# Did anyone ever try to make a join - up?



## I love horses (Jan 30, 2011)

I'm just curious, if anyone ever did that with her/his horse and how did it work?


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## Clair (Jun 7, 2010)

If you're referring to the Monty Roberts technique... I have. Its a useful tool for the respect and attention of your horse. There are many forms of it. Like Clinton Anderson's "lunging for respect". Done correctly in the right situations, it's a useful exercise!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Clair (Jun 7, 2010)

darn it. *Lungeing not lunging. Sorry.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## I love horses (Jan 30, 2011)

I think it's kind of amazing how a horse reacts.
I mean they really trust you than.


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## Clair (Jun 7, 2010)

I'm really a big fan of Monty Roberts style join up. The dialogue between me and my horse astounds me!


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Joining up is a fantastic method to bond with your horse, I love it =] if you want to know how to do it shoot me a PM and I'll send you a sheet I wrote on joining up with your horse.


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## I love horses (Jan 30, 2011)

I know how to do a join up, but I just wanted to know if someone else tried this out. 
But if you wanna send me your join up method I'd be really happy. Cause maybe you do it kinda different. So I could try it that way too. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## RaynRavyn (Dec 7, 2010)

Yes; not so much with my own, because they were already puppy-broke when I got them, but I have with a friend's horse who was a monster when she got her. It worked amazingly.


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## tbstorm (Dec 16, 2010)

I LOOVVEEE JOIN UP!!! we do it a bit different then monty, we dont use the round pen we do it in the ring. we send the horse away, and chase them, well not really just walk after them, matching thier pace and directition, turning when they turn picking up the pace when they do etc. then when they slow and stop and look at you, you back off. then when you have thier full attention you walk slowly, eyes down in a zig zag pattern to them(if they run you do it again) if they dont you scratch thier head or shoulder and turn ad walk away... then if you did it right they follow its very cool, but i've done it so much with sable he just does it automaticly!


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## bbsmfg3 (Aug 12, 2010)

Wouldn't start a horse without first joining up. Do it just like Monty Roberts. Don't add or take anything away.
Especially, learn how to use, and not use, eye contact. Very, very important.


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## Angel5000 (Mar 30, 2010)

*Huge fan of Monty Roberts*



Clair said:


> I'm really a big fan of Monty Roberts style join up. The dialogue between me and my horse astounds me!


I totally agree that it is an amazing thing I just found out about Monty Roberts and I'm all ready a huge fan of his.his techniques amaze me!!


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## Frankiee (Jun 28, 2010)

Join up is an amazing exprience for you and your horse love it love it love it !!!!! I even had a horse once when i asked to join up with her instead of walking toward me she walked away and ask me to join up with her instead super amazing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## OneHotFuzz (Feb 26, 2011)

Done it many times with different horses of different age, breed, gender and brokeness. it's amazing. Monty Roberts really knows what he's talking about. This is how I started my horse and I now me and my horse have a good understanding of each other and a good amount of respect for one another. I will always start a horse with join up from now on. It's just an amazing experience.


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## Lissa (Mar 1, 2011)

I tried with my mini donkey.. it doesn't work with donkeys LOL

I've used it with a couple horses and found it to be an okay method, but not one that I prefer using


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I use it if I need to establish more of a connection. I did so with Rebel, because he was very stand offish at first.


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## Angel5000 (Mar 30, 2010)

wow this all great information thank you so much my other question would be if u use a round pen or not because I sadly don't have one so if you have any tips on how to do it with out a round pen that would be great also thanks!!


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## OneHotFuzz (Feb 26, 2011)

you can do it on a lunge line, it's just much more difficult and takes a lot more time. You'd be more successful doing it in the pasture he lives in or an outdoor arena. You do the exact same thing in the round pen, drive him away from you (in a pasture you should prepare yourself for a good hour-two hour long trek around and around and around the field, but just keep it up. It's not in how fast you make him move away from you but the very act of pushing him away. Monty Roberts did this with Shy Boy only he did it across many many acres of land! So you can do it too, but you got to stick with it and take your time. Give your horse as much time as he needs to achieve join up.


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## Angel5000 (Mar 30, 2010)

okay so a square pen for grazzing would be fine too its not that big so i could stay after the horse and all. I will end up wanting the round feeders out and barrels out though right or would they be fine in there still?? Thanks this is wonderful information.!!


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## ibedoc (Sep 13, 2009)

Angel5000 said:


> wow this all great information thank you so much my other question would be if u use a round pen or not because I sadly don't have one so if you have any tips on how to do it with out a round pen that would be great also thanks!!


Hey Angel
Read your post. I've been caught a few times without a round pen myself. I've done this many times in the past. It's an old trainer's trick and it works fantastic. It's called a "High line" or as I call it "the poor man's round pen". If you use it just watch out for the line but the horse will think your superman. I believe the illustration is self explanatory but if you have any questions please contact me "ibedoc", message on homepage.


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

I don't have a round pen or anything. but I've done it on the lunge line and it acually worked. Every time I feel our connection breaking (not very often mind you) I just do it again. It's always the hardest the first time though.


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## Angel5000 (Mar 30, 2010)

See i have tried it on a lunge line but my horse allways pull me out to far so its way to hard to hold onto


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## OneHotFuzz (Feb 26, 2011)

Angel5000 said:


> okay so a square pen for grazzing would be fine too its not that big so i could stay after the horse and all. I will end up wanting the round feeders out and barrels out though right or would they be fine in there still?? Thanks this is wonderful information.!!


