thoughts on using pessoa on just 3yr old??

B

billbobaggin

Member
Joined
11 January 2007
Messages
26
Location
Dorset
Visit site
comments from professional people would be much appreciated .. breaking a 3yr old which has been on lunge and coming nice on a circle .. when is the right time to start using the Pessoa?? Filly is a little short in her stride, needs to lengthen .. any one know of a better training aid?? thanks guys if you have some advise/feedback. JS
 
Sorry to post hijack a little as I'd also be interested to hear the response, but would like to also ask if you can longrein in a pessoa?
 
I'm not a professional but I certainly wouldn't be using a Pessoa on a 3yo - just don't rush it, let him mature.
 
I don't know why you'd want to long rein in a pessoa - they both do the same thing in their own way surely?

I'd personally want to let him grow up a bit before worrying about outlines etc...
 
Hm personally my thoughts would be that 3 is too young to start off in a pessoa - but im a fan of taking things slowly - i started rock in a pessoa when he was 4 1/2 and its my best piece of kit! But i would keep just lunging with nothing on so the horse can find its own rhythm and balance
 
Theoretically you could long rein in a pessoa. I did for a while with my boy you was a monkey to lunge. But I found that the action of the long reins interfered with the action of the pessoa, so I wouldn't reckomend it.

I also would not advise lunging a 3 yr old in a pessoa. I think it is a bit much.
 
long reining forward is a good idea with a dually to get him used to some form of contact (or in a bridle) but I think longreining in a circle or a pessoa is a bad idea. As Kayleigh said, let him find his balance on the lunge.....
 
It certainly hasn't done Axel any harm, but as he is half arab and inclined to have a flip top head, I didn't want him to build up the muscle underneath his neck, which is definately what would have happened if I hadn't put the pessoa on him.
As it is now he is correctly muscled and finds working correctly under saddle quite easy.

Sam x
 
[ QUOTE ]
It certainly hasn't done Axel any harm, but as he is half arab and inclined to have a flip top head, I didn't want him to build up the muscle underneath his neck, which is definately what would have happened if I hadn't put the pessoa on him.
As it is now he is correctly muscled and finds working correctly under saddle quite easy.

Sam x

[/ QUOTE ]

See this is my concern with Tilly - her balance is brilliant, so much so that my instructor now suggestes that in a 15 min session she can have side reins of for the last 5. BUT she likes to charge around the field with her head up and her neck is getting nicely muscled but on the wrong side! This doesn't both me too much as I suspect that in a year or so's time when she starts proper ridden work rather that light pootling around the countryside it will correct itself. But I did wonder whether 5 mins in a pessoa would be better than with the side reins in encouraging "long and low" ?
 
The trouble is that Axel resists everything else I put on him except the pessoa.
I've tried side reins, a harbridge, a chambon, an elastic type thingy that goes over his head and he will still go around with his head in the air!
With the pessoa he can't do that at all
smile.gif

I honestly don't know what I would have done without it.

I now have a horse with the nicest neck ever, and he is incredibly well balanced too for such a youngster.

Sam x
 
Personally Ginn, I wouldn't use EITHER. You should just be tottering at the moment, introducing new sights & sounds etc.
 
I use them on all of my unbroken horses, if introduced slowly and used properly for the right amount of time every few days, it helps to strangthen their back ends and top line, which makes their backs less sensitive due to the extra muscle, with stallions, I find it also helps if they learn that its more comfy to work down thatn up as it reduces the temptation to rear!
It also de-sensitises them slightly and as it is designed to be loose fitting, it doesn't force them down, just encourages!
Essential piece of kit in my tack room!
PS i never canter any of my horses in a pessoa!
 
Oh don't get me wrong - I hardly do anything with Till's and what I do do I try to keep varied. I briefly gave her a very gentle lunge on a huge (30x30) track over xmas but that was only because she wanted to play and it gave her the interaction she needed. The most I usually do (when weather and light allows!) is maybe four 10-15 min sessions a week including a variety of work on the lunge (though not necessarily on a circle) or longreining, playing around cones, brollys, taurpaulin etc, going out for walks inhand, playing in puddles etc and to be honest I think since september I have maybe only done something twice a month with her. I'll also add that this is under the instruction of a very good and experienced instructor.

