Equi Ami, pessoa or something else?

I cant rate the equiami highly enough.We have four competition horses ranging from 16..2 upto 17.1 three are 6yrs old and one is 15yrs old. All of these are lunged in the equiami 3 times per week 10 mins on each rein.It teaches my horses self carriage,balance and is a brilliant training aid.It's simple to fit and adjust even with gloves on on a recent forum topic on BD out of 21 replies 19 recommended equiami.
 
Equiami every time: quick, easy to adjust, tidies away in a neat little bag, and works them really well - but without any point which is fixed, so they cannot set / hold themselves against it. With a more advanced ones on the flat you can really power them up & round, with others it develops muscle tone and balance. A very handy bit of kit... :)
 
EquiAmi all the way, I have in the past used various 'training aids' including the pessoa. All in all i can say i have never used anything as good as the EquiAmi, having used it om several cases all with various problems (kissing spine, PSD, Tendon damage, and the retraining of racehorses) all of which have worked fantastic.
When using a pessoa i found it restricted the horses movement as she was unable to reach down and stretch there backs out. A friend (saddle fitter) had mentioned about the EquiAmi and i thought i would have a bash at using it so ordered one the following day... i can honestly say never looked back since, using the aid twice a week it allows the horse to stretch down and is very forgiving on an ex race horse that previously never new of such a thing called a contact.
The EquiAmi encourages the horse to lower there head and begin to work through their backs. In turn this creates a rounder outline, over time horses gradually begin to step under more engaging the hindquarters as training continues the horse will develop engagement gradually taking more weight on the hind limbs therefore carrying themselves in a soft relaxed contact.
With the EquiAmi working in a loop system it has nothing for the horse to pull against and works in harmony with the horse.
The EquiAmi is self centering meaning you only have to shorter/lengthen one side of the green coded piece (forgot to mention comes in two pieces red-front red-back you can also get extensions for the larger horses that lengthen the aid so can be used on all types of horses without all the fiddling you get from lengthening and shortening the pessoa)
The aid is very lightweight and easy to store without having to worry that it will all get tanglened up, it comes in a bak and is all detachable, it takes me about 30seconds to attach once the horse has its cavesson, bridle, boots and roller already on. Making it ideal foruse when your in a rush but want to give your horse a good work out
With having no fixed points it enables the horse to work in a relaxed soft outline whilst developing muscle tone and balance.
Also when working in the EquiAmi, it works on a quick reward system and the horse soon learns that it is a comfortable place to work in and therefore recving his reward, exactly like when your riding of giving and taking, when taking the aid is not pulling down or anything it is gently asking the horse to come back down into the contact.
When working in a training aid ideally it is best it applies limited pressure to the horse (McGreevy, P and McLean, A 2010)--- the EquiAmi does this
I really have been amazed by this product, it has helped me increase my horses stride length, allow them to work in a soft relaxed outline, and become more consitant and balanced within there work.

(i also have the ridden aid (bought the combi) and have to been impressed by this people have commented it looks like the bungie althouhg i believe it is much better as the bunge is elasticated people thinks it does not apply much pressure but the elastic is that strong i believe it does and have horses have poll problems when worked in this even the ex racehorse seemed forced into an outline however with the EquiAmi it can be placed so no pressure is added to the horse if you want to work without the aid of the training aid or can be placed so the horse has to work into the aid.

since getting the EquiAmi i have never looked back - would attach pictures but no idea how to but im sure there is some on there facebook page of the improvements etc worth having a look
 
Wow! Thank you all soooo much for taking so much trouble to reply and giving me so much valuable information :)

I do actually have a chambon, which I have used from time to time, but not for ages so I had forgotten about it. In general I have found that it works best in conjunction with loose side reins so by the time I have put all these on it becomes quite a faff.

Both the pessoa and the equi ami sound as though they work very well for lungeing :) I think, on balance, I will go for the latter: it seems to me to have the benefits of the pessoa, with the additional feature of the continuous loop, making adjustment quicker and making it harder for th horse to lean. The newer, cheaper version at £65 isn't a huge investment.

I should also clarify that 1) I am only looking for something to use when lungeing, never really felt the need to use anything riding other than occasional drawreins out hacking to help me stay alive :eek: 2) My primary objective is to use it on established horses (and ponies :p ) to vary their work schedule while still giving the right muscles a good workout - and to be able to do so when time is tight. So while it may be useful for young horses and those returning from injury, that isn't my focus.

Thank you all once again for your help :)
 
Another vote for the Equi-Ami. Has done wonders to help my big ID with his self carriage and balance. As training aids go, this is one of the best and most importantly it is kind as the horse isn't fixed into any position.
 
