[rascalboy]

Eh, I've never really been totally sure about it, and there are some horses it doesn't work on.
I've done it a couple of times, and while it did help one mare slightly, the other couple of horses just ended up irritated. Both were alphas (and one was also dumb as rocks). It took an hour and a half with my mare, and then she was cranky the whole day. The other horse we had to give up on, because after two and a half hours we couldn't run anymore...
So if your horse isn't a really stubborn alpha, you should be good to go.

[mftx4]

I've used this method a few times with horses that are either shy or quite dominate. The shy ones seem to 'get it' quicker than those that are not. I have a mare that came to my herd with an 'attitude'. She was very, 'I don't come to you. You come to me.' The join-up method has taught her that I am the queen, not her. She's not always the first to greet you, but she does come to me when she is called. That's better than having to go out and catch her.

[azboo]

I've had the same mixed response. Our two mares both came around very quickly and easily. One of them was just happy to not be made to go around anymore, and it was almost like she was just waiting for the part where she could come to me. The other mare was more like "whatever".... must be another one of her stupid human tricks.

The gelding, the s t i n k e r !!!!.... there was no way he was joining up with anyone. His attitude hasn't changed one little bit. He's still the one you always have to watch and he could have run around in a circle for years... He wore me down long before he was even close to giving in.

[Gottagallop]

If my horse is acting ... stuip.ed so to speak ill take her in the round pen and join up but for the most part i hardly ever do it.

I would not do it everyday. Once in a while a horse will stop "following" you around and get a bit pushy then i do it again usually its much easier the second/third time and so on.

Just remember

"more time spent now with a horse"

"the less time later when it really counts"

and if it counts now then ya'll didnt do your homework. Always prepare for everything.


Lol speaking of prepare for all. Today we desensitised a horse to a bull whip lol. We cracked it all around her and over her head and even once while riding her lol. The first time my friend cracked it she about melted haha. but after a little patients and trust and elbow grease she did even look at it no more. =D

[Bruce Wiley]

The known method is done mostly within a round pen, small enclosed arena but alot of the same work and results can occur at the end of a lunging line or lead rope.

This general concept for doing the join up is to establish a working relationship between horse & the human, with the hope of putting (setting up) the human into the position of the leader's spot, and to direct the horse's every movement where the views of the horse could conclude, this must be their leader, where in time the horse can or maybe learn to trust the indivdual.
But things don't always go according to plan, whereas and in some cases the person may have failed to adminster those techniques & not being fair, or firm and where things should have been clear and correctly, and that is why some horses can go thru this and other exercises, without accepting the handler intentions.

Our modern times has brought about many changes, (do it yourselves) where join up right along with other training techniques are marked as anyone can learn to do it.
Recent results has brought to the fore-front (our understanding) this should be done by an competent and experienced horse indivduals that can interpret and counter the horse's unwanted attitude, reactions where the handler must know when, and how much pressure to apply and all of this takes or requires the proper knowledge and to be able to out think those certain things with the horse, when things may occurs and to be able correct them.

Heres another issue I like to address, where some people have attended those clinics in which they watch the clinicians perform those techniques, methods such as join up, with the attendees not considering the clinician's knowledge with those long hours of pratice and with them sharpening & honing their skillset to perform those acts in front of gatherings of folks, where it does look impressive, but this is something not everybody should attempt.
By doing so, it could wreak or weaken whatever relationship person may have with their horse and with any type of training method or technique, a thorough knowledge base must be attain, in order to succeed in the desired result one would seek.

This just my view point, and I hope this insght helps.