Chambon?

[scats]

Rehabbing a horse who needs to learn to go long and low on the lunge and long reins (vet and physio advice) due to rehabbing from a back problem. Under saddle she does it well but I struggle to replicate that on the long reins, particularly in trot. I tend to lunge off two lines and also intersperse a bit of polework, straight lines etc and while she will remain long and low in walk, she revert she back to old habits in trot.

A harbridge was suggested so I dug mine out the tack room and it had the total desired effect, but unfortunately horse took it a bit far and at points her head was so low she came very close to standing on the harbridge. I pushed her on a bit and it raised her head slightly but then without warning her nose was on the ground again and she nearly stood on it a second time. It gave me heart failure so I stopped. I must add that the harbridge was not tight at all, she just seemed to really respond to it when it came into action.

So I’m seeking something similar that she won’t be able to stand on if she decides to do a nose plunge! I fear a good old lunging rope or even a bungee could end up in a similar situation. Side reins fitted low and loose just curl her up and back which is exactly what we don’t want.

Would a chambon be better suited in this instance? Or any other suggestions?
She’s currently on a ridden every third day, long reined/lunged and inhand polework on the other days, as per rehab instructions.

 

[tallyho!]

I think you should carry on as you are scats... if you are rehabbing the back, she may just need time to get strong stomach muscles, as we would if we were having physio for a back problem, it's all about the core and it takes time.... it took me three months to recover properly from a back injury doing core-work. I was doing this with my mare just last year.

Forcing a head low position is not a good idea if you have just started - but encourage it bit by bit using poles and flexing left/right to encourage suppling and bending around traffic cones - its hard work running behind so maybe do it ridden too. Get her consistent in walk and try a few good trot strides and increase the duration week by week. If she's looking at the stars it's probably because something hurts or something is not strong enough yet - be patient, no need to resort to gadgets. It's all about timing. Sometimes if you force something you get problems elsewhere.

A great book that helped me was Ingrid Klimke's polework... seriously suggest investing in a copy. Also try straightness training - very good for core.

 

[scats]

I think you should carry on as you are scats... if you are rehabbing the back, she may just need time to get strong stomach muscles, as we would if we were having physio for a back problem, it's all about the core and it takes time.... it took me three months to recover properly from a back injury doing core-work. I was doing this with my mare just last year.

Forcing a head low position is not a good idea if you have just started - but encourage it bit by bit using poles and flexing left/right to encourage suppling and bending around traffic cones - its hard work running behind so maybe do it ridden too. Get her consistent in walk and try a few good trot strides and increase the duration week by week. If she's looking at the stars it's probably because something hurts or something is not strong enough yet - be patient, no need to resort to gadgets. It's all about timing. Sometimes if you force something you get problems elsewhere.

A great book that helped me was Ingrid Klimke's polework... seriously suggest investing in a copy. Also try straightness training - very good for core.

Thank you. I’ll have a look at that book.

We’ve been rehabbing and long reining since the second week in January, she’s done at least 4 long reining sessions a week since then and the other days inhand polework and inhand hacking, but I only got back on board last week. I spent January and February doing lots of polework, hacking out on long reins, flexing etc and she hugely improved in walk, but trot just has got no better at all (I’m getting fitter though haha!) which is why I decided to try and look for something to try and help her out a bit.

 

[Cloball]

I prefer the chambon to most lunging aids as it releases regardless of where the nose is ie. less likely to get the curling under effect if you get my drift. However; as with most aids you need to make sure the back end is working effectively. It is also not at all suited to horses who dislike poll pressure.

 

[scats]

I prefer the chambon to most lunging aids as it releases regardless of where the nose is ie. less likely to get the curling under effect if you get my drift. However; as with most aids you need to make sure the back end is working effectively. It is also not at all suited to horses who dislike poll pressure.

Thank you. If she was to go very long and low, is there a chance she could stand on any part of it?
I’ve never been a fan of training aids and have spent 30years not really using any apart from occasional side reins for straightness on the lunge, but in this case I feel we have hit a bit of a brick wall and as discussed with vets, she does need something to encourage her on her longreining day days.

 

[PapaverFollis]

A chambon is the only lunging aid I will use, as said above I like that it does nothing to the nose. If they went really low I imagine there is a slight chance of standing on it but very slight I'd say as it's central and goes girth to poll they'd have to step quite high and across while the poll was very low and there would also have to be a sag in the line in order to stand on it. It's horses though, anything is possible but I think a chambon is quite low risk.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Aaaand I just remembered I have a little video of The Beast walking in her chambon. She is just walking but nose is almost on the ground at times and watching it there is no danger of her standing on it at all.

 

[scats]

A chambon is the only lunging aid I will use, as said above I like that it does nothing to the nose. If they went really low I imagine there is a slight chance of standing on it but very slight I'd say as it's central and goes girth to poll they'd have to step quite high and across while the poll was very low and there would also have to be a sag in the line in order to stand on it. It's horses though, anything is possible but I think a chambon is quite low risk.

Thank you, this is super. I might give it a go and see how we get on.

 

[scats]

Aaaand I just remembered I have a little video of The Beast walking in her chambon. She is just walking but nose is almost on the ground at times and watching it there is no danger of her standing on it at all.

That’s good to know. I might take a punt and order one. I was just reluctant if we were going to end up in the same situation as the harbridge.
Many thanks!

 

[eggs]

I often lunge with a chambon and even though one of mine trots round with his nose on the ground he has never trodden on it. I do have to watch he doesn't stand on the lunge line though!