Has anyone done Join Up?

[craggyhollow]

Our little cob X is a bombproof hack and a lovely genuine honest boy at rallies and sj

BUT he can be very bargy and borderline aggressive around food and he's a terrible loader.

He's very herd orientated - hates leaving any group of ponies

Wondered whether join up might help? I'd have to do it in the field as we don't have a swanky round pen

Yes,I did it with Dpony,who was a dream to ride,but a horror to lead.If she didn't fancy going with me,she'd plant and any encouragement with a lunge whip would have her rearing and lashing out.I had Linda Ruffle come out and it was well worth it,totally changed our relationship.At her worst,I couldn't allow the dds to catch or lead dpony and couldn't see me ever trusting her around them.I did discover that she had a long history of being bad to catch,lead and load,so much so that one of her previous owners was unable to deal with her at all and had to get her owner before that to bring her in.That person never registered as her owner with the passport agency because dpony was so bad that she didn't want to be associated with her.

I didn't have a pen,we used a menage,but any fenced off bit of field will do.We spent a few hours with her and have never looked back.I don't have to catch her now,she comes to me,and I don't need a headcollar or lead rope if I don't want to,she'll follow me anywhere.When I bought her field mate in for the farrier today,I just called dpony and she followed me up to the yard and stood ready to be tied up.The dds can catch,lead and load her now with no issues and what I've learnt has stood me in good stead with DD2's pony,who can,according to his owners apparently be bargy,hard to catch and load.I've not had any problem with him because of what I've learnt.

Good luck and I'd be interested to hear how you get on.I though that dpony would be the last pony on earth join up would work for,because of her 20 years plus of being difficult and having her own way,but I was wrong.

Wow. That is inspired! He's very mistrustful in the field, hard to catch unless you have food, ears back, turns his bum to you, weaves about. Started lifting a back leg also, little ratbag.

Once you have him tacked up or the headcollar on he's a dream!

I need to find a good person local to me. I am in the South West.

Marking

I've done it. It's great! I did it with a couple of ponies in the past, but it really came into its own when we brought DDs youngster home . We didn't know at the time, but she was riddled with lice and couldn't bear to be touched. We couldn't catch her for a month. In the end, I just did basic join up in the paddock. Kept following her and moving her on. It wasn't fast, I walked after her, she walked off, it was flipping tiring in such a big space, but I persevered and she joined in the end. Poor little girl, up close she was crawling. It meant I was able to get a halter on her and treat them. She was a different pony in a week.
DD has done join up with her section A. There is nothing sweeter than watching a pony join up with a child.

So if I 'join up' with him, will dd have to do it separately?

Will he be good with me and terrible with everyone else?

I'd do it more than once anyway, maybe 2 or 3 times over a week or two. DD could have a go as well, under close supervision.

We've never had to do it again with dpony,although we thought we might have to,after all,she'd had years of having her own way.I did get the DDs to do a bit of backing her around poles on the ground ect,just to reinforce that she moved when we asked her to.

I found it interesting that it worked so well for her,she isn't bothered about human or equine company,not affectionate,very stand offish.I remember going to a PC rally and the instructor spotting her and going 'Oh no,I remember THAT pony!'

Good job we love her. Strangely enough,I've had a few people ask if they can have her when DD2 has outgrown her.I don't think I could bear to let her go though.

I've just looked up on Intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk and there are 3 people in the SouthWest who'll come out listed.

It seems to me that it actually works better with the less humanised beasties.
probably because deep down they have a little more respect/fear of people. It's always a lot harder with our home breds because they've been cosseted from birth and don't get the wild herd instinct stuff.

Dpony can be a sod to catch and I find that if I just walk after him, move him on with a flick of the lead rope or wave my arms, he'll give up. Sometimes in can take 10 minutes, others just a couple. The only problem is that if I try and lunge him he keeps turning in towards me!

I've done that too frosty .Dpony was furious and was cow kicking in my direction,but I wore her down after about 20 minutes and she has NEVER refused to be caught since.Even if she sees me heading her way with a rug,she still daren't bugger off,she sort of sidles around watching me out of the corner of her eye and looks faintly embarrassed but always gives in.I have special ponies.

My old lady is a total shit! She's a sec A. Doesn't matter how much you join up with her if she doesn't want to be caught she won't be caught! I've chased the old cow around for hours before she gave in! And she'll cow kick if you get to close too!
Even if you do get a rope round her neck she will still leg it! I caught her once to show her foal to someone. Got a rope round her neck, she took off, I flew through the air and landed in a puddle! everyone clapped! Not relevant but funny in hindsight!

He was really sweet today. He was a bit bargy on the way back to the paddock and I stopped him and made him take a few steps back but I do that by pushing him which I can't believe is good

Those that have done Join up - What did you use as a long line?

lunge whip.

you don't need to use anything. Just keep them moving.

Thanks saggy. Was reading Kelly marks and she says do not use a whip under any circumstances

oops! I have those books too!
Mind you, ive always used one and join up has always worked.

I've got several of Kelly's books,but have yet to read them. We flapped a lunge line to move dpony on,and I used a lunge whip when I 'taught' her how to be caught.She wasn't traumatised in the slightest.

Think that Monty Roberts and Kelly Marks are due a visit to the UK in the near future. Worth going along to their Demos, if there is one near you. They include a difficult loader as part of the Demo (you can also see them in action on Horse and Country TV).

Apparently they are here any day.