Help...Tips for Long and Low?

[Vixxy]

I have just been to the chiropractor, who is also an equine vet and my horse was very stiff through the back and right shoulder. Anna needs 2-3 more treatments, Camilla the vet suggested some stretching exercises each day and also to ride purely long and low for a while and lunge in a pessoa.

I have a cheap pessoa copy so thats ok and my mare goes well in it with no problems, but I am unsure how to truly achieve the long and low, I think I am doing it but I have no one to help me and check I am doing it correctly as I live on a remote island.

Any tips would be so gratefully recieved! What to look for when I have got it right and how to get there lol!

I spent 8 hours in total travelling to her practice and back plus four ferries, a major trip but well worth it as the vet was amazing and so helpful chatting me through everything, I am glad that I went.

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

Make sure don't make your reins longer than the contact she is willing to work into (if that makes sense) you still want to feel her on the end of your reins but not leaning and try to get her relaxed, moving forward (without rushing) and balanced and hopefully it will result in her loosening up her back - the pessoa should be helping with this anyway.

 

[spacefaer]

Bit of an essay - sorry! but hope it helps

Ask her to go long and low in walk 1st.

Put her on a circle, gently flex her to the inside with your inside hand open, over your knee/front of knee roll. Keep your inside leg against her side to prevent her turning in. You want her head approx in front of the point of shoulder.

Keep the outside contact soft and consistent, allowing her to stretch to the inside.

She should ask to lower her head from this position which you allow so she stays within the contact, but takes the rein forward and down. As she stretches down, you can allow her to become straighter through her head and neck (although not absolutely straight).

You want her to stay within the outline, but to be as long and as low as her conformation and balance allow - not poking her nose and falling on her head & losing her balance.

On you have confidence in walk, then you can push her forward into trot from this outline.

Try not to tip forward and push her balance onto her head, but keep your seat light so that she can come up and underneath you with her back muscles and really stretch the whole of her topline

Hope this helps

I'm sure other people have different methods but this works for me!

 

[Vixxy]

Thanks guys, I shall give it a whirl tomorrow and see how it works out for us, sometimes I wish I had easy access to a good instructor.

Ohh I miss Wales sometimes, but we have got we what have got so we will work it out I am sure!