lungeing/groundwork exercises to build up topline

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bushbaby28

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Can anybody suggest any useful lungeing techniques for fittening work and general muscle build up?

Horse has an old knee injury which means he struggles working on tight circles on left rein so don't want to do too much tight work.

He also has a sensitive mouth so is relunctant to take up a contact or stretch out in side reins, prefering to evade by going behind the bit (only use side reins as loose as possible and to just gentle encourage). If you push him forwards he does work into it more. any suggestions to help with this?

have thought of a pessoa but worried about cost- are there any alternatives?

any help very much appreciated. thanks guys
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Hi..I have been thinking the same thing lately about trying to build a better top line and encouraging my pony to come down more and work more rounded. A good friend of mine recommended trying a Pessoa, you can pick them up for £25inc P&P new from ebay...may not be the 100% real thing but they look decent and come with good instructions. I think i'm going to treat myself to one. Apparently by only using them a couple of times a week for a max of 15 mins you should be able to see an improvement. think alot of people are 50/50 about the Pessoa but i've only heard good things from close fiends who've tried them? I currently use a bunji training aid whilst riding and lunging and this also works very well and is alot cheaper than a Pessoa, mine cost £10. Good Luck with your decision
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Hi. I like to use a bungie, it applies pressure to both the poll and the mouth. It encourages the horse to work 'long and low' helping to improve top line. You could try using one with a really soft bit such as a happy mouth straight bar or a nathe bit? to encourage him accept a contact.

Hope this might help
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thanks guys. will consider getting a pesoa alternative from ebay and have a bungie so might try that.

are there any general exersises on the lunge anybody would recommend?
 
I personally wouldnt lunge a horse with an old joint injury. However, if you cannot ride him then when you lunge make sure you use the whole arena, do no smaller than a true 20m circle and do lots of moving on- dont just stay on the same circle.

Anything to make the horse use its hindquarters more will help. Such as leg yielding on the circle, raised poles, transitions, etc

Pessoas are fashionable but they dont suit every horse and can make things worse. If the horse wont take a contact, rule out the obvious teeth/saddle/bit then it just takes time to teach the horse to engage. Try with nothing initially, until you have a very obedient, responsive, rhythmical horse then re-introduce the side reins (must have elastic).
 
I use long reins a lot for my horses. I am very cautious about single line lunging and have been advised, by an osteopath and ortho. vet, not to work in circles a horse of mine who has had a knock and strained a tendon.
 
thanks teddyt- luckily we have a square school which is about 40x40 so I tend to work on very large circles and definately no smaller than 20m. will try raised poles as might help him to focus a bit and relax/stretch in his frame a bit.

rollin- thats what i'm worried about a bit. not sure if there's too much I can do without putting strain on his legs. This was more for very occasional work where I can see how he's going and to build up top line.
 
I use nothing to lunge my horse and she has a nice topline, i did use a pessoa when she was in rehab post KS op!

She is building a lovely topline all on her own (well obviously Im there asking her to work but just not forcing her!)!
 
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