At 20:02:07 on 26.02.09, saddleup wrote:
He's been such a huge influence in teaching so many of us to understand and work with equine body language and horse behavious....a very intelligent approach which has made a revolutuion in our handling of horses. I read in H&H that there is an ongoing study being undertaken by British Scientists at Hartpury College into JoinUp techniques to see whether this causes more stress to the horse than traditional methods. Results due in the Spring....watch this space.

At 20:06:30 on 26.02.09, saddleup wrote:
One of the scientists in the study mentioned above is Dr. Veronica Fowler. She has a very interesting website (below) where you can log on to the research mentioned above. There are times when science can prove what we've all known all along so there is some good reading to be done here.
http://www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk/content/view/100/124/

At 20:40:01 on 05.03.09, hoponahorse wrote:
I'll deffinately be browsing this link when i find the time! I believe that Monty Roberts has some very valuable things to teach us, as it was through him and the fact that he worked with both horses and his many foster children, that I discovered how horses can help teach us! However I have also found that as his name has become more widely know, unfortunately he has become too trapped in his ways with join up, and does not treat each horse indevidually any more. Of course, he still helps them with facing their fears and learning new things, yet I have watched his demonstrations at Hartpury College, since before he was well known. He used to, well how can I put this, treat each horse differently. Now he simply does the join up and then the routine for the problem (tarp, plastic bag, lorry loading, and starting a horse) in each of his demonstrations and to the book. However I am not against him, as I like I said earlier he does have a lot to teach! More recently I went to a demonstration by a man called Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling, and love what he does with horses! Its truly magical to watch him working with them. I'm looking forward to the journal being written at Hartpury, because I'm a student there (although I will be leaving soon, as the course and way they have with horses does not suit me), I will be able to read it first hand! I'll let you know when it is published and give my opinion!
http://www.hempfling.com/

At 21:02:17 on 05.03.09, saddleup wrote:
I've had a look at your blog, and really liked it. It's hard to believe that you're only 18; you write in a way that is compelling, with a clear independent mind. And you've found something that you can commit yourself too so young in life, with all the time ahead to build on your experience. I loved what you said about your horse, Shadow, esp. the way he followed you along the wall. This is such exciting stuff....we have come so far and really found a way to talk between horses and humans, for those with the will. And so much more is known about all this these days. I remember the way my daughter used to play with her Connemara in the field, each mirroring one another...it builds up such a bond. And was a true delight to see...not geared toward achievement..just having fun....Look at this pic of my sister's horses; she would be someone after your own heart in the way she cares for her horses. It's great stuff and it makes them shine...as here.

At 19:10:38 on 06.03.09, hoponahorse wrote:
Thanx! I will hopefully soon be starting a newsletter via my blog, and then see where it takes me. Sounds like your daughter had fun with her conemara! and its so important that although you may have a goal to achieve, in her case the goal would simply have been to have a good time! To do it in a way where both you and the horse are playing, rather than working towards achievement! After all horses find comfort pretty important (after saftey of course), and everyone enjoys having fun :D I gather your sister hunts? To be honest, no ofence to her, but my aim is to have as little as possible tack wise, so eventually I'll be able to play and ride completely at liberty with my horses. I notice however that her horse is relaxed among a big group and she has given him/her a loose rein which I'm pleased to see! I'd be interested to here more about what your sister does with her horses. And of course yourself and your daughter too!!! :D You may interested in this video of hempfling working with a very difficult horse...just found it on Youtube so thought I may as well pass it on!

At 21:39:08 on 11.03.09, Paso Girl wrote:
Unfortunately sound has gone on my computer so can't tell what is going on can just see him lunging the horse lol. Oh well will get it sorted so can fully understand it soon. He seems like all of the good horsemen and women that he is a natural, it's something you can't teach or learn you can just communicate with the animal. The problem i have with a lot of these 'natural horsemanship trainers' is their showmanship and 'tricks' to 'fix' horses with the pretence of actually wanting to 'understand the horse.' Like you said Saddleup Monty Roberts used to be passionate about his work, now he's just going through the motions. As a trainer myself I understand that you need to make a living, but i do feel some people have got too big and lose where they've come from and where they were heading. I feel that what these trainers are trying to do is teach people their natural gift - and they can only do this to a certain degree - otherwise they wouldn't be the great trainers as they wouldn't be special. Anyway that's enough of a rant....i do feel that it can only be a good thing educating the general equine public about 'the natural way' - although this shouldn't be an excuse for a badly behaving horse! I do like the thought that we are creating a more caring and understanding equine world.

At 21:45:26 on 12.03.09, saddleup wrote:
DOn't you think it's always a p roblem in whatever discipline that someone starts out with something special and then the ego takes over. It's something I often watch for....it's really, really nice when people can hold onto their vision with integrity. But as you say this often can't sit easily with showmanship. Imperfect world, I guess.

At 22:31:04 on 20.03.09, plodalong wrote:
hi ive only been into horses for a few years. i started late in life. i bought a horse from a romany and when i got him home couldnt do anything with him, two greens made black and blue which was the colour of my bruises. he pushed me around, turned his back on me in the stable, dragged me to and from the field. i didnt know what to do. he was scaring me qand my dream of having a horse was getting dimmer. a friend lent me a dvd of pat parelli and the seven games. wow within a few weeks things were changing.i began to understand and think like my horse. we now have a great bond and a mutual respect for each other. the parelli system worked for us. i know its not the be all of horsemanship and other methods and teachers such as monty roberts have a lot to offer anyone who wants to learn and have fun with there horses.it was the right way for us. pat parelli has a lot of critics but i thank him for helping us become partners.

At 21:55:00 on 31.03.09, saddleup wrote:
You've had a colourful time of it but none of us get away without the blacks and the blues. I suppose it's the way we learn respect for our horses. Interesting too about the parelli methods. I hear such good things about them and I suppose we all take what is best from these techniques and make them something personal between our horse and ourself. Glad it worked for you.

At 13:07:24 on 26.04.09, The Practitioner wrote:
Its interesting to read the comments about Monty Roberts. I was a student of his many years ago at West Oxfordshire College and even then there was a lot of showmanship. However, I don't think the more empathic methods that have subsequently become more popular, would have been well received at that time. I like to think that Monty brought natural horsemanship to the masses in a way that people were able to receive and accept it. It takes a lot to change entrenched views and habits and his methods got ordinary, everyday horsepeople thinking about using brain rather than brawn, which probably spared a lot of horses a lot of beatings. I have always made it my practise to embrace the bits I like and leave the rest! My own horsemanship is a blend of everything that I have been exposed to that felt "right" mixed with that deep inner intuition that I believe we all have within.