Chambon / Market Harborough or Pessoa - which one?

[BeepaStar]

My boy was seen by the physio last night and she suggested a training aid to help strenghten his back muscles and encourage him to try and work thorough. He's only been back in work since January and has OCD in both his stifle joints. The physio is aware of this. Bearing mind he can't really be lunged due to the loading on his stifle joints, physio suggested longing lining in a pessoa, however, I was thinking more along the lines of using an elastic chambon to start with. What do you guys think? Any views and advice welcome. Thanks

 

[dwi]

A de gogue, like a chambon but for lunging, I love mine.

 

[arwenplusone]

Isn't a chambon for lunging and a de gogue for riding?

Either way I would use a chambon over a pessoa - especially for a horse with little muscle. Physios seem to love the pessoas but (personally) I think they force the horse into a shape too much and this can be difficult for a weaker horse.

I also sort of think they sock the horse in the mouth a bit with each stride. Not really a fan.

My chambon has really helped my horse work long and low softens him on the lunge.

 

[BeepaStar]

Thanks for the feedback I might give this a try, lunging in very large circles making use of the 60 by 25 school.
Correct me if I'm wrong though, but I was under the impression you could ride with an elastic chambon.... ?

 

[arwenplusone]

You can ride in an elastic chambon.

Only thing to be careful of is soreness in the neck if it is too tight - plus you need to make sure the horse doesn't go too much on the forehand. (I think this is why the physios like the pessoa because it 'allegedly' works the quarter muscles - a chambon doesn't).

 

[yeeharider]

dont like any gadget which forces a horse into an outline

 

[jumptoit]

I have had great success with a pessoa on my mare when bringing her back into work from 3 years off, I also use a Market Harborough but would use a pessoa or chambon first.

 

[marlyclay]

An abbott davies,if you can find one.Or look on www.annrees.co.uk she makes a balancing rein that you can ride or lunge in.

 

[megwan1]

i have a pessoa and i dont feel that it forces fliss into a shape as i'm very concious of doing it too tite so i probs put it on quite loose.... although saying that she does work very nicely in it but can choose not to - i think it encourages rather than forces but i suppose it depends how tight its done up....

 

[Tnavas]

The chambon doesn't force the horse into any outline - It works by encouraging the horse to put it's haed down through poll pressure and the raising of the bit in the mouth. From there the person lunging the horse works the horse more forward so that the horse uses itself.

 

[Janette]

I can see why people rave about Pessoa's, but I'm with Mayflower where the 'sock in the mouth' with every stride is concerned.

What about lungeing in a set of elastic balancing reins? Just great lengths of luggage elastic which go from the Dee ring, through the bit and back to the saddle flaps. No force, they can travel up and down the reins, but in the end the horse ends up in a lovely position and working through a swinging back.
Well that's what happens with us......

ETA - I also lunge with 2 reins to keep one around the hocks to encourage the stepping through.