PapaFrita said:
De gogue all the way for me. Not keen on the Pessoa. My YO used to insist I use it to lunge his horses when he wasn't riding and I found it quite unforgiving and it DID sock them in the mouth, particularly if they liked a bit of a buck.
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another for the de gogue! i picked up a lovely condition devoucoux one! and mine does buck and it doesnt sock him in the mouth
 
This is something I'm also looking into so very interested in the replies.

I've tried my boy in the pessoa and he didn't seem to like it at all.

I now lunge using the draw rein method but have also tried with side reins a couple of times and he was *ok* but felt a bit stiff in his neck afterwards - possibly because they gave him something to brace against.

The equiami sounds good but I don't want to end up wasting money on something he doesn't like - that said, you can never find a second hand equiami for sale so perhaps that says something about how effective they are!
 
GinaGeo said:
Niether. I still don't think you can beat good old fashioned lunging with two lines to get a horse working properly on the lunge.
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Im really surprised no one else has suggested this!! I use this method with all mine - works wonders, you can really get the hind leg engaging, can do short sharp direct or indirect transitions, work on lateral work, can go from one rein to the other really easily.
 
TableDancer said:
Thank you all so much for yor input :) Sounds like either would work ok.



MB why did you stop the pessoa for the draw rein method? Was it just because the latter is just so quick and easy (in which case I sympathise!) or did you have a more complicated theory?
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Sorry TD was out! Yes simply because the draw rein method was so quick and easy........ I always liked the passoa and only really stopped because some said about the sock in the mouth effect but I shouldn't be a sheep as it doesn't seem to do that to mine.

I didn't lunge last night as it was soooo windy and we had old sacks and buckets flying all over the yard but I will be putting the pessoa back on tonight to see how it compares to the equiami.
 
..another vote for the Equiami! ;) I prefer it to the pessoa & pessoa-a-likes due to all the reasons above really, it works in harmony with the horse and being a loop there's nothing it can lean on and nothing it can catch itself with, the horse does learn to work properly without setting itself against the aid. I wasn't sure how mine would react to having it on her but she took to it instantly and seemed to understand what it was all about straight away.
It's so quick & easy to fit, you do need to watch the DVD but can be done in 20/30 seconds when you know what you're doing. It's very easy to adjust too as you only need to adjust one section as being a loop, it all balances out. I've found it to be very, very effective and my mare really enjoys her sessions! I got it as when I first bought her the physio suggested something like this as she struggled to work in any kind of vague shape, constantly bucked in trot and canter as she was so unbalanced, and had a very weak back with no topline - but now she's a muscley beast and finds everything so much easier, her way of going has improved a huge amount - she's almost unrecognisable, she's starting to work in a lovely outline and she hasn't bucked in months (apart from the odd "lets go!" in the fields ;)). She looks absolutely gorgeous too, and I've had a lot of people asking what work I do to keep her topline so good so I always recommend the equiami in a heartbeat. Works wonders, can't recommend it enough!
 
Pessoa wins every time. It will fit anything from 13.hh to about 17.1hh (biggest horse ive ever used one one) As far as tacking up, it's not the fastet "snap snap trot" type thing, it takes a little adjusting and clipping but once you get the hang its fairly easy and you can be ready to go within 5 minutes (takes me longer because I fiddle with boots and things).

As far as working the horse goes it has 4 settings ranging from long and low to achieve stretching of back muscles and getting hocks underneath to setting 4 which is a *** dressage position. Unlike draw reigns which only work the neck muscles, the pessoa works the horse from the hocks, rump, shoulder, neck and head aswell as assisting him to work in an outline. The cords are bungiee and it does have elastic for some give and it encourages not forces.

Hope this has been helpful, only downside is cost but I've got more than my moneys worth out of mine.

Oh also you only ever do short sessions because it does work them hard, 10 minutes at trot is the equivilent to about a 30 minute schooling session so its definitely time saving stuff! Only should be cantered in once the horse is fit and already working in a natural outline.
 
I have a Pessoa and it's been in a bag for years because I tried it on several, none of them did it really help and a couple it really upset - and it very definitely socks them in the teeth unless the horse goes round behind the bit.

I can't remember who makes it, but I bought a very stretchy, easily adjustable device which is basically a bungee with clips at each end and an adjustable loop which goes over the ears, through the bit ring and on to the girth/roller either between the legs or at whatever point you wish on the sides. Horses liked it, worked well into it, gave a nice soft contact, encouraged them to take the contact forward. Alternatively, with horses that are reasonably established, a similar effect was achieved with basic, elasticated side reins. The good thing about either of these is that you can combine them with double rein lunging without having endless straps everywhere.

Just seen Uraeus says the Pessoa cords are bungee - maybe mine is an older version (I have had it at least 10 years) but it definitely isn't bungee, it's cord. Bungee would be a lot kinder.
 
