Totally with you Gen. I'm so grateful for Monty putting these lesson's on the uni for us. Charlie and I would be lost without them! I've just looked into where to by the pacifier here on the gold coast, so once I've watched the next lesson I think I'll be getting one to use with Charlie, as one of our major issues has been him backing up quite dangerously on occasion.
Ruth

Hi Ruth
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Yes, I am going to have a look the local saddlery tomorrow when I go in to see if they have them there too. I don't have a problem to work on with the pacifier, but would like to get one so that its there if I ever need it. You never know when these things may come in handy.
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Are you looking forward to your Intro course with Lynn? I am :-) can't wait!
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See you later,
.
Gen

Hi Gen,
So you are going to take the Intro course with Lynn, she was my internship/instructor last year Februari at Flag Is Up Farms, where I today passed my Intro Exam! Working with Lynn was wonderful, give her my regards. Have fun and start on a learningjourney that will have no end but so many beautiful moments!
Miriam

Hi Miriam
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Congratulations on passing your Intro Exam! Oh, that is so exciting! I can't wait to do mine. Are you going to go on with the view of doing an Internship yourself? That's what I am aiming for. I will let Lynn know that you said hello.
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Congratulations again Miriam, its a real achievement to be proud of :-)
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See you later,
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Gen

Congratulations, Miriam!!!!!
That is fantastic.

Those lessons are really helpful to me as I ride a old stubborn horse :) Where can you buy
the equipment Monty uses though? I've look on line but my search came up empty.

I didnt see the tools in Monty's shop either but found a whip whop rope (same as giddy up tope) on Ebay. (sorry Monty) I cant wait for lesson 3. I never carry a stick or anything when I ride my napping Charlie because he had me soo scared last year I was worried I might hurt him in sheer frustration. To my shame I did find myself nose to nose calling him all sorts of names though (rather loudly) with adrenaline pumping throught me after he went up and then backwards down a steep banking. I was petrified. Thank god things have improved in that I got over my (most of my)fear and I can stay calm. He is still napping though...

Hi Guys,

the giddy-up rope is about to appear in the new shop - the ropes are newly manufactured and are in stock. Check the shop in two days' time and you should be able to buy them.

Hope that helps.

A

Great! I'll be getting one as soon as they are in stock :) Thanks!

Really great lessons ,loved the use of PICNIC and to be reminded about the loose reins.I am going to make a pair of blinkers that I can tie onto appaloosa's headstall.. Thanks for everything Monty!

Watched lesson 3 and Loved it. My home made rope was waay to short. I ordered one and now looking for a passifier mask....

not easy, only found an eye protection amsk lookign similar at £90.00 plus shipping. No doubt coming in Monty's shop though? I think I will try without one - Just giddy up rope and positive mental attitude and Loose reins :-D

I have been watching lesson three of Walter and I am impressed of how "easy" such a real bad issue like refusing to go forward can be risolved if we excluse violence and high adrenaline. One thing is sure: Monty has had a lot of fun and Wonder-Wolter is happy and relaxed now- having been shown a way finally how to go through that scary arena door. Have we learned what might be the reason why he wouldn't go forward through the door ? Is he tired of working in it or is he scared because he has made bad experiences in there ? I guess that hasn't been said, has it ? Great lesson ! Thank you Monty ! Great sentence: "if you feel unsafe, you are unsafe." Something I can confirm when looking back to working with my young colt. the double impact of fun is when you have been sitting back and thinking about a problem you could not risolve, found a solution and it works ! Wow, where fear stopped you working, now the new plan helps you and your horse to risolve the problem and what made you angry and scared before is much fun now ! When I ever learn to translate this also into the interaction with humans, I will call myselfe a superstar ! VioBerlin

Hi you guys, I agree , all the lessons on here are great. I was watching Monty here in the UK last year, he dealt with a 'napping' horse then, he didn't have a pacifier so showed us how the same effect could be achieved using a simple fly mask and taping it off the same way:so easy and so cheap!Only thing is I have had no reason to put it to use since, but when it comes up, I know how!
Keep learning, keep safe and share the fun with your partner. Val

Hey val, thanks for the flymask tip. Had not crossed my mind...

