throughout the process & become removed through long lines over a number of sessions. If it were up to me every horse would learn two extra lessons - be confident & steady at the mounting block & my rider is off but it's not my fault & my duty is to stand still with them. Think about it- whipping a horse because you fell off, well who decided to climb up there? How much more visable is a prone human body with a horse dutifully standing next to it? Cheers, Jo.