I myself would move them if I could, then their are less obstacles between me and the horse, that way the horse can read your language without getting super distracted, plus he might start trying to hide behind stuff. 

I personally wouldn't think the poor mares roundpen would work well for join up. The horse is meant to be loving away quickly, doing changes in direction and being pushed out of your space, I could see a horse getting confused at a tree, having to turn around or getting hung up, feeling cornered and kicking. Working a horse in a circular pen is the best thing, because then the horse doesn't get hung up in corners. But that's just my opinion, i've never used the poor mares roundpen, but personally I don't see how it would work well for join up.


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

I think it depends on the horse how long it takes on a lunge line. I half did one on purpose while lungeing. It worked for the most part and solved a lot of our respect issues. 

On Tuesday I did it again by accident. I was lungeing my mare just to get energy out because she's cooped up in a small pen because the paddock she should be in is somewhere under the snow. Anyway, I was lungeing her and I know you're supposed to just turn away and wait for them to come to you, but since it wasn't my intention, I would say "Ho" to stop her. Everytime, she would stop on a dime (I was letting her lope, mind you) and turn to me. The entire time she was lungeing, she would have her ear turned to me and chew. 

Everytime we stopped for a water break, she would follow me around like a puppy. It was lovely.


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## horsecrazy84 (Mar 20, 2011)

I do Join-Up with all young horses I start and any new horse who is just standoffish, like Sundance was when we first got him. He wasn't sure about people at first. Since all I have is an 8 acre pasture with woods I used the lunge line with him but I used the same concept. I'd make him move, ask him to change direction and wait until he was showing the right signs, then turn away, drop the rope and let him come in to me. 
I think it is a great tool to just connect and build trust, especially in one that's skittish of people.
After our first Join-Up with Sundance he followed me around a little course I had set up of poles on the ground, barrels, a box and some other stuff. He went without hesitation wherever I went, stopped at my shoulder, even backed up when I backed up. Now he doesn't know what a stranger is. He loves being around people and he'd rather be with us if we're in the pasture rather than be with Chanti and he has always trusted us so much in anything we've introduced to him.


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## caballero (Jan 31, 2011)

This might be a silly question, I don't know but...
I've read Monty Roberts book, posts and watched videos etc. I haven't tried it myself yet but I sort of know how the Join-Up works. In theroy at least.
But I wonder if I join up with MY horse, will it be attached to me or just more trustful in anyone. Does it see me as the hunter who doesn't want to hunt the horse, or any person ?
Thanks in advance


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

My understanding of it is that you're chasing your horse away like a lead mare would do. Except normally, the horse would keep trying to come back and continue to get chased away until he showed submission. You're chasing your horse away until he shows submission and then you quit. "Submission" during a join-up is the ear turn, chewing, etc. Basically accepting you as its leader, the same way it would with a lead mare.

I could be wrong, but that's just how I interpreted it and it makes sense.


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## Jessskater (Mar 16, 2011)

I did join up with my TB yesterday. Usually when we ride she has a problem when I ask her to back up.(Head tosses etc). So I rode her after we joined up and she backed up perfectly! When I ask her to stop all I have to do is use my seat and say whoa. I'm so proud of her


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## ArabianChic (Mar 29, 2011)

I LOVE Monty Roberts and his methods! I am starting my horse with his methods and so far everything is going very good! I don't ride a horse with out first joining up and following up with them. It doesn't matter if they're green broke or bomb proof I still do it. That way we establish some trust before I hop on and go.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Done two horses this way, and it worked great. Re-doing Mia because she has some problems and I'm not sure where the holes are in her training, so I've started her over at the beginning. After 2 weeks, she is calming down a lot...a very dominant horse mixed with fearful, but we're making significant progress. I would expect it to take her longer, but I also expect it to work. The trend is certainly in the right direction.


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## horsesexposed (Apr 9, 2011)

Don't take all of this crap about "bonding" with your horse. People think that the horse loves them when all it is, is the horse acting like a horse. The horse see's you as a leader so likes to stick with the leader so that it doesn't get eaten. (if you have no idea what i'm talking about, then researched wild horse behavior) 

Join-up is pretty much telling your horse that you are higher, and you control it's feet. When it submits then, it see's you as a higher horse that it, and repects and wants to be with you. Becausse in the wild, the horse that is closest to the strongest, fastest, LEAder, is the horse who gets to live. 

Sorry, If I sound harsh, I'll probably get replies saying, "my horse loves me" and "you don't know anything" I do. And that's why i'm trying to help others who see this. 

Anyways, again, this is a very great technique to work out problems with leading, or halters, or saddles, or repect issues.


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## caballero (Jan 31, 2011)

horsesexposed said:


> Don't take all of this crap about "bonding" with your horse. People think that the horse loves them when all it is, is the horse acting like a horse. The horse see's you as a leader so likes to stick with the leader so that it doesn't get eaten. (if you have no idea what i'm talking about, then researched wild horse behavior)
> 
> Join-up is pretty much telling your horse that you are higher, and you control it's feet. When it submits then, it see's you as a higher horse that it, and repects and wants to be with you. Becausse in the wild, the horse that is closest to the strongest, fastest, LEAder, is the horse who gets to live.
> 
> ...



Well, you won't get an answer like you expected. I completely agree with you. Yesterday I joined-up with a horse I used to ride and now want to ride again (I had some problems with peopel at the stable), and one woman said 'he's got such an amazing bond with her'. Which is complete crap, I told her. We don't have a bond anymore, and even if we did, that's not why it worked. (It was my first try so I was proud it worked )
However, I do think horses have a bond to certain people, but not as a result of join-up but other reasons.


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