Hi All

Click here and it will take you into the new shop. Click on equipment and the Giddy-Up is ready to be ordered. :-)

http://www.montyroberts.com/montys-store/

A

Well done Walter and Monty!!
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I have just been able to watch this week's lesson as I have been away for work in a area where there was no internet access! Finaly back in the civilised world.
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Just incredible at how easy this is when you know how.
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The flymask tip is a good one - will keep it in mind. I didn't make it to the saddlery last week. Will have another go at getting there again tomorrow to see if they have the pacifier masks.
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The one question I have is how does this napping problem happen? What do we do as horsemen and women to cause this problem? Monty mentioned going tense on the horse's back when they balk - is that all it takes or are there other causes?
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See you later,
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Gen

I have a follow-up question to the lesson!
Can the giddy-up rope be used successfully also when long-lining - as in driving on two lines from the ground - and the horse decides to ignore the going forward cues?
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I'm not sure the pacifier is the solution in this case since I do want him to see me walking behind him and how I position my body.
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For me it isn't at balking yet, but Mr.Smartypants is still trying to see who's in charge and will take every opportunity (like a tuft of grass or a dung heap to sniff) to test my leadership, and stop.
(Best results so far has been jumping up and down behind him like an angry monkey.) ;)

I want to Congratulate Miriam on her exams -way to go! I took the Intro class in February of 2011 and had the best time -and the Suzanne was theinstructor and NIna and Steph were the interns they were great. I am struggling with things on my own but I leepo moving through and it relly works.

I loved the Walter series it was amazing to see the horse with so generous in his forward movement.

I can see a similarity to putty tape on the pacifier used on Walter, to the [BLINDS] used on the bridles for the farm harness of my youth and to the [buggy] bridles used with Amish farmers. I now can see how those bridles work in the effort of the horse wanting to go forward and away from the unknown area behind them.

Hi Gen, Kicky and Richandi!
Thanks for your support, I would have answered earlier, but had some difficulties with the internet, so here I am! Have passed the first week now on a totaly different level of working with horses, two steps forward, one step back! It is fun and exciting though!
I'll keep working hard to get as good as I can, let's see where it takes me.
I've seen some sessions of this Uni being filmed with Monty, great learning, too!
Take care and see you later,
Miriam

Excellent to see this working,how there are still sceptics out thre I will never understand!Thankyou Monty.

Just watched the sceptic lesson with Walter. Having watched the whole set through a couple of times it is absolutely amazing to see how this work can be achieved without violence.

I am amazed at how Walter very quickly accepts he cannot see behind him and just goes forward. That's possibly what I don't understand sometimes about horses, they just accept the situation as it is presented to them. Then on this last viewing Walter suddenly reverts back to day one once he can see all around him.

It would be interesting to know how long one would use the pacifier before taking it off again and hopefully have a happy horse going into an arena.

I am an Equine Touch Practitioner and find all the time that horses are amazing creatures in that they understand very quickly I am not there to inject needles (vets) do things to their feet (farrier) etc. I have also said to owner's if the horse did not want this bodywork he would not be still standing quietly going to sleep and being fully relaxed.

Being an advocate of Monty's work also helps me a great deal if I have owner's who less inclined to have the necessary respect from their horses.

This University has been a great tool for me.

Ruth

Hi Ruth
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Yes, I agree that horses are amazing creatures and when you know how they think, everything is just so easy with absolutely no need for violence.
.
The other thing I like about this series of lessons is that it clearly defines how you go about fixing a problem, and it demonstrates that its not a quick fix. I to am interested in how long it will take for Walter to be happy in moving forward where ever and when ever he is asked.
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Can't wait for the next lessons to be posted!
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Kind regards,
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Gen

Would be interesting to know Walter's heart frequency. Fear: > 100, disobedience < 100?

I think blinkers have a whole lot of good uses.The driving guy I watch on you tube has all his horses totally steady with him ,no matter what he is asking them to do,using only voice and rein cues,soft rein cues ,and they are always blinkered and are bomb proof.Loved this series of videos very much.Will use a rolled up rugby sock inside other rugby sock for giddy up.
Interesting how much feedback you have got from this subject!Loose reins are great but more tricky with "could buck" who also baulks ..I also liked someone's idea of masking off a fly facer..Excellent! three cheers for Monty as always,Holy Moly he's the man!

