Trotting using a 'pessoa'. Advice?

[Joanne4584]

Hi.

I am using a John Whitaker training aid on the suggestion of my vet because my horse has kissing spine.

My horse picked up walk really quickly and is walking lovely. After a couple of weeks I tried trot but he hasn't figured out to lower his head yet. How long does it usually take for a horse to settle in trot?

I know some people don't agree with the use of such training aids so please don't have a go at me!

 

[twiggy2]

maybe you have it set too tight?

 

[montanna]

Or too loose?

You need to make sure he is really stepping through from behind, lots of transitions and transitions within the pace.

My issue with a pessoa is that the more active the trot gets, the more it gobs the horse in the mouth - which means that when they are working in an aesthetically *pleasing* way with their head down, are actually just loping around on the forehand, which kind of defeats the object of the back muscle strengthening, and just encourages them to lean.

 

[shampain]

^ What Montanna said.
If you pay attention to the action of the Pessoa, with every stride the bit is tugged to one side of the horse's mouth (and back) or the other. So the more active the horse becomes behind, the more drastic the motion of the bit, to the point that it can nicely replicate sawing hands. Just teaches the horse to back off the bit rather than work into it.

However I can understand how it's hard in your position as the muscle over the back needs working and pessoa's are generally well regarded. Again as above, do a lot of transitions, within as well as between paces. Can you use poles on a circle and/or raised poles in your lunging? I prefer to lunge without additions other than maybe a pair of elastic side reins if necessary, and poles placed in a fan on the circle, adjusting the stride of the horse by using the narrower/wider sections, really helps to get them working and stretching over their back.

If you want to use something like the pessoa, then I'd recommend the equi-ami as they're not as fixed and thus don't catch the horse in the mouth with each stride.

Edit to say:
Not trying to have a go! The above exercises can certainly be done with a pessoa as well (though I'd leave it off for raised poles); I used to really love them as they seemed to work, however I've made a 180 turn. But in the end they certainly don't do any harm, and if you feel that it's working then keep on using it by all means.

 

[Joanne4584]

Thank you for your replies... and for not having a go at me

In walk it is working well. Without the pessoa he walks round with his head in the air and it's hard work keeping him moving. He is now walking head down, ears forward and I don't have to constantly chase him.

He would be the same in trot. Very reluctant to put any effort in, with his head up. He is now happy to go forward but I can see the bit pulling at his mouth because he has his head up, which makes me feel bad.

I have been walking him in a straight line over poles (which he hates). I don't want to do too much with him though. He is 18 and also has bone spavin. I have been taking him out for walks in hand (uphill as much as possible) and he enjoys that.

Ugh, I hate not knowing what to do for the best!

 

[MerrySherryRider]

What you're doing sounds spot on. Lots of walking in hand and lunging over poles etc, is great. I like pessoa's and find them really useful. Are you using the pessoa for the trot work, over poles ? He should have to concentrate and pick his feet up once he's established a rhythmic trot and be less likely to stick his head up.
If he doesn't, then either give him a bit longer to let the penny drop. He does have a choice about where he puts his head, so don't feel too bad. If it's not working for you, maybe try long lining instead. Some horses enjoy this and if he's enjoying it, he'll be more forward going and less tense, so working better through his back.

 

[foxy1]

In reply to replies above, if the pessoa is pulling the horse in the mouth every stride then it's too tight.
I like to use the pessoa on some horses but, as with all equipment, it needs to be used properly.

 

[samleigh]

]

Sorry highjacking post a little...I have used a pessoa for 14mnths with my OTTB to help me to help to him work long and low and over his back, my problem now is, his back is swinging lovely in walk and trot but I can't get his head up from the floor even without the pessoa on! Soon as we start lunging his nose is pushing the areana surface, only in canter does he not try and put his nose on the floor! I try to lunge to get him working over his back without the restrictions of a saddle regularly, the nose on the floor was always my aim by the end of the session but he offers it as soon as I begin lunging now. Is this correct?

 

[Joanne4584]

In reply to replies above, if the pessoa is pulling the horse in the mouth every stride then it's too tight.
I like to use the pessoa on some horses but, as with all equipment, it needs to be used properly.

But if my horse has his head in the air then it's going to be too tight..... as soon as he lowers his head even slightly it slackens off. I'll loosen it anyway and see how he goes tonight.

Samleigh - Bertie has started lowering his head when I walk him out in hand. I can't recall him doing it before so I'm guessing it's with using the pessoa. I don't know if it's supposed to happen but I'm thinking that if him walking like that is doing his back muscles some good it can't be too bad?

 

[Brightbay]

In terms of getting him to work the way you want, have you tried the Straightness Training approach? It might work well for you in that the horse is actually taught to walk (and then trot) with the head and neck in the correct position in stages, rather than a device placing the head and neck.

There's a free e-book with get started instructions that I found really helpful (if you get into it, there's a forum that I think you pay to join, but I found the e-book enough). http://academic-art-of-riding.com/introduction-to-straightness-training/

 

[Joanne4584]

I think I'll look into long lining and the Straightness Training. I tried again last night. I had it as loose as it can go. It wasn't jabbing him in the mouth and his head wasn't as high, but it wasn't as low as I've seen on people's YouTube videos.

 

[strides-eventing]

Not having a go! But please don't fall into the trap of pessoaing because the vets say so for KS... Not all horses work effectively in it... But of course some do!!

Mine had KS surgery and was told to pessoa him also... However he went awfully in it, curled at the poll and fell onto the forehand! Don't be scared to try him in other combination of tack, mine now works in running reins and a stretchy tail bandage breaching and it is just perfect for his rehab.

He is doing poles, raised poles, hogs back exercise, long reining and doing shoulder-in and leg yield on the long reins which is fab. Every now and then I long rein him up the road and back cause I think he get's a bit bored bless him!

 

[TarrSteps]

Not having a go! But please don't fall into the trap of pessoaing because the vets say so for KS... Not all horses work effectively in it... But of course some do!!

Mine had KS surgery and was told to pessoa him also... However he went awfully in it, curled at the poll and fell onto the forehand! Don't be scared to try him in other combination of tack, mine now works in running reins and a stretchy tail bandage breaching and it is just perfect for his rehab.

He is doing poles, raised poles, hogs back exercise, long reining and doing shoulder-in and leg yield on the long reins which is fab. Every now and then I long rein him up the road and back cause I think he get's a bit bored bless him!

Very good advice. I'm not personally a fan of Pessoas, or at least i think the risks often offset the rewards and I dislike how some horses feel under saddle, but leaving that aside, the point of using any gadget is to improve way of going and if that isn't happening then adjustments need to be made.

I'm not one to go against vet advice but they aren't necessarily experienced trainers and, more to the point, they aren't watching the horse work. Just make sure you're concentrating on the end result, not just the directions.

 

[WellyBaggins]

My horse had KS surgery, I did all of his rehab long reining, I personally do not agree with making a horse work in a restricted manner like that especially if it has or has had back pain, like the poster above, I built the time up on the flat, then added poles then raised them, in walk and adding trot. I did this x2 daily, if the pessoa works then that is great but if not long reining is a really good alternative as it is more suggestive than restrictive and can be mores easily adapted to the individual