November 2006 E-Newsletter

Contents:

• Dear Friends: Have you enough concern for horses to share what you’ve learned with your acquaintances?
• Bonus Video Free on our Website: Click here and send it to a friend!
• Q&A: "My Irish Sport Horse does not have a particularly strong flight instinct. How do I get Join-Up®?"
• Monty's Principles for People: Praise: For Virtues or Meritorious Actions.
• From Our Readers: Healing Hearts with Horses and Horse Heaven Rescue
• Monty’s Challenge: NEW FEATURE to test your Join-Up “know how”
• Where in the world is Monty on tour next? Click here!
• Upcoming issues

Dear Friends

I have written to you through this E-Newsletter for one and a half years now. Those that have read it consistently know that my first goal is to make the world a better place for horses and for people too. I’m told that more than a third of you found me by word of mouth. That is validation that Equus, the language of gestures that I use to communicate and train with, is used by you, is working for you and is making happier horses, trainers and owners. Thank you!

The Send to a Friend button at the bottom of every issue is to keep the concepts growing. Please send this issue to at least one person that might learn from it. They will be sent an email with an option to see it or not so don’t worry about privacy. We will never sell or share the list. If you have seen value in the information, pass it on as I do!

Last week I started airing my special series Backstage Pass on a satellite network called RFD TV. I had a lot of fun making it and you’ll love the horses, as I did. We went to ten countries and filmed over 200 to pick seventeen of the most entertaining and educational demonstrations. It was a real milestone in my career. The entire series will be made available on DVD in January.

You can read about my sponsor of Backstage Pass on our website here by clicking here. I challenge each of you that are sincere in your efforts to make life better for horses, to follow my footsteps into areas where we can be of the most help. Some people call it controversial but I call it concern. I have never shied away from either when it’s the right thing to do.

Lastly, I am very proud of two new DVDs we have available for Christmas. Rosie: the Mustang that Wanted No Rider and The Perfect Match: Monty’s Guide to Buying a Horse. They are of the highest quality educational material and they’ll make great gifts too! Visit us for more info.

-Monty

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November 15 , 2006 Question and Answer

Question: I attended a 4 day clinic at Flag is Up Farms to become familiar with your techniques and have been starting all of our babies successfully now for 6 years.

Recently, we have been breeding Irish Sport Horses (ISH) in addition to our Thoroughbreds and I have discovered that the ISH does not have a particularly strong flight instinct. The problem that I now encounter is that these babies will exhibit all 4 signals within a couple of laps around the pen, and usually without even cantering. I can startle them to initially move away but it can be difficult to keep them moving without chasing them which then makes them leery to join-up. If I don't chase them, they will Join-Up and follow but not well because they have exhausted the flight instinct. I have experimented with moving on to saddle, rider, etc., more quickly but have found that mentally, they are not really ready for this either. Again I think, because the Join-Up is false.

I wondered what you would suggest. I think the ISH is similar to the warmblood in this regard. As I said, your method has worked really well and we have produced many lovely riding horses as a result, so hopefully, we can transfer this process to our ISH babies with as much success. Thank you so much. Jineen, Virginia

Monty's Answer: I am pleased to hear that these methods are working for you and especially that you are producing champions. I suppose it’s possible that you are worrying about things of lesser importance than you need to. I work with many ISH on my tours. And I find them to be quite normal within the realm of Equus. If I have a horse that is exhibiting lower flight tendencies than I am comfortable with, I will often use a plastic shopping bag on a stick to increase the flight response and when I feel I have what I want I simply toss it out over the fence and proceed with out the bag. You might try this but it sounds like you are doing pretty well as it is.

-Monty

Monty's Principles for People

This week, we re-print with permission the newsletter created by Konocti educator Pamela Bening-Hale, the talented teacher from northern California who has been instrumental in collaborating with Monty on the use of Join-Up® concepts in the classroom. To learn more about Pamela and her school district’s commitment to Join-Up concepts, please click here.

