Need training aid for back end only! Ideas?

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A1fie

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I don't know if this is possible but I my horse is very long and looks like a 'cut and shut'! He is a big lad, a hunter, and finds it hard being in the school which is why I don't really lunge him.

I can get him nicely going in front but I need some assistance in getting his legs to come underneath him - Ideally I would like something like the back half of a pessoa - the roller bit, that I could put on him when riding to encourage him.

Does anything like that exist? Someone suggested a de gouge but when I looked at it that just seemed an aid for the front end.

Any suggestions gratefully received!
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if he is going truely well in front then his hind legs should come under him. Have you thought about something like a pessoa which could encourage both to work in unison? Or if you really want something just on back end I find a bandage tied from top of rolled round under bum (like back end of a pessoa) works as it makes them more aware of their leg placement. If he is coming down in front I would think that if he was sent more forward he would start using his hindlegs more?
 
the pessoa will work the whole of his frame and get him to work over his back, even though, as you say, he works nicely in front the pessoa will work on everything and it doesnt hurt them to have both
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I think, correct me if i'm wrong, you may find this hard to find as i thought that to work from behind horses have to be working properly all over at the same time??
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I use a pessoa and love it! it is invaluable for building muscle and getting a horse more consistent
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I was told by my physio to ride / lunge with a tail bandage around second thigh (depending on horse of course) set loose enough obviously so as not to restrict movement in any way but tight enough so that they cant get a leg over. I never tried it ridden but worked quite well on lunge - he was very accepting of contact but found it hard to engage his hind quarters well so it made him think about them just that little bit more.
 
Thanks all. It is true that in order to properly be working in front his hind needs to be engaged properly but it is going to be a long process with him as he has never been schooled and just gets faster and faster on the forehand. He has also had a terrible lot of lameness problems in the past before I had him so a lot of how he carries himself is from past pain.

When I said I could get him going nicely in front I meant just that I could get him soft and dropping his head, without any force or pulling from me.

When he has started to get the hang of what he is meant to do with his back end then I could move on to a pessoa but I really want something in the first place just to get him started. The bandages sound perfect.

Twinkle bay - that sounds like my lad, he finds it hard to engage his hind quarters too.
 
from the sounds of it the bandages would be perfect as if is has had lameness issues this will have altered his proprioception of his limbs. The bandages are fab for making them aware of themselves. I wonder whether doing the full bandage round hind and then twist at withers and come round shoulders as this encourages the whole body to work in a more balanced way. There is a book with details in but i will have to find it as I cannot remember who wrote it..... sorry
 
forget what the front end is doing and concentrate on the back end, get him going properly forward without any resrictions. when you have got him working properly from behind then worry about what the front end is doing. you have to get him to work from back to front...not front to back. x
 
Thank you Equitune. His proprioception will have been altered. He was in hunt service and at the age of 7 was so badly lame and in pain that he was going to be shot. He was turned away for a year and then I came in. He has arthritis and navicular.

He also has appalling conformation - long back, 4 different shape legs inc pidgeon toes and box foot, to name but a couple.

Having said all that he is still only 9 years old and he has a heart as big as himself. He is back hunting (steady and at the back) and I am slowly trying to reschool him with help.

The physio said his back is still fairly week so not too much schooling.

The bandages sound a great idea and I will tell my instructor about the full bandage thingy you suggested. Thanks again.
 
Thanks showdiva - I know he needs to work from the back to the front, I just need to find out how to help him to do it.
 
I have checked and it is a Tteam technique.

Link is for article where there is a pic of the bandaging (have to scroll down a little!

http://www.todayshorse.com/Articles/TTouchingYourHorse.htm

There are also some good books including the Linda Tellington Jones book 'how to improve your horses well being'. I regularly give these books as reference to my clients (equine massage) to assist in rehabilitating following injury/schooling for balance etc.

Good Luck He sounds lovely :-)
 
Not sure if it would help in his case but mine has a weak back end after lameness issues in front and months of box rest.
Physio suggested lateral work in walk and in hand to make him cross over and aware of his back legs.
Also in hand using poles to step over very lightly raised.
 
if your horse is going nice on the front end the back end should follow if not your not encurraging the horse to get its ass in and under

if your horse is working correctly in its outline and its not forced then the back end should just come all takes time though
 
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