Riding my horse Chazbo out with a fly mask and giddyup rope and made big progress. My horse doesn't back up or rear anymore but just turns around - at that point I don't use the rope but just keep him going in his circle until we face the original direction again and keep riding. We circled about 16 times in a 100 meter stretch but no violence is used and I am hoping to just outlast him being more stubborn than he is :-) I do use the rope when he stops - which makes him circle as well. In saying all this - I managed to go twice as far as we did last week so I am loving it. I think the tips are great - I just trying to Chazbo-fy them for good results. Hope this would meet with Mr Roberts' approval and is what he would do.

Hello all
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I just watched the last installment of Walter Wont Go Forward and the results are great! Its great too how Monty Roberts explains how to incrementally use this technique to get the desired result.
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Joloke82, sounds like you are on the right track :-) which is excellent! Keep it up :-)
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This series really stuck out to me because most people I know would have beaten the horse (like Walter was when he would not go on the race track) without looking for an alternative reason as to why the horse didn't want to move and without consideration of a more humane way of encouraging the horse to go forward.
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The alternatives Monty Robers provides are inspiring and such a relief :-) I hate it when a horse plays up and someone tells you to bash it :-(
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Thank you Monty for showing us all how to be partners with our horses.
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See you later,
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Gen

Hello all,
Can someone please tell me how to encourage a pony to go forward when in harness. I have a pony that has started stopping when he sees something he doesn't like and it is very difficult to do anything from behind and seated in a vehicle. My groom does get down and goes to his head but be plants all four feet and won't move. Very frustrating and I am at my whits end to know what to do.

Here's hoping
Redman

Hi Redman
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Does the pony wear blinkers? One of my aunties has harness horses, and she uses bridles with blinkers on them to prevent shying. I don't know much about harness horses myself.
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If you are not using blinkers, then I wonder if using a pacifier mask in the same manner as Monty uses it in the Walter Wont Go Forward series would help.
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See you later,
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Gen

I'm not so sure it was all that great.... it seemed a little over the top to not let him see so he couldn't go back.... I was expecting Monty to lead him, Join Up, do some ground work, use the Dually etc etc. Is not letting the horse see back thus forcing him to walk forwards OK? Isn't that like scaring him into going forwards? This is the only thing I have ever seen Monty do that I would question... Maggie xx

Hi Maggie,
So good you posted your feelings here! This way we can discuss the topic and learn from it all.
As far as I know the story of Walter, it is a traumatized horse, that has been forced and maybe beaten by his former owners, this making him dangerous to his rider and ofcourse to himself. The lesson doesn't say if Monty did a Join-up with him, it could have been done before starting the work with the blinkers and the giddy-up rope.
This work re-programs the horse's brain, re-writing an experience. The impuls given by the rope is not force and doesn't frighten the horse. It opens a new, violence-free road of learning. As soon as the horse moves forward by impulse as a reaction to the movement of the rope, the rope-movement stops. In this manner the horse re-learns to react to signals.
The blinkers only block the way back, a horse doesn't go where he cannot see. It only makes the range of choices the horse has smaller.
In both the pieces of equipment there is no violence and fear involved, as long as the method is used properly.
Remember Monty's saying, that a piece of equipment is as good as the hands that use it.
I hope this helps,
Miriam

Miriam
Go explanation but I do think the giddy up rope does scare the horse, but does not hurt the horse which is way different than smacking them with your hand. Sometimes at the ranch we get a horse that takes a notion not to go into the wash rack, even though he has been there a hundred times. When that happens someone just walks behind the horse and waves their arms and the horse moves forward. Same principal as the giddy up rope. I like your explanation of the blinders. Race horses and trotting horses use them all the time. They keep both the horse and the rider focused on where they are going. One thing to keep in mind is that if Walter did not want to go forward he would refuse no matter what. He would just take off. It was obvious to me that Walter just needed to be successful a few times and everything was OK

Cheers

I also have a horse that won't go forward into the arena. Whips ands spurs helped at first but after a while my horse just ignored all that. "Get firm" is what you hear all the time. But that made the problem only bigger. He stops and walks backward just like Walter. I will try to find a pacifier like that, I live in Holland and never seen it. Somebody?

