Pessoa's?

[SunshineTallulah]

Hi all,

My back lady recommended I use on on my horse, to help him develop his topline.

No one at my yard uses them, one girl I spoke to really is not a fan.

Just wondering what the general consensus on here was?

Obv I have never used on so would really need to speak to someone or have a demo by someone who has......

Thanks in advance.

 

[the watcher]

Big fan, although I have the Topflyte cheap copy form ebay.
Where are you?

 

[_jetset_]

I have just bought a Pessoa off ebay... looking forwards to starting some work with it

 

[oliver1]

I am not a fan of gadgets, but we use the Pessoa on all the show horses (except the hunters as I do not like them on the turn on a small circle ) and it has been amazing - we are really big fans.

 

[mccarron6769]

I was recommended it by my back person too. My new horse had a bucking problem and when checked she found a rotated pelvis with significant muscle wastage on one side. I got one right away and combined with other strengthening and suppling work under the saddle he has made huge progress. She checks him every three months and after just 6 months she was amazed at how much he'd improved. Don't think its a cure all but definitely as part of a holistic programme it plays its part although I don't think you have to have the Pessoa when there are cheaper versions that work on exactly the same principle.

 

[sfward]

I'm going to stick my neck out and say I'm not really a fan. I feel the pulley system basically jerks the horse in the mouth with the action of its own hindquarters. I found my pessoa really tricky to adjust and my horse absolutely hated it!! I would personally suggest a chambon instead.

 

[vhf]

Not a huge fan due to the constant motion on the mouth BUT have a topflyte copy and the difference in the mare I got it for was incredible, so it did the job, and I will probably use it again. I just didn't use it for long or more than once or twice a week tops.
I'm generally anti-gadget, but was stumped with this horse and the difference in her way of going, her muscle development etc. was enough to convince me they have a place.
Use it "long and low". I have heard of problems being created by what I would guess was over zealous use on a high setting...

 

[Cullohill]

here is Bud with his on, sorry it's abit dark



i like them i bought this when i worked for GFS many years ago so got it trade price which was a bonus!! Bud does bronk in his sometimes which is very funny but it no ways restricts him and he always goes well in it. i warm him up without it connected up first them mainly use the setting between his legs. I also use some old spur straps on the roller to thread the long lines through as it's hard to find rollers with loops in right places!!

hope that helps.....

 

[SunshineTallulah]

I am in South Bucks.

My horse is an exBSJAer. He is 17yrs old, 18 in June. He is your typical SJer with more muscle development underneath his neck and not much on his topline.

On the lunge and when riddne he does tend to be quite upside down and looks tense with his head up, although he is not tense, its his way of going. Getting him to soften and round is not the easiest when ridden, as he is a clever Alec and is wise enough to know how much he wants to do and what he doesnt. So I get the odd fall out through the shoulder, over bend his neck and not his body.

When cantering he is MUCH straighter on his left rein, but on the right he literally canters with his head and neck to the right, though since I have had him this has improved.

Last summer he looked really well and working quite nicely, then due to living out longer than desired, he seemed to have dropped off some weight and condition. Also he was getting tres narky being saddled, so I have had him all checked out and treated etc. He is now on the road to recovery, after having a couple of weeks off ( I was on hols anyways ).

Saddler says saddle fits but he may have adapted his way of going (scrunching and dipping his shoulders and withers) which meant the saddle was making me tip forwards, so I have now got this lovely gel pad and the difference in my position is JUST amazing, feels totally different.

So now I am back in the saddle again but I need to do more and would like to pursue the Pessoa route to help him develop his top line and I am also hoping this will improve our ridden work too. Another tip from my brill back lady was to do raised trotting poles, I think that this is another brilliant idea.

I'd only use the Pessoa once or twice a week for a short time.

Cullohill - your vid won't load?!

I saw the EquiAmi advertised / reviewed in Your Horse and that looked quite good.

Is it easy to put on? Use?

I am worried that I am an inexperienced hand?!

Thanks for all your previous advice and hopefully you will let me have some more!

 

[annunziata]

I have one and everyone I know has borrowed it and it is fantastic!! Very pleased with it good luck

 

[mccarron6769]

My saddler said my saddle fitted but my instructor is also a saddle fitter and has someone make them for him. He brought a wide fit for me to try (my other "saddler" fitted him with a narrow/madium) and it was like riding a different horse. I also used to feel like I was being tipped forward. My boy is 16.2 TBX and although his topline has improved he hasn't changed shape enough for that narrow/medium to have been the right fit in the first place.

I've had one made to measure now and it makes a huge difference - like taking a straight jacket off him.

I'm not tipped at all and feel far more secure in my seat with the new one so maybe youor saddle isn't completely right if the gel pad has made so much difference.

 

[carthorse]

I like them I just work with it quite loose and on lower ring , not between front legs or high up.My horse seem very relaxed in it and you can watch that the outside hind goes into the print the outside fore leaves in trot ,so that you don't shorten the stride.
Good luck

 

[ecrozier]

I love mine. I use it twice a week religiously now and it is starting to make a difference. My lad is an arab and would quite like to go with his nose in the air and tail held high if that was allowed....
I use it really quite loose, there is 'slack' on the lines both between his bit and the roller and the roller and his tail, because this way it encourages rather than forces a shape. Basically, if he lifts his back, tracks up properly and drops his nose either into 'an outline' or just down into a more 'long and low' shape, there is absolutely no pressure on his mouth at all....he is sensitive in the mouth and would let me know!! If however he hollows and sticks his nose up, it does tighten the contact (like a rider would) but also the bit round his bum tightens up a bit! He then chucks in a couple of bucks, before remembering how it works and dropping is nose again.
I really think it is helping him, and would think that any problems encountered from using them might be more to do with them being fitted too tightly or on the higher settings....I only use the long and low one.
He had been ridden in draw reins/lunged in side reins a LOT before I had him and I think this had been done without encouraging him to go forward into the contact, and he would tuck his nose in all prettily....and his back was still hollowed and hindquarters not engaged at all....so I think there are probably potential failings with any schooling methods really if they are incorrectly done!!

 

[SteveGG]

My mare absolutely hatted it at first and would spend the first 20 minutes bucking & I would have given up. My OH persisted and set it quite long and I am sure that it is helping her way of going.

 

[SunshineTallulah]

MM62 - my saddler says that the trouble is that a Narrower saddle would only last me a few months and when he fills out, I'd need to go back to my MW, cos when he back to weight I wont need the pad. Its just an interim thing.

Its all such a nightmare. I'll see what happens in the next few weeks.

My horse on the lunge or when ridden, hardly ever works long and low - its like he can't?

 

[saskia295]

I got a copy from ebay and I absolutely swear by it! (A bit annoying I can't lunge anymore since we had the new surface on the arena

) but they are brilliant!

 

[ecrozier]

SunshineTallulah, if you want to come and see my boy using his or borrow it one weekend you are more than welcome....I think we established you are pretty local to me didn't we?
Incidentally J never ever worked long and low on the lunge before using the pessoa....still doesn't if I take it off! And it took a while for him to get used to it....he freaked out the first time and wouldn't stop bucking, so I just walked him round in it loads, then started walking him in small circles, then a tiny bit of trot etc.

 

[SunshineTallulah]

Emma C - that would be cool if I could.

Just worried of making a mess of it or doing more damage than good.

Will PM you my email address/mobile nbr.

 

[meliacaribe]

Hello fellow ex Fieldhouse person!
I've only been registered with the forum a couple of weeks and can't believe how many times I've replied to questions about the 'amazing' Pessoa! Definately beneficial getting it at trade, but it's worth every penny of its RRP!