Handy-dandy DIYers: Pessoa Lunging System, your home-made, non-ghetto version?

[beowulf]

So we’re talking about this guy, right here:

Near as I can tell, all that really is is a surcingle with a pulley system from the shoulder, to the bit, to up and around the haunches - made of little flimsy cord and a nice fleece backing. For all that bit of boat rope (the dang thing isn’t even sold with a surcingle!!), that’s $250 - a tough price to swallow, unless the cute horse is included.

I know, I swore up and down I never wanted to use one of these hellish things because I’ve seen some pretty bad accidents, but my vet is insisting it’ll be best for Holden’s rehab protocol (if you’re nosy, just look for “Horse NQR” thread).

How did you guys formulate yours? I’m willing to experiment, and I have a horse that can tolerate said experiments – but I don’t really love the idea of the bit being connected to the butt – seems like backassward work at hand to me, but I’m not the expert.

Now, I’ve held this system in my hands before, having had a trainer who insisted several of her horses be lunged in it once a week. I don’t want to make the naive-novice’s mistake of assuming I can duplicate an expert’s work – so I ask you, COTH, is there a whole lot of science behind the exact length of the bits and pieces, or is this something a fool-hardy DIYer like me can fashion?

[clanter]

we have 20 meter around pen and just tell the horse to go forward, no ropes involved… then after a while we ask them to reverse … voice commands only

We used this a lot when doing competitive trail as the horse had to be proven sound at various stages of the rides, they just go so used to being asked to do the same thing all was needed was to tell them

One was a mare who had been shown so much she could have been a ring steward as she was always listening to the for the gait changes to be announced, then would change on command.One judge caught on to what she was doing and did some changes out of the normal order, mare kept up with her.

[gaitedincali]

Schneiders has a knock-off version for $70 that you use with your own surcingle
http://www.sstack.com/english_traini…aining-system/

That would probably be the easiest way to go.

[Xanthoria]

I made one. It’s really easy and there are some DIY guides online. But it’s not a great system. Making my own chambon was a lot more useful!

[beowulf]

@clanter

we have 20 meter around pen and just tell the horse to go forward, no ropes involved… then after a while we ask them to reverse … voice commands only

We used this a lot when doing competitive trail as the horse had to be proven sound at various stages of the rides, they just go so used to being asked to do the same thing all was needed was to tell them

One was a mare who had been shown so much she could have been a ring steward as she was always listening to the for the gait changes to be announced, then would change on command.One judge caught on to what she was doing and did some changes out of the normal order, mare kept up with her.

this is meant kindly, but it’s not the lunging/being in circles my horse needs, it’s the working over his back and the stretching of his topline that he needs - he is not the type to volunteer either in loose school.

as much as I would like the round-pen to be the answer to our problems, it won’t be (especially not loose) because he’s coming back from a major injury and shouldn’t be left to make his own decisions vis a vis his physical therapy!

[Xanthoria]

https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/f…m-instructions

my previous description and a link are there

[LuvRedHeads]

http://www.sstack.com/english_training_ground-driving-equipment_training-surcingles/advanced-european-training-system/

[Heinz_57]

The top piece that goes from the haunches up the back is a separate piece, not connected to the one below, on the rigs I’ve seen. They are connected at the same point but there is not a pulley at the back end, only on the front where it connects to the bit.

I have thought it would be easy to replicate, if you have the time and the hardware. I haven’t needed one, so I never got around to trying. You could probably even just sew a couple halter fleeces together and slide it over some tubing to make the bit that goes around the rear.

[Ceylon_Star]

I know someone whose vet wanted them to use a pessoa system for similar reasons, but they ended up having better luck with sliding/running side reins and a length of surgical tubing around the back end. The horse in question was happier with the give and take of the tubing and didn’t fight it the way he did the rope of the real pessoa. and the sliding side reins (went from girth between front legs, through bit, then to sides of surcingle) worked better for his conformation. As the horse got fitter, they swapped the surgical tubing out for different thickness tire tubes to give progressively more resistance without making the horse feel “stuck”.

[SugarCubes]

My vet wanted me to use one and I also felt the price tag was ridiculous. I planned on making my own, but found a tack shop in Britain selling knockoffs on eBay. I got mine for $35 including shipping. Search “sh-equestrian”, they still have them available.

I compared it to my friends “real” Pessoa system, and the only difference is the clips that attach to the surcingle or bridle are slightly different.

[Engage]

Chambon, and a surcingle with a theraband or surgical tubing slung round the hindquarters. Easy and simple and doesn’t attach the hind legs to the mouth.