Help..I dont know what to do

[felicitie]

I have been working in the round pen with a horse, to join up. i like to join up with a horse before starting them under the saddle.. so they know that they can trust me the thing is.... hes so good that now he wont go away from me to be excersised!!!he turns to me and i cant get him to 'flee'... i dont know what to do.. i have done join up quite a bit with alot of other horses and this one im having a hard time will.. he would rather follow me around than have his excersise.. he is not broke so i cant ride him. should i just go ahead and start riding him?

Please help! thanks

[Miriam]

Sorry I have no answers but you are not alone. I have the same problem with my horse Rhi. I never did join up with he it is something she has done herself. It can be annoying at times but it is great when the kids ride her as I can leave go and know she will follow me anywhere so the kids think they are riding on their own :D The biggest annoying factor of her being joined to me is that if one of the more experienced riders ride her and I am there she starts to nap to me. if I'm not there she is so well behaved

[flowergirl]

if the horse will follow yu anyway there is obviously a trust there etc, i cant see in this case why you would need join up as it appears that you are already there. I think join up has its merits but isnt always suitable or nesercary.

if yu really want to do it i would look at how you are using your body language, ensure that you really are giving off the right signals.

[Harry Hobbes]

"Join Up" does not mean that the horse stays with you. It is a marketing phrase used to label the process of controlling the movements of the horse from the ground, while the horse is at liberty.

Whether one uses the phrase "Join Up", or "Hooking On", or "Round Pen Reasoning", it is an exercise in establishing control of the horse while at liberty from the ground. This means that you can readily send the horse away; then, bring it back; at your discretion.

If the horse will not leave you, then do not make the mistake of thinking that you've succeeded with Join Up (or Hooking On, or Round Pen Reasoning); because you do not have control of the horse's movements. (The horse is controlling its' movements by not leaving when asked.)

You will be doing "Join Up" successfully when you can readily send the horse away, calmly and briskly; and then, have it come back just as calmly and briskly.

You may want to use a tool, such as a flag, halter lead rope, or lounge whip to cause the horse to leave you. Direct enough energy at the horse with the tool (snap it hard toward the horse), and it will leave you. Cause the horse to move briskly around the training area for a few laps; then, go back to the techniques to cause it to return to you.

Your horse should feel just as comfortable leaving you as returning to you. If it doesn't, it needs more training.

Best regards,
Harry

[Kate F.]

I think Harry is right - if the horse is just coming in and "parking" next to you, you're not quite there yet. The horse has discovered there is a nice comfortable place next to you, and believes you are not going to try and eat it - but it has not yet given you the respect that means it trusts you to make the right decisions to look after its safety. The higher ranking horse is the one the others trust to look after the herd - and it's this aspect that's crucial to using hooking on as an effective relationship builder.

The higher ranking horse determines how much personal space it wants at any time, and the others keep out of that space. If you are taking on the role of the leader, you must also be able to say whether you want a large "bubble" around you or a small one, and be able to change that at any time. This is what horses do. Your horse won't be offended by being asked to move away - it will actually find it reassuring that you can control the personal space.

I don't think you necessarily need to send it away "hard" - it can also be done with just very fine adjustments to the space. Be able, for example, to step the horse's forehand just one or two steps away, then wait there, then bring it back again. If the horse is used to "parking on top of you" then you might, as Harry suggests, need quite a lot of energy and some extra tools (flag, rope etc) to break the pattern and get things moving again, but I think I'd make it my goal to get to the stage where I can control the personal space with just fine adjustments to body language.

Watch carefully when the horse wants to come in to you - is it "asking for permission" or is it coming in with "attitude" and using the exercise to switch you off. A little laying back of the ears as is turning in, or a little flip of the nose can mean its switching you off - and in this case - step towards it and isend it on to increase the space between you again.

If you have a look at my website, there are some ideas on exercises to get this control of the personal space going, especially "working without the rope" from summer 2003 and the current update.

Good luck and stick at it - things get even better when you can properly control the space!