Hi Wendy,
Congrats on the new horse that's very exciting for you. Monty says in his book "From my hands to yours", that when you start training a horse you should work him for 6 days before giving him a break. I would do join up, follow up and then do some long-lining. I don't know if your mare has had any training at all yet or if she's ride-able and your just trying to improve on her but if she's had no training at all then keep your sessions a bit shorter maybe 30 min to an hour. If she's already had some training then you can expect a bit more from her and push her a little harder.
Good luck,
Kleinne

Hi wstienen we do need to know what your mare has done previously and how old she is etc prior to helping you on this one. Generally if you are busy 30 minutes a day would be sufficient but what you do in those 30 minutes will depend on whether or not she is broken in, her age, temprement and past experience so some details please!

Dear Wendy
Monty is much faster than we are. There is no hurry. 30 to 45 minutes a day with small steps forward, avoiding long pauses and a definite minimal and maximal aim every day.
Rudi

Hello kleinne and MaggieF,

My mare is 7 years old. I bought her in Dezember.
At first there was nothing wrong. I never had such an easy horse. That's why I bought her.

But along the way it started with getting up on her back.
I tought that if I didn't make a fuzz about it, it would get better. It did at first, but then we were on a competition and she really took of with me alongside.
I didn't want to let go, so I hung on long enough that I could get up there. When I did, I didn't pull the leads, but gently gave a leg. And then, in a second, I lay on the groud and she flew away. When I finally got here, I got on and ride my competition. That day she also was very unfriendly going in the trailer and coming of. All this was 13. of Mai.

I was really upset and disappointed. I still haven't ride her yet. Now that I think back, I did everything wrong. I should have let her see the field at first and let her come to rest. But I always felt that I could do more when I was on a horse. She always calmed down within a few metres when I was riding her. And then I could I do everything.

Now I approach her different (with the methods of Monty Roberts) and I already feel an understanding.
But before things go wrong (and I admit that I'm a bit frightend) I want to start fresh with the new methods. I always was somebody that looked at bodylanguage, so for me the methods are very easy.

So I want to start with the six days you suggested kleinne.
Join up, follow up and long-lining with double longe.
Also I want to get started with the Dually halter I purchased for groundwork.
But somewhere along this I have to get up there.
And if I'm alone it will get difficult to do it the wright way. Maybe I'll ask someone to help me. I have to calm down in that mather and that's the most difficult part I think.

But if I wait any longer, I don't think I get up there anymore and that would be a great loss.

So please help me setup an trainingschedule that will alow us to grow.

Thanks for you support.

Wendy from Holland.

Wendy,
I understand your fear however, remember that your fear transfers to your horse. Learn to breathe slowly and keep your pulse rate down this will keep your horses pulse rate down also. As you begin to work with her on the ground the trust will increase between both of you and also the respect. Soon you'll feel confident in getting on her and I would definitely recommend someone helping you when it's time to mount her as a safety precaution. Don't be in hurry, it takes time to build a good relationship with your horse and gain trust between you.
Good luck and keep us informed,
Kleinne

Hi Wendy - thanks for the details I am so sorry your new horse gave you such a bad time but it is not an unusual story. World wide the purchase of horses seems to be thwart with pitfalls for the unwary buyer. Often horses are undernourished or wormy or over exercised or doped pror to purchase so their true personalities do not come through until months later. Nourishing food, being worm pasted and having less exercise will all contribute to this. We suddenly find that we have a very different horse on our hands. I really sympathise with you as this happened to me with my Uggs and I should have been experienced enough to be a bit smarter in my purchase. Other things that you should perhaps check prior to attempting to ride her again are her saddle fit as this will change if there has been a weight gain or loss, her teeth to make sure they are not hurting her with the bit in her mouth, perhaps a vet check on her back and limbs and naturally her hooves. I know these all cost money but are necessary for your safety and your horses comfort while riding. In the mean time you can start your training program from the ground. Given you have other commitments I wouldn't be too concerned about keeping to Monty's recommendation of working her six days in a row - she is already broken and austensibly trained so that shouldn't be necessary. If you are feeding her daily then you have the opportunity of seeing her each day and you may spend about 10 minutes grooming and stroking her either before or after she has had her feed. Leave her alone while she is eating as this is her own special time. For her training program I suggest initially spend about 30 minutes with her at least 3 times a week and gradually build this up. Watch as many of Monty's and Kelly Mark's videos on join up and the dually as you can and then my suggested program would be:

