Join-Up, a successful training method or scam?

In local news tonight, the stunningly beautiful, yet sometimes difficult Andalusian, Escapado has overcome his fear of lunging and has in the process has become one with his owner Judy Seling, her comment was 'we have finally become a team'.

What started out as a simple lunging session on Memorial Day to start getting him into shape and ready to ride, turned into a long and drawn out 45 minute totally wild training session.

Ms. Seling decided at the moment things went south, with him getting away from her on the lunge line, to try Join-up.

After saving him from the lunge line "snake" she removed the halter and lunge line. Judy then walked around the 220 x 100 foot arena moving Escapado with a soft cotton lead rope, never letting him stop in one place more than a second or two. This reportedly involved rearing, beautiful 180 degree twirls and a lot of  flat out galloping from one end to the other, creating a wild blowing, snorting and winded horse.

To her amazement though, after about 15 minutes Escapado came closer and closer to her as she moved him along, soon he was going around Ms. Seling at the calm trot in a perfect 30 meter circle in the working end of her 220 foot arena. This was accomplished with no lunge line or whip, halting and trotting on command like a pro. She was also able to change his direction, yet all the time he stayed right with her. After 15 minutes of this he was still not giving "in", but then finally she said he was licking and chewing, a sign of total submission by a horse to a true leader.

Ms. Seling was quoted as saying she has always been very skeptical of this particular type of training and all it's hype and did not believe in join-up at all. With a 220 x 100 foot outdoor arena and not a small round pen like a real trainer she thought it impossible and so she had never tried it.

It was reported that tonight on the lunge line he acted just like he did free lunging on Memorial Day, staying out on the 30 meter circle to the very end of the line, using only his halter, very loosely with no pulling or hanging on the line and no whip whatsoever, obeying every softly spoken command. This was a balanced, calm, listening horse, a MAJOR accomplishment according to his owner.

During this workout the horse exhibited licking and chewing at his very first step and throughout the session, showing total calm and ending on a very good note with praise all around. With each command of "woah" he stopped on the circle and looked alertly at Ms. Seling as if to say "what now boss?".

Needless to say, his owner, Judy, is ecstatic beyond belief, the future is bright.  The words "finally" were softly heard as she walked away with her horse.

Below: Escapado 2007 / Judy with him as a baby