Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: when do we have to do Join-up?

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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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About This Week’s Lesson

when do we have to do Join-up?

By:

lisa-claudia

Date:

2009-Nov-17 at 07:29PM

Hi,
in the Join-up lesson Monty said to not overdo Join-up with the same horse (4 to 6 time max., but is that one time after the other?
At firts I touhgt that we just have to do Join-up once... but now I'm wordering if it is the tings to do when we feel that we lost trust in our relation with this horse.
When do we have to do Join-up?

catherine 2009-Nov-25 at 08:15PM

It will depend on your horse and what you want to achieve. It would be a good question to ask Monty yourself. If I had a remedial horse that I wanted to reback, then maybe I would do Join-Up a few times at the start of the training session each day, but I would be doing other things that would build up trust as well, doing lots of leading work and despooking.

If I had a starter, then maybe I would do four consecutive Join-Ups and put a rider up, taking things a little further with ridden work each day.

If I felt I had lost trust in the relationship, I might just devise a programme to rebuild it, that may include Join-Up, but it may just mean I have to do other groundwork instead.

It isn't a straight forward question, as it will depend so much on the individual horse and the handler's own experience.

In general, I would say, I rarely do Join-Up, but always do it at some time with a starter.

Roisin! 2010-Apr-06 at 03:31PM

I have the very same question as Lisa-Claudia.Thanks Catherine!

qld_montyblue 2013-Oct-17 at 01:12PM

I would repeat joinup only when you see it as necessary. Like, your horse might become pushy, showing signs of biting and generally being disrespectful. It's senseless to do it 4 or 5 times in a row. Once you achieve follow up after the first joinup there is no need to continually repeat. Look at it as a "refresher" that your horse might need if in the future he decides he wants to be leader. You are the one who is in control and if you feel that control is slipping then perhaps you can consider another joinup. If your horse is let out with several other horses in the paddock then bad habits learned from other horses may develop or an older dominant mare might feel that she is the leader of your horse (and all the others!) and not you. You be the judge. Is your horse respectful? Does he have good ground manners etc?

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia 2013-Oct-18 at 02:57AM

Just noticed how old this stream is - didn't know the uni existed in 2009!

Kicki -- Sweden 2013-Oct-18 at 08:24AM

My, how time flies! I just realized I've been a member for four years.
I know the board had been in existence some time before that. 2009 should be the very first year then, shouldn't it?

Rudi - Pratteln, Switzerland 2013-Oct-21 at 05:07PM

I think it is a problem of definition. If you call "join-up" the first contact to a horse after sending him away then it is useless to repeat it too many times. If you call "join-up" the reaction of the horse coming to you due to your body language then it becomes a procedure of every day and there is no limit of repetition (on the pasture, during the training).
Rudi