Session 1: familiarisation with the dually halter:
make her responsive to the dually halter - move her forwards, backwards and in circles with it. Always immediately correcting any misbehaviour or unresponsiveness with a quick strong jerks on the lead rope - for discipline hold the lead rope about 21cm/8 inches from the discipline ring with the arm closest to your horse and straigten your arm so it is locked at the elbow to give you more power for this correction. Remember to immediately reward her with a quick release on the discipline ring and lots of praise and rubs when she responds correctly. During this session concentrate on controlling her feet and being in charge. Walk with her and make her stop on command with the dually.
Session 2: working on the 'sweet spot': Repeat some of the things you tried in Session 1 then take her further. In this session you are aiming at having her walk beside you in the sweet spot and stop there when you stop. If she oversteps when you stop - correct with the dually and bring her back into position. Baking her up is one of the best forms of discipline.
Session 3: Join up and follow up: Now that you have her used to the dually and responsive to you then try join up. Hopefully you will have a suitable area for this - preferably a round pen with sand or a menage but other wise a small yard at least 20 metres by 20 metres or larger. A small paddock will also be OK but preferably without too much grass -depending on her temprement you may need to consider the height and type of fence to ensure that she cannot jump out - if she is pretty relaxed this should not be an issue. Do about 10 minutes of repeat work on with the dually training prior to attempting join-up then orientate her to the area, move her to the area opposite the gate - Monty's 2.00 o'clock. Then send her away as Monty or Kelly Marks do. If she is a flighty mare then it will be easier to send her off and you may need to keep your energy down so as not to intimidate her too much and send her into panic mode however if she is laid back and very quiet then you will need to use every bit of energy you have including shaking a lunge rope at her and sending it after her as Monty does - remember to keep the clip end in your hand when you do this. It is so important to watch those videos first and maybe even practice without her. Allow her to have a good flight path in both directions, note how Monty turns them and how he keeps them going. Watch for the four signals and when you have these turn your shoulder towards her as Monty does and walk away towards the centre of the area - hopefully your mare will move with you! Give her a good rub and pat and then walk on for follow up. If you do it right IT WILL WORK! Remember Monty says that this whole process should only take about 6 minutes. Once you have join-up and follow up then give her a good rub down and end of session even if you haven't been with her 30 minutes.
Session 4: Join-up again: 10-15 minutes of dually work again with a concentration on walking and stopping on the sweet spot then repeat join-up and follow up. Give her a good rub down again and finish.
Session 5: Dually halter work: Repeat some of her previous training and then try running with her as she trots beside you and stopping. Also walk backwards with her on the sweet spot walking backwards beside you. Teach her to move sideways and backwards from pressure so that she is responsive to pressure and moves away from it - Monty's method or Liberty training - I just use my hand.
Session 6: Join up with the saddle on: Saddle your mare but remove the stirrups. 10-15 minutes of dually work with the saddle then send her away for join-up with her saddle on. Keep her going even if she chooses to buck. After join up and follow up give her lots of love and leave her be for the day.
Session 7: Pole work with the dually. If you can get 4-6 pine poles 2.5 to 3 metres in length. Do some dually training and then introduce your horse to the poles. Start with just one, have her step over it, back over it, straddle it and stop, move her sidewards along it.
Session 8: More pole work: Introduce more poles and be imaginative in their use Lay them out as spokes from a wagon wheel and have her walk around them, stop, again move sidewards away from the centre of the wheel. Place them parallel about 1.5 metres wide and have her walk through them then back through them. Make an L shape with them and see if you can get her to back around the corner without touching the poles.
Session 9: Join up with the saddle again. This time leave the stirrups on but have them as short as possible. 20 minutes of dually halter work with the poles first and then remove the poles and do join up.
Session 10: Scary objects - plasti bags: Watch some of Monty's and/or Kelly Mark's videos (town and country tv. UK)with spooky horses then try to introduce some spooky objects for your horse and see how she reacts. You will need a long lead rope for introducing scary objects to give you more control and her some flexibility if it is too scary. Start the session with some dually halter training then try a spooky object. Incremental leanning is a must here and keep it as low key as you can to start with. Plastic bags on a wand is a good way to start with the plastic bags initially tied up with elastic bands so that it is just a wand and then slowly release the bags bit by bit. Touch her all over with them at each stage and remove them as soon as she stands still then return them. By the end you should be able to remove a plastic bag and throw it over her without her reacting
Session 11: Scary objects - plastic tarpaulin or umbrella or balloons. Watch Monty's videos with plastic tarpaulins and do the same. Remember the long lead rope is important and wear your helmet!
Session 12: A low key session back to dually halter training with the poles
Session 13 ...... Now you can decide which session or sessions would be good to repeat. Remember that Monty says that we should only do join up with the same horse about 6 times so don't overdo join up once you have been successful with it. When you feel that you and your horse really trust each other plus once you have had her checked out by a saddle fitter, dentist and vet then it will be time to start to ride her again. You may choose to ride her with the dually if that suits you best. Ride her in an enclosed safe area first and if possible have someone else there to watch. Good luck with it all and keep us posted.

Please note that I am not a professional trainer but have had considerable experience with young horses and bad mannered horses over the years. Other forum paricipants will be more qualified than I am and they may wish to comment on this program. If so I am sure Wendy and I will be very grateful to have your comments whether they be either positive or negative. If there is any controversy with what I have suggested then it is very important for Wendy to know this prior to starting any program.

Oops! I forgot long lining as I am still to try it but just lunge incorrectly with a loose lunge rein. It should come in after Session 9 so include two sessions of long lining prior to scary objects.

