self carriage

[traceyell]

what are the best excercises to help a horse carry itself both ridden and on the lunge

 

[GinaGem]

That's a bit vague really, it depends at what stage you are as to the best exercises to use. What do you currently do with your horse?

 

[saddlesore]

Hiya, i'd try lungeing in a pessoa on the lowest setting (between the legs) as it helps with carriage and also softens their back. You could do this over trotting poles or raised trotting poles, i find that this encourages them to drop their head and take a look at the poles and where they're puting their feet! Leg yielding on a circel and shoulder in are great exercises for lighening the horses forehand and making it easier for them to carry themselves. And although i'm not a huge gadget fan, i use a harbridge now and again for schooling, it puts no pressure on the horse at all, it allows them to bend laterally and stretch down, it just 'helps' them find the right place to put their head. This helps them build the correct muscles which in turn makes it easier for them to carry themselves when you take it off - word of warning tho, don;t hack in it! I did an my horse spooked and went to have a look at something and panicked when he couldn't lift his head right up to take a good look!!

 

[Bossanova]

Self carriage on the lunge, in its most basic form, works best when you get the horse properly forward from the stick and voice without it ever leaning on the lunge line and without any gadgets/training aids on at all. Good lunging can acheive this.

When ridden, self-carriage arises from the yields so it is important to remember that the horse should round up from a yield, not a pull.