Diana
Whips and spurs have contributed to your horse refusal to enter the arena. Other factors can be boredom. Doing the same work day after day It is like the are sour to the arena. The pacifier are like blinkers they use on race horses so the horse cannot see the hires next to them or behind them.
Go to this website to purchase a pacifier mask from England

http://www.hoofmove.co.uk/loadingpractise.php

Cheers

If the horse hates the arena, it is the fault of the rider. Why force the horse with giddy up and pacifier, we should change work sometimes and be sensible enough to realise, when we ask to much. Than the horse refuses and we invent knew methods to push the horse to do what WE! like. Arena Arena Arena, exercise, exercise .....for our soddisfaction! Why that ?

Sometimes I am really surprised about questions posted in this forum. Do we really search for a better world for the horses, or do we just look for a short cut to achieve what we had in mind ?

For me a better world for these animals start in changing first of all their surrounding were they live ( for me: no box, no isolation, enough space to move, enough food and water for 24 hours, a place were they can lie down, shade against sun, wind and rain, no shoes if possible), care for their health and regular hoof care. When they are happy and relaxed with all this, I start to think how do I fit in his world and how can he fit in mine, without taking away any of his needs.

If the horse lives like this, he does not NEED me, so I can start to build a relationship based on RESPECT and TRUST on both sides. That means, no violence, no cheating. I can cheat the horse a few times, but he will get aware of it very soon.

I can convince a horse to put the bit in his mouth, but when I am not able to control my hand while riding, he will soon return to his habit not to open the mouth and raise the head. I can put a pacifier on and use a giddy up rope to push him in the arena, but the work he dislikes or the things he is afraid off, are still there.
So I should ask myself, not how to get the horse in a certain place, but why he refuses! This brings us to a totally different problem solving. We don't have to change the horse, but ourselves, and make the horse gain trust again.

cristina,
That is what Monty is trying so hard to do, for everyone. Especially horse lovers.
We are all on here because we love these beautiful creatures and want what is best for them.
Unfortunately we live in a world that no longer relys on the horse for their livelyhood.
Horses are a luxury for most and for so many space is a factor as well.
I would love to live in a climite where STAR could be out 24/7, all year round. But I don't, I live in a very cold climate that has severe weather that could cause her, her very life, if I were to let her be free.
I also have many wild animals that would love to have her for a meal but I won't let that happen.
I know she may not be as happy and carefree as I would like her to be but I do my best and I think everyone on here is trying to do the same.
Please don't judge us too harshly, my dear, we really love our horses and want what is best for them.
Think of all the horses that are free in the world and the conditions they have to live with, the fears and shortened life.
Perhaps some of the equipment we use is not needed but by learning to use this very equipment in a non-violent way is a means to an end. A happy existance with a being that was not made for man to ride at all but has the patience to allow us the honor of doing so.
Have a great and wonderful day,
Ronda

All
I agree with both cristina and Ronda at the same time. If you understand what the horse is saying to you when they refuse to do something like take up the bit, don't look at the horse as the problem. He does not have a problem with the bit, it is only how it has been presented to him and what happens after he has the bit in his mouth. If my horse doesn't take the bit when presented, I back off take a breath give him a rub and a word and try again. He will usually take the bit on his own the second time. If I have to put my fingers in his mouth to get the bit in he is telling me I have been hard on his mouth. when I ride him in gait I have to have him collected up and support his head through the bit. Because the way the bit is made I can keep the reins very tight on him and it does not hurt him. In fact if I don't support his head and keep him collected he gets strung out and the bit is banging around in his mouth.
Your horse should reach for the bit and if he refuses to take the bit you need to start from square one on what the series that Monty did called Georgia's Phobias.
It bothers me when people ask a question that is already been demonstrated by Monty. It is one thing to have a problem and even after trying to get the solution from the lessons the problem is posed to the forum, but if you have not done that first, you should not ask the question. It just tells me that you are too last to find the lesson that covers the problem first