K.A.R.E.
Issue 2, Volume 6, November 5, 2006©

Praise: For Virtues or Meritorious Actions

B.E.S.T. Practices encourages seven praises to one, and what you pay attention to is how the student performs-- so praise. (It's a way to say "do that" rather than "don't do that".)

Ruby Payne, former teacher and administrator, encourages us to speak to students in the adult, positive voice.

Monty Roberts says to praise what is earned.

In the real classroom world, there are times when praising individuals seems like the last thing on the teacher's mind. It is a good habit to praise, especially when it seems no student is listening. Looking for the positive works.

There are students that are easy to find valid praises for. There are others that take work; the most challenging students are the ones that crave/need praise the most. Praise must be sincere. It can be based on characteristics and virtues. It can be based on behavior choices. Even using teachable moments can be worded in an encouraging praise, such as "The choice you made..."

Some tips on becoming a successful praising teacher are:

• Praise can come in many forms, such as a compliment, a thank you, and 'I noticed'.

• Of course, keep it sincere.

• Look out for praise situations and keep a mental bank for later. "Thank you for helping hold the door open yesterday."

• Little praises are just as valuable: "Great smile!"

• I had a student that I was frustrated with because of his behavior choices. Then I thought about a conversation I had heard from some of the boys the day before that this child doesn't cuss in school. So, when the situation wasn't moving toward the positive, I exclaimed, "I heard you don't swear at school! I'm impressed!" This was the motivator to shift his behavior.

• Admire, commend, congratulate, pay tribute to, go into raptures over, applaud, acclaim, praise.

• Given the statistics on the number of “negatives” a student receives, consider praise instead.

• Don't think little things are not worth the praise.

• Praise whispered in the ear, written on a private note and presented discretely build the drama and suspense of the compliment. Then the students can choose to share this information. The result can be fun and powerful for the child.

• Praise helps teamwork and "Join-Up"

I hope you're motivated to praise... more! Thank you!

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From Our Readers

I am SO very happy to see Monty Roberts on RFD TV!!! I am constantly amazed with what Join-Up® does with our rescued and abused horses. So are our volunteers. There are many people who mock me - and Join-Up -- but the proof is in what happens between horse and person. I am too old to ride most of these young ones, BUT I do all the ground work and they RESPOND!!!

I truly hope others will be able to find the value of Join-Up, I share the old videos with anyone who will watch, I have borrowed some DVDs and used the techniques and AGAIN they work!!!

Just wanted to say I am a supporter and wish I had $$$ to buy everything to share with my volunteers, but am SO THRILLED I can direct them to RFD TV if they have cable and look forward to refreshing the techniques and learning more!!!

Deb Hoyt, Director

Healing Hearts with Horses and Horse Heaven Rescue

NEW FEATURE!
Monty’s Challenge
I want all of my students to learn to be better trainers than me! Test yourself each week as I challenge you to answer the question from below by writing to newsletter@montyroberts.com. I mean this. Sit down and write an answer. Don't wait for my answer next week.

If you have been reading my Weekly Questions and Answers for the last six months, you should be in a position to do this.

Why should you bother? Because it will help you focus. There is probably a comparable question in your life that needs answering – or will be. If you can gain insight into how to go about answering a practical question that is loosely related to your problem, this exercise will help you answer your nagging question.

Then read my answer. Then read my other answers at this link: Ask Monty. The closest answer to mine each week will be awarded a DVD but more importantly you will learn! That's good for you! That's good for horses!

-Monty

Next Week’s Question to Answer:
I’ve accomplished “joining up” with all of my horses except one. I have a 5-year, 16 hand Thoroughbred mare that shows signs of aggression and alpha mare behavior. I’m assuming she is showing dominance and she has succeeded. I know this may sound strange, but can horses have an unnatural attraction to certain individuals?

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Look for these upcoming issues!

• More New Educational DVDs soon available!
• New Feature Coming! Join-Up® Moments
• Monty Awards trainers for Lifetime Achievements and Equitarian Award
• More Tour Dates will be announced for 2007

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