I have no intention doing anything other than quietly pootling around with her once backed this summer until atleast 2008 but equally I believe she should learn correctly from the start if that makes sense? Hence wondered whether a pessoa fitted on its "loosest" setting would encourage correct work over her topline??? I could be entirely mistaken though, hence the question
smile.gif
 
I personally wouldn't use any 'gadgets' on a 3yo. Dont get me wrong, I use a pessoa regularily on my neds but not when they were 3 as I think they just need time to mature and develop their muscles and balance naturally.
 
Sorry, using quick reply!

Surely, three year olds should still be in the fields growing naturally not being even lunged at all, let alone strung up with a piece of kit? I know I'm old fashioned but that does seem a bit extreme to me; sorry if it offends anyone.
 
We break horses, yes you can use the pessoa as long as they are balanced enough on the lunge already. Dont put it on tight, put it on a low setting. Start at mostly walk, and a little trot. 10 mins to start with as it really makes them work so dont over do it.
 
thanks for your advise, your reply was EXACTLY what I was looking for and is also essent part of my kit for my older lot but Pessoa was not out when breaking those! OK to bring on slowly but the filly is not my stamp of horse and is being sold so I need her to be up and going before advisertising her. Again, thanks for your professional help. And you are right about the canter, I have seen so many of them fall over in it when in canter trans. Jo
 
I’m no expert but I would also say that 3 is a bit young, but it very much depends on the maturity of the horse I suppose.

Maybe leave it just 6 more months?
 
MFH_09, I'm with you I must be old fashioned too, my strapping warmblood who is now rising 4 is only just starting with a rider at the moment, and only started very light lunging (walk and trot)last September. He is the earliest I have started a horse so far!
 
It wouldn't be for me I'm afraid.

The yard where Amy is routinely breaks youngsters in at 3, and very ocassionaly at 2 if it is very well grown. However, they are only longreined, lightly sat on, walked quietly on the lunge and then turned away. All of which lasts about three weeks maximum.

They will then be brought back in to work at 4 and quietly started again. Never used a pessoa, never intend to - on any age tbh.
 
I have used a Passoa on three year olds - not tight of course. I MUCH prefer them to side reins which IMV give a fixed/inflexible contact. The use of the Passoa is much more like long reining - which I also do- and you don't have to walk for miles - lol. Just dont do too much - 5 mins each way is enough I feel.

If your three year old is sensible you could mix and match - lunging without side reins gives you less 'control' but it helps them with their balance on a circle I think - you can still concentrate of getting them working from behind - stops you getting fixated on an outline at this stage. A little of lots of things if you can.
 
When you ask for comments from professional people do you mean people whose job it is to produce young horses quickly for sale, or experienced people who are bringing on their own youngsters....? Your'll get different answers.
I wouldn't use a Pessoa on a 3 yr old, or side reins. I am not a fan of lunging horses that young. I'd prefer to long rein.... from your post my guess is that you are trying to produce a horse quickly for sale?
 
Lucy juice found your reply a bit off?
crazy.gif
echo icestationzebra. Having brought on youngsters myself i would say a horse that you quote has JUST turned 3 is too young to have a pessoa on and i would leave it another 6months.

ISZ - i never canter in a pessoa either because if the horse trips and falls theres no way of saving itself
 
[ QUOTE ]
OK to bring on slowly but the filly is not my stamp of horse and is being sold so I need her to be up and going before advisertising her.

[/ QUOTE ]
Intersting.

I think that I would be wary of any three year old 'up and going' tbh. Fine to have been sat on etc as in my previous post. But not sure that the rest is going to be hugely beneficial to a growing horse with immature musculature.
 
Personally I think rising 3 is too young to be doing much lunging with, let alone with a pessoa. I have a rising 3yo at the moment, I will start longreining in the spring and probably only lunge a few times before I sit on him.
If I were looking to purchase a rising 3yo I would actually be put off if it was over-produced.
 
I dont like lunging a three year old at all. IMO, lunging should be kept to a minimum even when breaking. Longreing is much more beneficial, although obviously lunging has its place for teaching voice aids etc. Have only just got the point where am using ANY gadgets for lunging (and indeed lunging on any sort of regular basis) with my boy, and he is a 5yr old. There is too much damage to be done to a young horses skeleton by using gadgets at an early age. Longreinging would be far more beneficial IMHO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top