Pessoa Problems

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shellonabeach

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Reading the post below about using a pessoa got me thinking.

I have been using the pessoa on my boy for the past 4 months – once a week for 20 minutes. He is 16, is up to date with back, teeth, saddle checking. He is by my own admittance not very well balanced, hence the lunging to help him balance himself. The saddle fitter and back lady both say that he has good top-line. He is currently worked 4-5 times a week, hacking both days at weekends, lunged in the pessoa once and ridden in the school once or twice.

I have found that in walk he accepts the pessoa on the long and low setting and stretches down – however in trot he seems to lift his head up and back into it sometimes – it is not fitted tightly. And in canter leans on it bending his head slightly to the outside and pulls the sheepskin to the inside (the cantering is usually his idea!)

I have long-reined in it – walking behind him so only walk/ little trot! And he came down so low the sheepskin fell beneath his hocks!

I have attached baler twine to the roller so that the sides of the pessoa are level with his belly (someone mentioned not running the sides through the roller helping).

My question is – what am I doing wrong! I have considered tightening up the pessoa but do not want to force him into coming down.

Is it just a case that he is stuggling to balance himself so isn't working properly and if so will he improve with time?
 
I've never used a pessoa - so possibly totally wrong here - but at 16 could he be a little stiff, and it's all a little too much for him??
 
it took bloss around 4months of using it 2-3 times a month to work properly in the pessoa when i first got one. she did the same as yours - was fine in walk, head up in trot and bent in canter so the sheepskin went crocked.

it takes them a long time to adjust to it, and as your horse is older i can garentee this is why. Bloss was 13 when i first put her in hers.
 
If hes never worked in anything like this at 16 it will take him longer to get used to it. Dont tighten it, he will fight against it. Just use it loosely, in walk and trot. And i would only use it for abt 15 mins max, thats all i do with our younger horses as it is very hard work and at 16 and unbalanced it will be twice as hard. =)
x
 
in the trot, the fleece band is causeing more pressure on the mouth so it would cause him to come agaist the contact before he relaxes again, turning to the outside in canter is just balence as young horses turn to the outside to balence before they are strong enough, so he may just be alittle unbalence still.
lou x
 
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