I'll start tonight with your first session.
I also was thinking about checking her back and the saddle, because its an old saddle. Her hoves are checked and ok.
Worm pasted is checked by the stable and was done recently.
The vet was here a month ago and saw nothing strange, so I think that's ok.

So I let you know more tomorrow!

Hello everybody,

I went on Monday evening and it wasn't bad.
We both had to adjust to the methods.
It's really a matter of practice and doing it more often.
I had a few sceptic people standing but I ignored them.
Unfortunally I'm ill now and have to wait before I can go further.
I'll keep you posted.

Well done, Wstienen, do hope you are better soon. Good luck with it all and stay safe.

Hello everybody,

I started training with Aerola and we have fun!
I just can't believe its all so easy!

Even when there is a lot of things going on around us, she still wants to follow me.

I'm now working to get her relaxed when I use a mounting blok.
I stand on it when I brush her; she even stands all by herself.

The next step is hanging and leaning on her back and hopefully soon enough with the saddle on.

I just want it to be relaxed and easygoing. One step at a time.

Keep you all posted next week.

Greets,

Wendy from Holland.

Well done Wendy. It is so great when it works out isn't it? Relaxed and one step at a time sounds good. Looking forward to your next post.
Maggie

Hallo Wendy,

Seems like you are doing great and you got some very good advice. If you do not mind I will give you a little bit more advice.

My advice is end each lesson with a desensitizing session.

The desensitizing should be something for her to look forward too and also telling her the lesson is over and now it is fun time.

There are many things out there you would like your horse to be desensitized too. I will only give a few examples:
1)Take her lead rope and through it over her neck and pul it back repeat untill she stands still and it does not bother her any more. Remember what you do on the left side of the horse you should repeat on the right side! Then through the rope over her back, work at it untill you can through the lead rope over her but. Then around her hind legs. Let the rope actually curl around her hind legs. Then the front legs.
2)Brush her with a noisy plastic bag. Do it untill it does not bother her at all.
3) Get a Holland flag tie it to a stick (Broomstick)and desensitize the air around her untill she stands perfectly still. Then let the flag touch all over untill it does not bother her.
4) Rub her with a plastic tarp. In the end she should just stand there while you through a noisy plastic tarp on her back
5)A spray can with water. Spray untill you can spray any part of her body and she just standing still.
6) Use your imagination

Do this desensitizing the last five minutes of every lesson. End the desensitizing by putting the mounting block next to her. Stand on the mounting block and rub her al over with your hands. Work at it untill she finds it pleasurable and wants to stand still while you are rubbing her. You can slowly ad some weight on her back by leaning on her.
Later on in your training schedule do all this with the saddle on her back. When on the mounting block put your foot in the stirrip and take it out. Then gradually keep your foot for longer and longer periods of time in the stirrip. Add weight. Step in the stirrip and lean over her back while you are rubbing her as far as your hand can reach. Finally sit on her back and get of immediately. Repeat many times. Get on her back and just sit still do nothing. Get of and repeat. Ask her to back up one step. Repeat. Ask her to go forward one step. Repeat.

All this should take you about five days and then you are on her back while she is standing very relaxed.

Now you are ready to begin her training under the saddle.

But please remember from now on the TEN SECOND RULE. From now on and for as long as you have her each and everytime you get on her back you sit still for ten seconds. Even if you are in a hurry sit still for ten seconds. Sit and relax and pat her and talk to her for the ten seconds. After the ten seconds get her attention and start working with her. IF you do this you will never ever have a problem getting on her back or her start walking while you are getting on her back.

All the best

Lukas

Great additions to the training, Lukas

Yesterday I lounged her with two lines. She immediatly worked well. Later on I let her work around the mounting blok and finally she had to stand still. The exercise with the right rein so she take a step towards me I already succesfully did. I got on and off the mounting blok and finally let her stand in the perfect stand. I really leaned hard and together we looked at the other horses. We both hold very still and it was a great moment. I took off everything and let her follow me loose.
She was very calm. The only thing that went wrong was my own reaction at first. I was a bit nervous and I was a bit in a hurry. Really unnessecary because I had enough time. That's what I have to work on! Thanks for the new comments. Incredible how much you can do together with your horse.
Greets from Wendy

Yes!
Yesterday I came back from vacation and went to work with Aerola.
I took my time to groom and I put on the saddle.
We started working and it came naturaly that I leant on her.
So I put my foot in and out. Then did something else.
Again I put my foot in and out. She was so calm that I put in my weight.
I stayed there for a few seconds and up I go. After 3 months I was back in the saddle.
For ten seconds (I've counted) I went off. Did something else and thried again.
Now she took a step forward, but she (and I) stayed calm.
Again I was sitting in the saddle. Now we walked forward and I let her take some steps backwards.
I stopped and got off. Did a follow up and then got on again.
Now I let her work for a while; even in galop.
I finished with a

Sorry, pushed on the button.
I finished with a slow follow up and brushed her slowly before taking her back to the stable.
So now I have more confidence it will work with her.
Still have my doubts because she is a very independent horse and keeps me on distance.
Now and then I have a feeling she lets me in.
So thats a bit of a problem still.
Greetings from Wendy

Good news, Wendy. Well done!