The “join up” is a practice developed by the horse trainer Monty Roberts that helps to connect with a horse, gaining his trust. To get along with a horse you need to use gentle training and learn to understand its body language. If you are interested in developing a relationship of great trust with your horse, follow these tips to actually get in tune with the animal.
Steps
Step 1. Calm down
A nervous or hostile attitude towards the horse will get you nowhere. Take deep breaths and show the horse that you are relaxed and confident. Usually the horse will imitate you in attitudes, so if you are agitated and screaming around him, he will almost certainly react by running and becoming aggressive towards you.
Step 2. Show yourself and the horse that you are calm, use body language that conveys confidence (standing position, head held high, shoulders straight), your state of mind is the main thing
The horse understands your intentions, good or bad, and can interpret the timbre and tone of your voice.
Step 3. Take your horse to a fenced field or 30-foot perimeter enclosure
The double rope replaces the reins to direct the horse, like when riding.
Step 4. Talk to the horse in a gentle voice
The animal may be afraid or confused. Lead it in rotation, inside the enclosure, for a few minutes, changing direction from time to time, so as to establish that you are the "leader".
Step 5. Go to the edge of the training area
Untie the rope and step away from the horse a little. Look him in the eye; adopt firm body language towards the horse and raise your hands up if necessary.
Step 6. Encourage the horse to stay a respectful distance from you during training
The process of holding him at some distance proves that you are the pack leader. Of course, you are not doing "bad", as a stallion in the pack would do. The stallion chases the challengers from the herd, the opposite of the "join up".
Step 7. When the horse is pulling away, throw the rope behind him / her (hold the clips) to bring the horse into a trot
Could do the canter (a little gallop), which is fine anyway.
Step 8. After 5 or 6 circuits (if you are in a 15 meter pen) change direction, blocking the horse with body language, without cutting his way
After another 5 or 6 circuits he changes direction again, begins to wrap the rope and maybe looks down at his neck or shoulders.
Step 9. Continue to gently push the horse
You will notice that the horse will tilt its head towards you, a sign that it is ready to negotiate its position, and therefore indulge you.
Step 10. Look at the horse's gestures, if for example he starts making smaller circuits
Its "internal antennas are pointed" towards you. He may start licking and chewing, lowering his head.
Step 11. There are three signs you should look for in the horse when doing the "join up":
1) It tunes in to you. 2) The head drops. 3) He licks his lips or chews the air. When the horse has made all these gestures, you can be sure that you have earned his respect. He / she has now understood that you are not their predator and do not represent a danger.
Step 12. When you recognize these signs, look down completely, soften your body language, bringing your hand with closed fingers as close as possible to the crotch while holding it in front of your torso
Then take two steps in front of the horse, turn your back to him (but be careful, he may lose interest in you while you are not looking at him) and walk a few steps away. This will give him reason to move towards you, slowly. There is a harmony between you and the horse.
Step 13. Thank the horse with a pat between the eyes or on the neck
In fact, this is what horses do to each other when they groom each other, or when they want to reassure a horse of lower status. In the herd, horses never come close to the pack leader, unless the mare is truly relaxed and exercising her authority.
Step 14. Stand on the left side of the horse, and face forward
Take a few steps away and go around the horse's face until you get to its right side. The horse will follow you when you have made it clear that you are the leader. Complete a small circle together and then reward the horse. Repeat it in the other direction.
Method 1 of 1: In the horse pen
Step 1. Take the horse to a paddock or horse arena
If you are in an arena, block a portion of it so you have relatively small but enough space for the horse to run.
Step 2. Keep your body language relaxed and don't show fear
This is important, because if you show fear or hesitation, the horse will interpret it as a sign of submission on your part and it will take longer for the "join up" to take place.
Step 3. Walk to the center of the fence while holding the horse's rope
Do not use a whip, it would be a sign of aggression and frighten the horse.
Step 4. Stand just behind the horse and spin the rope in circular motions to make him do small gallops
Follow it by making it go in the direction you decide. Don't let him change direction unless you ask him to.
Step 5. Use your voice
Say "Go", or "Forward" and you will make it go fast. Keep swinging the rope, but not against the horse. Simply getting a little closer to the horse will make it go faster.
Step 6. Don't let the horse stop
Keep it on the canter, at the speed it wants.
Step 7. Change direction
Say "Whoa" and move perpendicularly in the direction of the horse's face, it will turn it to the other side. Do not approach any further at this time as this could be interpreted as an aggressive gesture.
Step 8. Continue like this
Each time the horse turns, it should slowly get closer and closer to you.
Step 9. When the horse is turned towards you and is looking at you with interest, let him stop and then turn your back to him
Wait for it to get closer. If it doesn't, start the whole practice over and keep repeating it until it does.
Step 10. Watch for the signs
There are signs that the horse is ready for the "join up". One of these is when he looks at you calmly, looks relaxed, faces you, or slows down a lot.
Advice
- Trust is the most important thing in a relationship with a horse.
- Instead of frightening, treat your horse with respect (calm and patience) and you will have good results. The horse will reciprocate you with the same respect.
- Walk a few steps forward, this will put the horse in a position to choose to follow you (voluntary act), and to approach you (and not vice versa). Reward their behavior.
- Don't over-tire your horse. If he doesn't understand what you're asking him, take a look in the mirror. You may have forgotten to relax, as a reward to your horse for listening to you.
- Recognize those rare moments when the horse is interested in you. When he starts looking at you, stop, relax and take two steps back slowly.
- If you don't have a long rope, never be tempted to use a whip, instead wave a jacket or move your arms. The idea is to wave something behind the horse, to make it move.
- Throwing a rope behind the horse to accelerate it is fine, so you don't hit it. Obviously the "join up" cannot be done with a horse with blinders. Swinging the rope, gently with nervous horses and a little more resolutely with larger horses, will work just fine.
- Never use a whisk in the "join up".
Warnings
- This is a guide only. Horses are not robots that you can control, each has their own personality. Respect them and don't expect too much the first time. The horse is simply doing its best to understand you.
- Always be patient with your horse and don't expect instant results.
- Never try to "join up" more than one horse in the paddock as it will confuse them and they may compete for position in the herd.
- Horses can be unpredictable; for your own safety, always keep this in mind.
- Never hit the horse. You're trying to get along with him / her and "earn the horse's trust", and he / she yours; while "you are the leader", and "not" an overbearing boss.
- Don't be passive-aggressive. It will frighten your horse very much and the "join up" will not be successful.
- Keep close to spots where you can "escape" in case the horse runs wild. If you are outside, the fence should be easy to climb over or under.
- Don't get mad and never yell at your horse, he / she would never scream at you.
- Don't try this practice if you don't have a clear idea of what you want and why you do it. It would confuse the horse and put you in danger.
- Never try the "join up" with a stallion, foal or horse already trained by another. You may be sending the stallion the wrong signals and the trained horse may not understand your gestures.
