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Monty Roberts Equus Online University
Horse Training Video Instruction Program

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• Horse Training • Round Pen Lessons • Performance Horses • Join-Up

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My Join-Up® Experience

YAY!!! My Brumby and i got Join Up!!!!

Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed

Hi all,
For those of you who gave me some advice on how to get Join Up with my unwilling new Brumby, I have some good news....we did it!

I made my round pen bigger by 2 metres so is now the size Monty recommends. I introduced Buster to the pen as advised and then sent him away...same as before, he just froze! so i re evaluated my body language. I tried to stand more square and i sent my long line out just behind him but he would just turn his bum to me as if he thought i wanted him to go out the fence! I then tried to drive him forward with my shoulder from behind him and this got him moving a bit. I then realised that sending out the line didn't help so i wound it up and slapped it on my leg and lifted my arms almost like to fly and away he went! It took a little bit of persistence to get him going round me but once he was i got ear locked and licking and chewing very quickly. He was making smaller circles too. I found my body had to be just right to keep him going round but he did it. When i changed direction i had the same problem with the stopping so i repeated what i did before and he had it much quicker. Upon returning to his original direction he gave me the first three gestures right away and he was circling no problem at all. Two more times round the pen and his head dropped, not right to the ground but it was definately dropped! I turned and got join up immediately and then i took a step forward (away from him) and he followed, so we had follow up too. I am so pleased to have done this with my wild pony as i feel i am now on the right track with him. I also managed to put his dually on him and do some training with leading as he hated leading with a rope halter. What a fantastic tool!
So all in all i have had a big win today with my Buster pony! I might add that after Join up he seemed to realise we were on the same page and was much more willing to be challenged :-)
Janelle

May - Holland
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed

Hi Janelle,
.
What a great experience is this for you and your Buster.
It gives such a good feeling, is'nt it?
You will see you will be friends for live.
Good luck,
May

nelliebell
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed

Thanks May,
It was a really good feeling yes! It is great to be learning his language :-)
Janelle

star
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

Oh Janelle,
I am so proud of you both, well done.
I wish I could have seen you do such a good job.
It always brings tears to my eyes when I see the horse understand what the human is asking.
I have lump in my throat for your success.
Congrats!!!!!
Ronda

nelliebell
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed

Thanks Ronda :-) I get teary when i see horses and humans understanding each other...glad i'm not the only one! It was such a relief to have a good join up achieved. After last time i tried and it was a massive failure i was kinda not looking forwrd to it and putting it off but he was becoming really restless and upset with the rope halter i had on him (I know why i don't like them now!) so i knew i had to try join up again so he would allow me to put the Dually on. I remembered what monty says about acting as if you have all day then it will only take 15 mins, act as if you have 15 mins and it will take all day. So i took that attitude with me to the round pen today! Must have worked!
I am hoping to video my next join up and dually session so will let you know if i get it on youtube :-)
Janelle

Dennis
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed

Janelle
Way to go! Your horse is a very smart animal so to get a join-up you really communicated your intensions and they were accepted. Wonderful!

Cheers

Gen (Queensland, Australia)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed

Congratulations Janelle :-D I knew you could do it!!
.
Buster is lucky to have you for his new partner.
.
Kind regards,
.
GEn

nelliebell
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed

Thanks Gen and Dennis,
it was a pretty great day :-) but i think i am the lucky one to have found such a great little horse!
Janelle

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed

Just read this post. How wonderful. Congratulations Nelliebell. What an exciting journey you have ahead of you! All the best for 2012 for you and Buster.

nelliebell
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed

Thanks Maggie :-) I am expecting great things for this year! Looking forward to the challenges and rewarding times ahead :-)