Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: Join Up ?

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

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My Join-Up® Experience

Join Up ?

By:

Julie

Date:

2009-Dec-27 at 02:40AM

I have watched about 7 lessons now on join up. The last one indicated not to over do this exercise with your horse and that 4-6 sessions was the limit. My ? is: In what time frame for those 4-6 sessions. Monthly, yearly?????

Thank you.

Syd 2009-Dec-27 at 03:54AM

What I have noticed with my mares is that all you really need is just 4-6 sessions overall (they are both older horses) and once you have done that many with your horse(s) they understand what you're saying, and if you keep doing it, the horse will get board and eventually stop responding (I learned that the hard way)

Julie 2009-Dec-27 at 05:08PM

Thanks for the feedback :)

horselover 2009-Dec-27 at 06:13PM

I have tried Monty's 'join up' 3 times and each time have been able to see improve my technique by comparing what I did with what Monty does on his video. I have been able to get all signs BUT the 8 year old alpha mare is simply not doing the follow up though she is absolutely cooperative on the lead line and follows me around when not in the round pen without me holding on her lead line!!. I think that is her way of wanting to be obedient BUT still have it her way (if it makes any sense). I am okay with this arrangement because I think her 'past' is playing a role here and my feeling is that she will be an outstanding horse. As for the frequency, I see how after 3 times we both have gotten it and how anything over 6 maybe too much. At the last join up the initial circle was much smaller than the first time and her head going down happened within the first few seconds! I do our 'join up' every day that I see her as our initial routine before the Dually Halter training which btw she is absolutely GREAT at. She got it in less than a minute which was amazing. Hope sharing my experience is helpful to you Julie.

Julie 2009-Dec-27 at 11:48PM

Thanks for sharing your expereince. It really helps me to hear other peoples experiences. I am looking forward to trying the join up exercise soon. I am a first time horse owner with lots to learn. I had my first lunge lesson this morning with my horse and trainer. It went pretty well. I need to work on my hand positions and turns. My horse is better at it then I am.

Thanks again!

EvyG 2009-Dec-30 at 06:29PM

well from my experience - my horse responds to the join up procedure very quickly in the round pen and I learned too that this procedure should not be used more than 6 or 7 times. What I have found now is that I need to use this procedure with my horse in the pasture whenever he does not respond to my cues to come to me...so like a "mare" I send him away when he pays me no respect and when he does, I invite him in and he comes. It looks like I am loose longe lining in the pasture:) But, this does not happen often as my horse most always comes to me when he sees me....we are another example that what Monty teaches here works and I have never been to Flag is up Farms or to a clinic. I only learned from what I read from his books and saw in this university. And this is the science - because I am a non-partisan person who can replicate these lessons and get the same positive results. Thank you Monty. I am not afraid now to witness this philosophy in my local hunter/jumper crowd.

Rudi - Pratteln, Switzerland 2010-Jan-01 at 10:30AM

I have a similar experience. I often use the "Join-Up" technique as a kind of long lining without lines in the round pen, sending the horse away with minimal pressure. I do not have the impression that the horses get bored.