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1/25/06: Is Join-Up® effective for older horses that have been trained by traditional methods?

1/18/06: Is it possible to do Join-Up with other horses around?

1/11/06: Would you normally talk to a horse?

1/4/06: Have you had any success with donkeys or mules?

Answers to January 2006 Ask Monty Questions

Question: Is Join-Up® effective for older horses that have been trained by traditional methods?

Answer:

Absolutely! I have a long list of older horses formerly trained with traditional methods who then were brought to me with what seemed to be insurmountable problems. Lomitas, Prince of Darkness, Barlet, My Blue Heaven and many more were retrained using Join-Up and went on to become champions. Some horsemen maintain that my methods will eventually be better known for their effect on remedial horses than raw ones.

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Question: Is it possible to do Join-Up with other horses around?

Answer:

If there are other horses visible while doing Join-Up, it is a distraction. Wherever possible, you should strive to do Join-Up with as little confusion around as possible. Having said that, Join-Up can be accomplished even when there is significant distraction. You should remember that I do about approximately 400 Join-Ups per year with an audience present. Nearly all of them are done in a see-through round pen. My horses deal with major distractions. Since Join-Up has been 100 percent successful for more than 3,500 horses done in front of audiences, I maintain that you can overcome distractions. Because I have done more than 12,000, I am well aware of the fact that it is easier to do Join-Up without distractions.

- Monty

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Question: Would you normally talk to a horse?

Answer:

Sure. I might say, “Hey Shy Boy. How you doin' today?” Of course, I talk to him. But does he listen to me? Naw, probably not. What I mean is, he hears my voice, but he has no idea what I am saying. You cannot go out there and tell a horse to accept his first saddle, bridle and rider, using words. Their language, Equus, is silent. It’s a language of gestures. I cannot be strong enough when I tell you that. I’ve started eight or ten horses in a day without saying a word. Should you choose, training your horse to respond to voice commands is fine. Voice commands are effectively used by most equestrians. You should be aware, however, that this is a habituated response. Until trained to voice commands, horses rarely respond to any of our sounds.

- Monty

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Question: Have you had any success with donkeys or mules?

Answer:

Donkeys are a challenge. They are loveable creatures and I have nothing against donkeys. They’re a little hard to train through the language because they have a lesser flight mechanism, and they’re often not as responsive as horses. Mules are wonderful. They respond beautifully to these concepts. I have had many outstanding mules. They became exemplary partners for packing, trail riding, roping, racing, and reining. Mules have a long list of attributes and should not be taken lightly when it comes to performing in many disciplines. Dr. Robert Miller, the father of foal imprinting and longtime “mule man,” believes that Join-Up is the most effective way to train a mule.

- Monty

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