*PLEASE READ FIRST*

If you don't know what a join up with a horse is, this story might be hard for you to understand. So a join up is basically a method people use with their horses to create a bond of trust with them. To perform a join up, you get the horse in an arena and free lunge him. First in one direction, then another. The things you should look for are- the inside ear turning towards you, licking and chewing in the mouth, a slow in pace, and finally for them to lower their head down. Then you turn your back to them and they should walk up to you. This is a little oneshot of how I joined up with my pony Misty.

The Join Up

I was nervous. It was the second time I was going to attempt to do a join up with my pony Misty. The first time I tried she did not respond to me very well, but it was a new day, and there was some unidentified energy in the air. It seemed to be saying "OK, this is it. Now go for it." I lead her into the round pen, lunge whip in hand. I unhooked her lead rope, and she looked at me for a short time. Then she started to graze on the grass below her.

As soon I eased the whip into the air, it caught her attention. Her head rose up, and she quickly turned herself around to where the left side of her body was facing to the outside of the round pen. I knew she would do this. She has always liked tracking left the best. Her gate started at a fast walk, her thick main bouncing in the air. I clicked my tongue. She was going to have to pick up the pace for this to work. She responded by moving into a trot. Her short legs were moving in small strides and her head was at a ninety degree angle. This went on for made three minutes and then I saw her ears twitching. Her right ear turned towards me. "Yes!" I thought. "I've got the ear!"

She tossed her head. Then, her trot slowed a little. It was time to switch her direction. I shifted my body to where it was slightly in her path and her quickly jumped into a canter, and turned herself around. "Good," I thought, but then she slowed back into a trot, and tried to turn around again. I knew I couldn't let her do this. She was to stay in the direction I wanted her to be in. I was in control. I stepped closer to her to keep her tracking right. It worked. I looked at her mouth. I saw what I was looking for, the licking and chewing. I grinned, this was going pretty well.

Her body relaxed, and she slowed her pace. I was waiting on one last thing- for her to lower her head. She looked to the ground. Her head was bobbing. At last she lowered it. I was so excited that my heart was screaming. My job wasn't over yet though. We still weren't joined up. I laid the whip down, and turned away from her. She slowed immediately from a slow trot to a halt. I felt hot all over. This is where we messed up before. She just started to graze again instead of walking over to me. Now I stood there for what seemed to be hours and waited. I stood with my head down daring not to look back at her. I closed my eyes. I was about to give up when I felt a warm breath on my neck. With my heart in my throat, I walk in a strait line. She followed. I turned to the left. She followed. I turned to the right, and she still behind me. I turned to look at her. She had a soft look in her eyes. Her expression said, "It's OK. I'm here, just like I'll always be. I'm right behind you." With tears in my eyes I wrapped my arms around her dark chestnut neck, and in here ear I whispered, "I'll always be here too."

That day I learned the real definition of a join up. It was not to, "get the ear," or, "to lower the head." The real definition is to love your horse and work as one, not to have one overpower the other, and if you have that kind of trust in each other, you're already joined up.

Ok. I hoped you liked that. Please review and tell me if you liked it, or what I need to improve on!

Peace, horselover4ever