Kissing spine and the pessoa

Sammyf

Sammyf

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19 April 2011
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Right I am now completely confused. After my horse had the kissing spine operation I had been told by the vet to work him in the pessoa regularly to help build up his back muscle. I've started looking at having classical dressage lessons to help him stretch and she's said to stop using the pessoa immediately.

Does anyone else have any opinions on this?
 
She said she didn't agree with anything that holds the horses head and neck as it causes tension through the back
 
I am a vet physio and we use the pessoa reguarly for equine rehab work. It encourages the horse to work with more engagement from behind, stretching/elongating the main back musculature, strengthening the back extensors, lifting the abdominal muscles.

I know lots of people are for and against the use of pessoas but used correctly inconjunction with your vet and a reputable suitably qualified physiotherapist they can be a very effective tool in the case of Dorsal Spinal impingements both pre and post surgery.
 
Apologies to Nelson11 but I am in the 'don't like them' group. In theory, yes, they should help but in practice they can very easily do the opposite as explained to me by Dr Narelle Stubbs. A cheaper and perhaps more practical solution, which is also hers, is to attach a crepe bandage to the lungeing roller at a height where, when it passes round the hind end of the horse it rests just below his quarters. When in work, and extending the hind leg back, he feels the increased contact it will encourage him to bring the hind leg further underneath him and therefore start to work more effectively from behind. This allows him free movement of his head and to extend as long as low as he feels he needs to be to really stretch the topline and re-educate the muscles to work in a lower outline.
 
I work him in it regularly, I only ever have it on low intensity as I want him to work for himself rather than strap him down so I only have it along his body, not attached between his legs. If I don't work him in it for say a week you can really tell when you ride him. I've got the physio coming Wednesday so i'll see what she says :)
 
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