Can I loose school in a Pessoa????

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As the title really....

My horse is really un-balanced in canter and finds it hard to carry himself and doesn't work from behind. He gets all long and on the forehand. He is ok in a straight line but struggles in a school when he has to bend!!! Our indoor school is tiny (approx 20 X 20 ish) so that makes it really hard for him.

I do have regular lessons (every 2 weeks) with a good instructor but I do think some work in a pessoa would help him learn to balance himself without me hindering him. I used to lunge him in one during the summer and found it really helped. However, we are not allowed to ride in the fields at the moment and our school has pillars down the liddle so I can't lunge in there.

Can I loose school in a pessoa??
 
I wouldn't loose school in a pessoa. Long reining might be an option - I've thought about it but not actually tried it.
Maybe your instructor could suggest some exercises you could do when riding instead.
 
I have done it no problems, providing the horse won't jump out I dont see the difference to lungeing, its better imo
 
Have done it and seen it done..... both horses lived to tell the tale
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but that doesnt mean nothing will happen...

As long as you ensure there is nothing for the pessoa to catch on and the horse doesnt roll in it, I cant see a massive danger. Obviously there should not be tonnes of slack in the ropes, but if there was it wouldnt be working properly anyway.
 
I loose school our horses a lot but I would never ever loose school them with their pessoas on. There are just far too many things which could potentially go wrong - and the lines would never break before a horse's leg would...

Use the Pessoa with a lunge rein or long lines, you can still do everything on those that you can loose surely?
 
Used to do it at old SJ I used to be at. Had no problems, all horses where used to it though. Also used to loose school in side reins, de gouge and chambon x
 
Nope, not if you want the horse to go straight at a good trot, I have never had any problems providing the horse doesn't roll.
 
i personally wouldnt as i dont trust my horses enough, they have gallopping moments whilst loose loose schooling......also Jess jumped out the school in her pessoa once - even with me on the other end so i try and keep as tight hold as possible!
 
I would not recommed it. Maybe side reins would be ok lose schooling but they wont help of what you want to improve. If you want to improve the canter, try so pole work and trot/ canter then walk/canter transitions etc???
 
Grief all of the no,s on here, read the book the pessoa is made for this, to teach the horse self balance, as long as you are there and keeping the horse moving forward it is ideal for teaching a horse self balance, have done it with all youngsters and those with problems, it scares me when people say side reins etc as this teaches a horse to fix, the WHOLE idea of the pessoa is to teach natural balance and forward movement. Like everything adjust it correctly, introduce it correctly and then use it correctly and it will help, the pessoa is the best and only training aid that teaches a horse to use it self properly and go correctly without punishment IF used correctly.

Go for it you will reap the benefits if used right.
 
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