cheers

What I wanted to say with this, is that there are people who think, following a method and using certain tools, they can solve a problem that has it's origin often in our own wrong approach. We can't cancel fears or not wanted behavior pushing a button. We can make the horse listen to us, but than starts the real work, changing ourselves. We forget too often to look in the mirror and take off the pink sunglasses, be really honest and critical.
It is easier to adjust a behavior of the horse, controlling him physically, but this does not improve the relationship and does not build mental connection between two different species.
What I am missing, is the consideration of the different characters and personalities of the horses. It seems that we have to treat all horses the same. Join up, dually ….
But there are shy, self secure, more or less rational, panicking, dominant horses, not moving their feet and others, that start to run, as soon you fix their hind quarters. We can't treat them all the same way.
I read many post about difficulties in join up, problems with the dually. Why is that ?
In my opinion, the problem is in the lack of understanding our horse. What kind of character is he. We can try many times join up and some horses might get more and more frightened, other just don't move, because they ignore us or they are not afraid at all.
If you tell me, but Monty has done it thousands of times, I believe you and I think he is always successful. Because he has something, that you can't transmit in a online university, SENSIBILITY for the right way, the right moment and experience (also this you can't transmit online).

My horse belongs to category of not “moving the feet”(trying to stay in the center), the other day I was working with the opposite one ( that I had never worked before), just a look and a turn of my shoulders and he started running. I had to change my behavior totally. But than he calmed down and finally followed. He is afraid of whips, also if they only lay on the ground. At the end of the session , he followed me with a whip in my hand , moving it up and down on the side of his body. This was a great gift for me and the horse.

cristina
Good points. Monty is so successful because he knows himself and then he knows the horse. Horses are never wrong. They don't lie and are honest as the day is long. Once you put the horse on the same level as yourself, you can then begin to start the process of understanding each other.
You also have to remember that the horse usually has had many conversations with other people and they have their own expectations or what you may or may not do. So if you don;t look at yourself as the problem, you will never get to know your horse very well.
Just like the horse can read your body language when you are in the saddle, if you know your horse you will sense from how his body feels when you are riding. Pay attention and there will not be very many surprises when the horse spooks. You already know he is going to do it.

So true, Dennis.

Dear Cristina
I think that we get the instruments in Monty's courses to train horses. The next step we have to do alone: applying with fantasy what we have learned to different types of horses. Maybe a third step would be a supervision or discussion of what we are doing. I think this forum is good opportunity to do the last step. Errors are welcome...
By the way: I have worked today with a horse that is usually difficult to move. He was perfect today. He was in a new barn, a lot of horses working in the same place. He seemed to be stimulated a lot by the new situation. One important part of our work especially in these horses is motivation.
Rudi

@Rudi
I agree with you, but motivation is a delicate subject. Sometimes it is like walking on raw eggs. Get the right moment, not too much, not too less and stop in the right momen. This is very difficult to teach. It is a matter of expirience, awareness and self-knowledge.

Cristina
How true. One thing that I am always doing is making sure at the end of the work, not matter what I make sure I do some maneuver that he enjoys and does well so we always quit on a good note. There have been lots of times that I will take him out for a training ride and I lost my concentration or he did and the training was frustrating at best. By always stopping on a good note I feel keeps the bad part of the training in the background you just learn from it and it does not become part of the program.

Cheers

Now I know I'm going to get some feedback and that is OK.
I am new to Monty's method and for two years prior to applying this method to STAR I was very much ahead with her.
She absolutely hates the dually, I know it reminds her of when the horse trader tied an old halter so tight onto her nose it left a scare, for a long time.
I now use a rope halter, homemade with very soft rope, when I use one at all, and STAR is very relaxed and enjoying our time together again.
She does not fear the dually, she doesn't seem to fear too much, as long as I do not have the dually on her.
I have and will continue to learn from Monty but I will "train" STAR by my old ways, a combination of many "trainers" and my own ideas as well.
I hope I do not offend anyone by saying this but she has a unique personality and therefore has to be "trained" accordingly.
She has a new video on youtube and when I watched it I could see how relaxed she was and had no fear, for me that is very important.
I will be continuing to post her progress on youtube and give some opinions on the forum if I am welcomed, still.
You have great day everyone,
Ronda

Ronda, why would you not be welcome? And yes, I think that everyone has something of their own that has value. The way I see it, learn everything you can, and use what works best for you and your horse, they are all different, as are the owners. So please, keep letting us know what is going on. I am sure Monty would agree. He even said he doesnt know everything and is still learning. So please continue to give your opinions, if they dont work for some of us, they will for others. I, for one, value your comments and ideas.