What is joining up woth horses?

Question

please tell me because i have a trobled horse and dont know ow to do it

Answer 1

Accomplishing "join up" or "hooking on" is the first steps toward getting your horse to trust you and become less fearful.  If you can lead on a halter, I would recommed being in an enclosed area like a round pen or small paddock (providing it is safe to do so) and asking your horse to realease his hindquarters away from you on both sides.  Begin even with one step is good.  Just an ability to release the hind and fore quarters and back away from your space is a good place to start if possible.  If not, bring him into the space and take the halter off.  Allow him to move off away from you in any direction at any speed he chooses.  If he doesn't move or just goes to the fence and stands, you can slap your halter and lead rope against your leg to get him to move off.  If that doesn't work, toss the end of the lead rope toward his butt and he should move off.  Once he moves off let him go at his own pace.  Give him room to move but watch him.  He may move his inside ear toward you.  If he lowers his head, this is great - a good sign of release and acceptance.  If he looks at you, turn away from him immediately to take the pressure off him.  you want him to face you and look at you with two eyes.  If he stops or ignores you, move him off again.  You are just trying to get him to move - not control his direction or his speed in his feet - too early for that - it comes later.  When he moves off, stand in a passive posture - relaxed - one knee ****** and observe your horse.  If he stops and looks at you, turn your back and walk slowly away.  Eventually he should begin to follow (join up) with you when you release the pressure.  Eventually when he follows, you can approach him.  You may have to offer him a palm-down hand to sniff as a first contact - let him make it.  then walk away.  If he allows you to rub him, great - but a brief contact and walk away.  Again, he should begin to follow you (hook on).  As he begins to trust you more, this should become easier to accomplish.  This is just the beginning.  There is a lot more work to be done with this horse from your description.  Above all, be safe.  Even though you are releasing the pressure and walking away, etc., NEVER be unaware of where your horse is or how he is moving.  I have seen horses complete a "desired" response and then charge or strike.  All horses are different and it can be difficult for them to develop trust and lose their fear dependent upon what their lives have been.  Horses always learn on the "release of pressure".    So much of "speaking" to horses is about body language and even "the look" on your face.  These things are suttle and it takes time to develop your "language" and feel for your horse.  Remember, your horse already "knows the language" and the proper response, you just have to learn how to ask properly and then reward quickly and properly so that your communication and respect can improve.  Developing your relationship with your horse is an ongoing process and can never be completed , it is always growing and changing.  If you don't feel confident in helping your horse, find a professional who will assist you.  Above all, be safe.  I hope you are able to help your horse but I urge you to do  it in a calm and structured way and you have to take small steps before the giant ones are possible.  Do not go at your horse with whips and sticks or lunge him around in endless, mindless circles that will only confuse and scare him.  Horses are not naturally in tune to the idosyncrasies of humans and what they expect a horse to do.   Most of the things we ask our horses to do goes against their very nature.  They are just willing, wonderful creatures who do their best to please us.  They are very smart and they learn very quickly, but if you do not ask in the proper and respectful way, they will learn the wrong thing, and you've created an entirely new set of problems.  Be patient.  Don't get frustrated.  Never work with your horse is you become angry or upset.  Just go away and rest awhile, then begin again.  Stay calm so that you can help your horse as much as possible.  Good luck.

Answer 2

Join-up is a process created by Monty Roberts. You can probably find some of his stuff at your local library. Some things to look for are "Shy Boy", "The man who listens to horses", "From my hands to yours". Basically, join-up is where you take your horse into the round pen and send him around and around until you see some things. Those things are turning an ear to you, which will probably happen first, mouthing and chewing, which may or may not happen, and finally, putting his head lower to the ground instead of way up high. These are all based on the language of the horse. Once he lowers his head, then you can stop him and immediatly turn away from him and lower your shoulders and watch your feet. What your looking for is for him/her to come up to you from behind. Your body language is saying that it's okay to approach. Some may come up and nuzzle you and some may just get near you, but they should come up to you regardless. If they don't then you may have miss read the signs and should repeat the process. Once he does come up to you, then you can turn around and pet the horse. You can look the horse in the eye, but if you want to speak more of the horse language then look at his nose instead. Predators look you in the eye. You've now given you horse a choice. He can continue to run around and mistrust you or he can trust you and except you as herd leader. You can walk around after this and more likely than not your horse will follow you. Good luck.

Answer 3

david m said it all. good video

Answer 4

Joining up is when the horse literally joins up to you after being lounged. joining up is a way to gain a horse's trust. Its pretty easy to join a horse up when on a lounge line. After lounging your horse, stop the horse and stand straight in front of him. You pull the lead slowly closer and closer towards yourself, and at the same time, cluck and say things like "Good Boy" or "Come" but in a calm welcoming voice. I like to have a treat in my hand so that the horse knows they did what you wanted. But the horse is the slowly walk towards you, then give him the treat. When you get him to join up automatically after the lounging, then i would recommend trying it without a loung line in hand. If that works, then you have mastered joining up. (:

Use this site for help:

http://www.horsespirit5.com/join-up.html

Answer 5

Join up is beneficial for some horses, if done correctly.  If you have a horse that is afraid to let you touch him, or too wild, it will work wonders.  If you're looking for a "bond" for you and your already tame horse, join up isn't the answer.  Here's a good article on it:

http://liverystable.net/join_up.html

Answer 6

Joining up is you telling your horse that you want to be its friend. You make the horse run around you and when your horse puts its head down, turns his ear towards you and start l*****g its lips. Then you have the horse come in to you and than you can do some T-touch. Put your 2nd and3rd fingers together and in a small circular motion start massaging. I hope I helped. Good luck with your horse!

Answer 7

Join up is an exercise you perform in the round pen. You take your horse in there and take the lead line and halter off. Send him out to the left and have him circle about 5 times. He should be doing this at a canter.

Then have him change directions and circle to the right 5 times, also at a canter. After 5 times around have him stop, do this by disengaging his hip so he turns and faces you (you do this by leaning over and looking at his hip and breathing out).

When he comes to a stop, approach him in a zig-zag fashion. Don't approach all at once, get a little closer and stop and smile and say "good boy". You want to be able to walk up to his withers on the left side. At any point he moves, you need to send him out again, 5 times around in each direction.

If you are able to walk right up to him and he stays still, pet him and praise him and then walk off one or two steps. He should follow you at this point. If he moves away from you then you need to send him out again, 5 times in each direction.

When your horse gets it, he will follow you all over without the halter and lead line. Here is an example video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmu0pu4I-...

Cheers,

David

http://gentlenaturalhorseman.blogspot.co...