Pessoa-Horse throwing himself about-advice please!

[cyearsley]

Hi, my boy has recently started throwing himself about in his pessoa and wondered if anyone else has experienced this? I have been using the pessoa on him for about 9 months and up until about 6 weeks ago he went nicely in it and was as good as gold.
I only really use the long and low setting, esp in the last 1 or 3 months and it is fitted correctly but of recent he insists on trying to buck it off when I attach it. I warm him up on both reins thoroughly first and when he has finished his mad moment, he then continues to work nicely and relax but meanwhille I have to get my heart out of my throat!! He actually fell over doing this the other week and though he is absolutely fine as you can imagine it was very scary.
I have have had back checked, teeth checked and he has been given a clean bill, answers on a postcard please! The back lady has advised me to continue with trying to get him to work in the pessoa as says it is the best thing for him but I want to get him past this silly phase.
Thought had breakthrough last week as went fine with no silliness and then tonight a goon again - any comments or other peoples similar experiences, would be much appreciated. Many thanks

 

[Seahorse]

My horse bucks with the pessoa on every time he goes in to canter! and he does massive huge bucks, I'm so pleased he doesn't do them when I'm on him lol

I just keep going with it and sometimes he's ok and sometimes not.......especially when the furry bit goes right up his bum!

I start off with it on the lowest setting then put it up for the canter work. I did wonder if it was a bit tight but its been on the same setting for ages and he didn't used to buck like this then.

Good luck with your boy

 

[Partoow]

Try putting it up to the next level, some times especially if you have them too deep they find it a bit too difficult to keep the shoulders open and therefore get the hind leg through so they buck,
my stallion who can be a bit opinionated, some times will argue. basically its because the hindleg has to become more active and this is particularly so in the canter. When you use the lunge whip [gently ] try and time it with the outside hind leg pushing off the ground as it is this becoming a bit slow and staying on the ground too long and then the breeching strap of the pessoa puts pressure on that they can buck against. This is how and why it works. he is just fighting the action of the device and he may argue a bit but stick to your guns. especially if your backlady says so.

 

[MagicMelon]

Does he buck the entire time? My horse sometimes doesnt buck at all but other times, if he's feeling fresh he'll buck like hell to begin with. But then usually settles down after a while.

 

[custard]

Mine does this a bit in canter, sometimes disunited but its the only gadget he cant evade!! I was shown how to use it by a physion who has just produced a video as the instructions with it are so pants. Her name is Gail Williams and she is very good. She did tell me cantering in it is hard work so maybe stay in trot a bit longer for now. I think a few do argue with it because used well its so bloomin effective!

 

[Seahorse]

Axel sort of goes really rounded and does this funny bunnyhop canter, then throws in these massive big bucks for good measure!

 

[welshiewhiskers]

My horse occasionally bucks in it too! this is only when he goes into canter!

 

[Quarrybank]

My boy bucked like stink when I first used it on him. He hated having to work!!! Once he worked out it wasn't going away he settled down to work properly.
It has improved his canter no end & now he finds the canter easier he bucks less. He'll still have his mad few minutes at the start!! & I agree, I usually stand there very glad I'm not on him..

 

[cyearsley]

Thanks everyone for all your feedback. Its funny because you're right the canter is when he bucks and throws himself about but not because I'm asking him to canter, I quietly ask him to trot on and he farts, hares off and starts bucking like a loon, a circle or two of me standing there praying and then eventually goes ok. Just worried me when he fell over and now want to close my eyes for the first few minutes of him wearing it! Interesting idea about trying another setting, may give that a try as he has worked on the next setting up before. Is this video of the pessoa available to buy? My instructor showed me how to use it but I know other people would be more encouraged to use one of they knew how to. Thanks again to all of you - am pleased to know it's not just my boy who makes me turn pale on the end of the lunge line!