Your thoughts on pessoa training aids or similar!

VioletStripe

VioletStripe

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Sorry if this has been done to death before, but as title really! I'm contemplating one for a little further into the future, however would appreciate some thoughts basically! At the moment I lunge in a cavesson, roller, and once warmed up side reins, but don't lunge very often. Just curious, if it's worth the money, if they're a big no-go for many people, or if there are cheaper brands that do them basically! Thank you for reading, have some hot chocolate if you care to share :) xx
 
I personally don't lunge in a cavesson - always put the bridle on.

I really like the Pessoa think it works really well - you can get a original one second hand but the copies tend to work exactly the same. It's good for working horse long and low - and building up muscle and top line. I lunge for 20mins once a week.
I use to also use side reins - I think they are also good.
 
DosyMare said:
I personally don't lunge in a cavesson - always put the bridle on.

I really like the Pessoa think it works really well - you can get a original one second hand but the copies tend to work exactly the same. It's good for working horse long and low - and building up muscle and top line. I lunge for 20mins once a week.
I use to also use side reins - I think they are also good.
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Agree with the above......I only use them on the long and low setting and the one a little higher but have them loose enough to allow nag to have a hooly if they think its needed:rolleyes:

I warm up for 15 mins then have it on for roughly 10 mins each rein then warm down without it on. I got mine from my local take shop its not the big name one. It's called the Norton training aid and cost me £25! LOL

Xxx
 
After sacrilliac joint problems my boy had to work long & low in one for 6-8 weeks before commencing ridden work. I use the John Whittaker one, which seems better than some I've seen. My horses chiro lady also recommends me to use once a week over raised trot poles to build up his muscles over his back & bum. Already showing improvments.
I only tend to use on the lowest setting and he loves working really long and low - so low he almost drags his nose on the floor when trotting along! (he wouldn't do this to start with.)

His muscles are getting stronger all the time, which they need to to support the sacroiliac joint in the long term.

Personally, i Never use side reins. I also ride him very long and low when I first get on in walk and trot and get him really swinging through from behind.

I use for about 20mins at a time and do really big circles. In the summer I do on grass in even bigger circles if the ground isn't too hard.
 
I have the whitaker one and used it long and low on my fat forester as he was coming back into work and also for my little eventer.

I love it, but just build it up slowly and only for 10 mins to begin with, especially if the horse isn't working naturally into it.

Have fun! It's a cool toy, as long as it is used right!

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I have recently bought one for my mare, I wanted something instead of side reins to lunge in.. I find mine fantastic and is really helping my mare, i have had so many comments from lots of different people lately of how good shes looking and how well she is working. Shes a 6year old tb mare and going brilliantly in hers.

Dont get me wrong the other comments say they only work them once a week but my mares lunged in hers 2/3times a week with hacking in between, she needs to build up muscle and topline. I dont use it for long about 10mins each rein because it makes her work really hard.

Id highly recommend one its helping my mare loads!
 
Fabulous, thank you :) So the John Whitaker one is a good duplicate then? I like the sound of it as my boy's rather compact and needs to improve on working more long and low, so thought the Pessoa or similar might be a good idea - a little into the future though, was thinking more for spring/summer. Thanks for the views, will now put a Pessoa fund in place :D xx
 
EDickens said:
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Shorts! OMG! Summer seems a long time ago.

Does anyone else remember when the ground wasn't boggy and you didn't need to wear wellies everywhere? Oh those were the days!

Back on topic - I am so going to get one of those Pessoa thingys as soon as I stop being all fat and pregnant. I've heard so many good things about them, a few bad too, but mostly good.
 
Nope, I miss summer too! Terribly! Flies and sunburn and all :D And oh yay good luck with the baby! :)
Regarding the pessoa/similar, I assume it will come with some form of guide to suggest which settings etc to use? Or am I being a numpty? xx
 
I dont like them, i dont like the idea of a horse being pulled long and low by its own movement. I use side reins attached to d ring under roller very loosely to encourage her to stretch down sometimes, but much much prefer long reining - ive only done this with her twice, and she goes a million times better like this.
 
