Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: stopping correctly in-hand

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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

stopping correctly in-hand

By:

Julie_G

Date:

2022-Jan-15 at 10:24AM

Retraining of my cob mare is going well - rather slowly but that's largely to do with horrible British weather and lack of daylight - but positively, progressively and very calmly, which is good enough for me! She is working really well in-hand with the Dually halter, leading very nicely, no more planting her feet, heads up, and no longer treading on my toes! Sometimes though, when I stop and she doesn't immediately, when i ask her to by correcting her with the halter she swings round in front of me instead of stopping parallel. I'm assuming this is me not getting it quite right. Does anyone have the same problem/can offer advice? Thanks

Miriam (Holland&Germany) 2022-Jan-26 at 10:58AM

Hi Julie,

It's me again..
I try to imagine what causes your horse to swing around to confront you when corrected with the Dually halter. Do you look at her over your shoiulder, when you correct her? If so, she might get the impression, you want to confront her.
She should walk with her nose at your shoulder, and when you stop she should do the same, ideally. Now when she surpasses you when you stop, you can either correct her still keeping your original direction, looking in front of you both, or decide to turn around to face her, while correcting her. It's quite a swift move you make, let me try to explain it step by step:
-You walk with the coils of your line in the right hand, leading your horse, nose at shoulder.
-You stop, she doesn't stop...
-While adding you left hand on the line, you pivot on your right foot, so you now face the horse and are able to step into her space, while correcting with the Dually halter with your left hand, looking behind the horse.
This is also part of the 'Dually Dance', maybe even do this a couple of times without her surpassing you, just as part of your routine. You'll find her relaxing as soon as she understands what is asked of her.
Hope this helps, please let us know how you're doing!

Miriam