Are Join-Up methods and competitive riding at odds?

May 12, 2021 – Ask Monty Newsletter

Question: Are Join-Up® methods and competitive riding at odds?

Monty’s Answer:

The answer certainly is that in no way do my violence-free methods sit at odds with competition. If they did, I would never have been able to achieve eleven World Championships.

The fact is, to train violence-free one can achieve a far higher degree of excellence than forceful training. Horses will perform closer to their optimum levels when they do it because they want to, than they ever will if they are performing because they are frightened not to. It is scientifically sound to make this assumption for the flight animal.

Sincerely,