Get one on ebay .. I bought mine a couple of weeks ago for £29 i think had to buy a roller seperatly but works fantastic! OP have Pm'd you :)
 
Thank you so much for being so helpful :) Luckily a friend of mine has one lying around which she has kindly agreed for me to try out a couple of times, and see how my boy likes it - sadly she probably won't let me have it though :rolleyes: :D Thank you very much again, so glad I asked so I got some insight! xx
 
I like my "pessoa". I have a fake/copy off of ebay for about £25 - amusingly, it is still working perfectly while my instructor's genuine Pessoa of a similar age, slips from the setting it is set on... As with all things, it's down to how you use it and I found it really showed my youngster what I wanted from her, how to reach down and forward for the contact, and is starting to build her muscles up really nicely.
The settings are pretty much starting at clipping between the front legs, (like draw reins :( ) for the long and low, to progressing to higher up the rings on the side of the roller as your horse builds muscle and awareness. It's important that your horse understand the concept of yielding to the pressure though before use, as I saw a green horse having a head up argument with one, and it wasn't pretty. I thought it was gonna flip over backwards.
I'm pretty sure you can do lots of damage with a pessoa/sidereins/drawreins/insert any gadget name if you use it without any understanding of what it is doing. Eg, an hour and a half every night of the week on the advanced setting without a stretch is downright cruelty (and yet I know someone who does this). My chiropractor, and a physio I used to use, both highly recommend them, when used is short bursts :)
 
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My mare did 1 month in the Pessoa before I even sat on her. She was turned away for 4 years and I found it great for building her up.
I started for few minutes and just walking and built it up.
 
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Have you considered an “[content removed]” training aid rather than a Pessoa. It has two parts to it which means it can be ridden in or lunged in. I have only tried it whilst lunging at present but am pleasantly surprised with the difference it has made in just a couple of sessions. I have never been one for using gadgets as much prefer the horse to “work” it out themselves in a way they find comfortable rather than forcing the issue.
Whilst lunging I have only ever used side reins initially and then a few years ago I moved on to a “[content removed]” which I have successfully used until now. Lunging is an important part of retraining any horse and we specialise in the ex-racehorses as it is well known that they lack muscle along their top line as they have never been asked to use those muscles before. Therefore by giving them time to build up those muscles without the added pressure of carrying a rider as well is very beneficial.
The [content removed] works on a self balancing loop system so that it is not fixed in any way and therefore does not force your horse into a position that it is not comfortable in. When the horse works out the system i.e. it engages its hind legs and lowers its neck, therefore softening along its top line all the lines relax.
I have a mare who is very sensitive and does not submit easily, however within a week of using the [content removed] she has gained confidence in herself and is now working in a long and low outline, engaging her hind quarters like she has never done previously. I have never seen her work in such a soft, relaxed swinging manner.

I would highly recommend

[content removed]
 
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I have one I have had it for years I am not a huge fan I use it now and again if think it may help a horse for a while.
there are other things that help a horse work long and low that are milder and kinder on there mouths .
I also feel that if a horse is very weak the Pessoa pulls them to a shape that can be very difficult and uncomfortable for them to maintain ,they need to be used with caution.
For working long and low I prefer a lunging rope which is simple ,kind to the horse and easy to use.
I also sometimes use bungee reins but my most used system is lunging rope for long and low moving onto Vienna reins as they become more established.
when I try horses I can always tell in the mouth and neck if a horse has been lunged in a Pessoa a lot , and in the worse cases where it has been overused and too tight the horse gets a nasty nose wobble.
 
I have a cheap copy of a pessoa that I got off ebay and absolutely love it! My horse responds really well to it and it has certainly helped his training, however some horses really don't like them, so it's definitely worth borrowing a friends to see how you get on with it :-) There are definitely cheaper versions around that do the same job - so it's worth looking elsewhere.
 
I have the JW one and I love it! If its fitted correctly there should be no 'jabbing in the mouth'. However, as I cannot feel the weight that is in his mouth when I am lunging, I always use a straight bar nathe bit. But then I would use this regardless of what aid I was lunging with. Ime horses take to it very well in walk and trot, but canter can be a bit of an issue to start with :D
 
I also have an EquiAmi and have had great results with it. Massively made a difference to his shape, his balance, the way he rides etc. Totally recommend it too. :D
 
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