Thanks madgeymoo.

Tried lungeing in draw reins this morning and was chuffed. So quick and easy to do that I will have time to put on in mornings before work.

Can someone explain/have pics of lunge rein around hindquarters? Please? i've got an idea just want to make sure i'm doing it right
 
Pessoa all the way!!!

We use them on a daily basis on all types of horses!!! Our pyhsio LOVES them and recommends all the way as she says it gets the horses working correctly and from behind without a rider who could be slightly one-sided and passing on these habits (which of course we all have!!!)

we have them on everything from 13hh WHP's to Arabs to my 17.2hh Hunter!!! and everything inbetween!!! with fabulous results as they are so changable for every need so you can fit it between the front legs for horses that need to stretch through the base of the neck and back, to the top setting fitting it up by the withers to encourage and develop that 'show outline', and everything inbetween :)

Essential bit of kit for us!!! :D
 
I can't recommend the [content removed] enough. I have been using both the lunge and riding aid for just over a year on my team of Exracehorses and they have all built up so well in all the right places and have become much stronger. The [content removed] is very different from other training aids as it works by placing the horse inside a self centring loop, which encourages the horse to bring its hind legs underneath its hindquarters, to lower its head and shorten its frame by developing wither lift. The [content removed] training aids are self centring so a quick adjustment needs to be made to one side only and the balance of the aid is not disturbed. The unique patented design of the training aids allow the horse to build up the correct muscle during work and helps the horse to track up and work with a soft, swinging back. The riding aid encourages a horse to take a soft contact and is very useful for a rider whose hands need to be softer and more consistent.
 
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daisycrazy said:
I have a Pessoa and it's been in a bag for years because I tried it on several, none of them did it really help and a couple it really upset - and it very definitely socks them in the teeth unless the horse goes round behind the bit.

Correctly used the Pessoa should not jab the horse in the mouth. When you are schooling dressage you need contact at all times and this is what the Pessoa teaches. There are also strict instructions that come with it saying that you should NEVER crank it up until the horse is used to it, then you notch it up gradually so the horse builds the required muscles in order to work in an outline. Properly used the horse should never lean on or get jabbed in the mouth by it and only more advanced horses should trot and canter in it.

It's not a quick fix to getting an outline like side reins. It's a training aid that Pessoa suggests should be used over a period of 6-8 weeks to build up the muscle. It imitates the hand positions of a rider.
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I used it on well established horses and took great care to follow the instructions and, of course, not to crank it up. The horses were uniformly unimpressed - one went amazingly but only because he collected right up so that it did not touch him, and then he was knackered after a very short time, which was not what I wanted. And you clearly say yours is elastic when mine very definitely is not. Of course, most (not all) of the jabbing in the mouth happened when they fought it (even though it was NOT tight) - but none of them fought anything else I tried (double lunging, bungee, side reins, etc.) so I can only assume they objected to the Pessoa specifically. Even when going very sweetly, it did not give them a smooth contact. Plainly, from the other posts, I am not the only one who has experienced this.

Having said that, all the horse I've had have found lunging pretty tedious (and I can't blame them) and I'd much rather just ride them than lunge them with a device on, so when I'd tried it a certain number of times I was quite happy to chuck it back in the bag. I really wouldn't recommend it to anyone, though.
 
daisycrazy said:
I used it on well established horses and took great care to follow the instructions and, of course, not to crank it up. The horses were uniformly unimpressed - one went amazingly but only because he collected right up so that it did not touch him, and then he was knackered after a very short time, which was not what I wanted. And you clearly say yours is elastic when mine very definitely is not. Of course, most (not all) of the jabbing in the mouth happened when they fought it (even though it was NOT tight) - but none of them fought anything else I tried (double lunging, bungee, side reins, etc.) so I can only assume they objected to the Pessoa specifically. Even when going very sweetly, it did not give them a smooth contact. Plainly, from the other posts, I am not the only one who has experienced this.

Having said that, all the horse I've had have found lunging pretty tedious (and I can't blame them) and I'd much rather just ride them than lunge them with a device on, so when I'd tried it a certain number of times I was quite happy to chuck it back in the bag. I really wouldn't recommend it to anyone, though.
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I do agree with you, it does upset horses more than other training aids. I think it depends on the individual horse aswell, as you say some horses just don't like it or lunging. Others respond really well to it. No point in using something that your horse isnt comfortable with so (talking to OP now) see if you can borrow some training aids and see what works best for your horse, after all Pessoa is expensive if it sits in the bag.
 
I've never had a pessoa jabbing a horse in the mouth. As I said earlier, it's too tight if it pulls on the mouth, anyone who has this issue should loosen it.
 
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