My boy in his Pessoa - pics

[BecknSkye]

These pics are of my boy lunging, and of his first time in a Pessoa, actually it's a European Training System, $200 cheaper than a 'real' Pessoa:), and it was what the saddlery had, so I got one. I would have attached it to the centre girth dee, but my surcingle's girth was too long for him, so I had to make do until I've ordered a shorter one.
A little background - Skye's an 18yo PBA who I competed endurance with for about four years, then for the last year and half he's done almost nothing, now I'm aiming at a little stressage to keep him fit in his old age;).
You'll probably notice his neck is well muscled up giraffe-style underneath, and he has a poor topline, which is what I'm trying to work on.
He is walking and trotting comfortably on the lunge, but has never been able to maintain canter - you get about three leapy, panicked strides then he falls into trot, so I don't know what to do about that.
Any advice or comments would be fantastic!;)

Here he is without kit on - pretty much his standard way of going here, same each way, distraction is the name of the game!:rolleyes:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/snowhyte/LunginginthePessoa004.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/snowhyte/LunginginthePessoa008.jpg

Pessoa pics in next post!!

[BecknSkye]

Kit on... freaking a little, but no big performance:)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/snowhyte/LunginginthePessoa009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/snowhyte/LunginginthePessoa011.jpg

Other way...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/snowhyte/LunginginthePessoa015.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/snowhyte/LunginginthePessoa018.jpg

[Konch]

What a lovely field you have to work in! nice pony, but 1 suggestion is that you use the lowest setting with the line going thro his front legs to under tummy clip. This will encourage him to lower his front end, lift his back, bring his hind legs underneath him and feel a nice stretch. At the moment it looks quite loose and he is resisting against causing a (probably) false impression of a giraffe and trying to run away from the furry bum chasing breech strap :D

[andreaB]

the pessoa system can be really useful & well done pony for coping with the contraption first time round

he would be best on the lowest setting , ie attatched to girth between legs , also the ropes need tightening , i would do this gradually during a session , tighten a little , lunge for a minute to settle , keep repeating until he stretches down , but don't go mad so as to fix him

lots of trot canter trot transitions on the pessoa will help with balance , but remember to eatablish a steady rhythm before & after

i you have a good instructor ask for a pessoa lesson to make sure you have the equipment set appropriately & learn some techniques , good luck:)

[xox stace xox]

lovely pics, chirst what lovely fields you have if i was to lunge h in that shed be off lol :D

[BecknSkye]

Thanks for the tips, I did plan to use the lower setting but my shorter surcingle girth hasn't arrived yet and I got sick of waiting, should arrive in the next couple of days.:cool: Don't think I'll lunge again until it arrives.
The problem with canter is that I can't get him to maintain canter on the lunge at all, with or without the Pessoa, so should I just wait until he gets a bit better muscled for this type of work before I try cantering, or carry my lunge whip so I can back up the canter signal more strongly, keeping in mind that he runs into canter from a fast trot with his head in the air?
Will having the Pessoa set shorter so that it maintains a contact help to steady him and improve the transition?

xox stace xox, lol, that's our smallest field with a relatively flat area - it's twelve acres:D My new roundpen/lunging ring is still in bare-clay stages:(

[pineapple]

i guess that he can canter when you ride him.

what if you try to canter him in a small circle as you do on the lunge. does he have the same head carriage when he is loose??

maybe he has a physical problem which stops him wanting to canter.

[BecknSkye]

I'd forgotten I made this thread! :o
Yes, his physical problem is that he hasn't been schooled for three years, and I've let him fall into towing about however he wants, so we've lost all flexibility and fitness for this type of work:mad: This horse was doing two time changes and all sorts three years ago and I've let him slide badly:(.
His vet and Bowen therapist both recommended working on it now to try and reverse the stiffness he's developed since I stopped proper lessons and schooling with him.
I'm using the Pessoa on the between-the-forelegs setting now for a few minutes each way before I longrein, in walk and trot, I haven't bothered about canter because it's too hard at this stage, and I'm not riding him while the ground is so wet, and he'll probably be better off without me on until I get some lessons organised and fix all the things that have gone gammy:o:)