Native American Horsemanship

Hello, I just recently got the book "Horse, Follow Closely" by GaWaNi PonyBoy for my birthday, and I really enjoy his techniques. I also got the video that comes with it. However, he never has anything about join-up in the ten exersizes (sp) and I really wanted to learn abut that. Is it in the video? Also, does anyone use his methods? Thanks, Almond Joy

I could be wrong but I thought the term join up was trade marked by another trainer. It could be that he describes the join up process without using that particular term?

I just googled it (to see if I was full of crap) and the words "Join Up" are trademarked by Monty Roberts.

The Native Americans were (if I remember correctly) quite cruel compared to todays standards of horse breaking and training.

I don't know that they were cruel but they were fearless about getting on the wildest horses.

Ponyboy is cool. I like his style and his book has a beautiful collection of photos. It's all the same horsemanship though. Like someone else said, 'join-up' is just what Monty calls it. Buck calls it 'hooking on'. Same technique. All you have to do is create some energy in the horse and then direct it. It's one of those things that takes awhile to get good at but the technique itself is simple. The confidence in your intent, basically, is what determines how effective it will be when you practice it with the horse.

Just like today, there were good trainers and bad. I've read a book by a Native American, (can't remember the nation or author at the moment) and what he describe was something along the lines of Clinton Anderson.

I'm aware understanding of the animals and acceptable practices change over time, I'm not out right faulting the Native American's, and my knowledge is admittedly limited xD Good to be on here though, looking to learn a few things.

What Ponyboy does is decent training but it has absolutely nothing to do with any Native American heritage. He learned it from present day trainers, but puts some stereotyped "mystical" Native American spin on it. It bugs me when people trade on their heritage simply as a way to sell their ideas.

I don't see how you can trademark English words used in a normal manner. That's why you usually see trademarked phrases misspelled.