'Pessoa' lunging success!

[thespanishmane]

Having one Spanish boy who wants to bunch himself up into what he thinks is collection and the other loan boy who thinks he is a racehorse/giraffe, I decided to buy a 'Pessoa' type gadget. I have lunged them both in a De Gogue with some success, as they both go long and low, but trail their hindlegs (nice and easy!) So along came gadget - I think it was a Shires one at about half the price of the genuine article. Well, I think the instructions were for IKEA furniture! The blurb as to actions were fine - but how to fit this tangle of cord and clips were not!. Cue lots of snorting and looking at his bottom when the sheepskin thing went over was hysterical. However, I got the gist of it in the end and went out and tried on the bunched up one. After a few minutes of him thinking he was being chased by a piece of fur he worked really well, and I could see after a few minutes more it was proving to be an effort for him (good!) as he was beginning to sweat a little. I put him out and got it on the gangly one - this took a little longer as he really wants to stick his head up and bog off. He eventually realised it is soooo much easier to put your head down and relax!

The upshot of all this is that I went home after and Googled 'Pessoa' and found that GFS (Fieldhouse) who manufacture the product have produced an excellent video showing exactly how it fits, what tension it should be used at and how to adjust it - simples as they say!

I would say to anyone who wants one of these is to view this video first - it makes so much sense and saves the frustration of how to fit the 'cheapies'.

Several days later they are both lunging brilliantly, really swinging along and using their back ends like I have never seen before. Well worth it and I wish I had got one years ago. I still think they are a hell of a lot of money for what my husband explains is basically old rope and rubber, but yes, it works.

well, thank you for reading this post and I hope you havent been too bored by it!

 

[Hippona]

Thanks for that- I have a 'giraffe x arab' who thinks its important to go everywhere at full pelt with ears and tail touching so I was eyeing these up....(cheapo version obviously)

I have a feeling there would be snorting a plenty.......think I'll keep my eye out for a used one on th'ebay.

 

[luckilotti]

Thanks for posting, i have been pondering getting one, so its good to know that they do work and i am now off to google for the video

 

[snowcrew]

So pleased to hear your review of the pessoa!

Due to injuring myself after falling off my our event horse, I was going stir crazy so thought I would do some stuff with him on the ground.

I like many folk bought this "gadget" and never really understood how it should work, so like you taught myself of the wonderful youtube and over a period of eight weeks (using it probs 2-3 times per week) have a much better outline from our horse and have learnt soooooo much from doing this.

I have lunged for years with side reins, long reined etc but the pessoa just has transformed his way of going. Over the weeks I have seen muscles over his back developing and flickering softly(not a technical term but I hope you know what I mean!). The whole picture has become softer and lower and have now introduced pole work. Transitions have improved etc

The interesting thing is that when we go out to events now and my daughter or I lunge him normally with side reins, he carries himself as if he has the pessoa on and is much softer and relaxed. Great success especially as the dressage scores have also improved significantly!

So, the silver lining to having fallen off and injured myself was introducing the pessoa and also observing our horse from the ground more and developing a better relationship with an alternative training technique.

cant recomment it more (BUT PLEASE ENSURE YOU USE IT CORRECTLY!) as I could easily see it could be put together incorrectly. recommend youtube as previously advised.

 

[kaiko]

ohhhh i've been looking at these on ebay and wondering about the "other" versions. It does seem an awful lot of money for the real thing.

My instructor suggested it as my boy also bunches up and really needs to track up better and take up better contact. I get a few strides from him and then he bunches again so she feels he could do worth two short sessions a week on it.

SO.....the "other" versions are just as good as the real thing then?

 

[Girlracer]

The pessoa does get a bit of a bad rep, but i think used correctly they can be a useful tool. It's one of the (many) things i use to lunge my giraffe in!