Tried to do a search but didn’t have much luck. For those of you who have used a Pessoa rig to help build up your horse’s topline, how often and how long were your lunging sessions?
I just started using one on my guy (lowest setting), and have taken it verrrrrrry slowly. Like, didn’t even trot him until the third time I put it on him, and even then it was for about 3/4 of a circle in each direction. :lol: At first he was almost confused, he’d trot teeny little steps and then try to walk, but by the fourth time I used it, the lightbulb went off in his head. (FWIW, I had warmed him up thoroughly on the lunge without anything on before I put it on him.)
I know it can make horses sore if used too much/too fast, so currently I’ve done about 5 minutes (tops) of walk/trot. On the flip side, I also don’t want to do too little!
In my experience, it depends on the level of work your horse was in previously. Is the horse fit, in active work, and understands how to carry himself in a frame? If so, you can probably do a little more (likely a 10-15 minute session, incorporating all three gaits. Make sure to balance both directions, and use your judgment about when to stop based on his physical and mental reaction). If not, you’ll likely need to work up to it a little more (but could maybe do tiny 5 minute walk/trot sessions a 2-3 times a week, and then go for a nice stretchy hack afterwards or something).
Horses that I know that have used it for years, are fit and in active work, and are competing at moderate-higher levels typically do 30 minutes or a little bit more on the tougher days. I wouldn’t use it for longer than that (keep in mind that lunging takes much more of a toll on a horse’s legs than flatwork. As such, the bigger the circle the better). That would happen for them maybe once a week, not more.
Thanks! I should have prefaced that he spent 3 months on stall rest and has been back in work for about 5 weeks now… he knows how to carry himself in a frame but even when he’s fitter, it’s hard for him to maintain it for long.
In that case, I’d pay attention over the course of a few rides with him, and determine how long he is truly capable of carrying himself for right now, in his current state of fitness. I’d then do a maximum half that time on the Pessoa, once or twice a week, once he’s used to the system. I’m no pro, so YMMV, but that’s how I’d do it with my own horses. Good luck!
The danger with using the pessoa or similar system is forcing your horse into a frame they aren’t ready for. This is more likely with using it on a high setting intended to lift the poll while also keeping the horse on the verticle.
When using it to build a topline it’s best to start on the lowest possible setting and run it through your horses bit and to the ring on the belly band. This keeps the level of engagement lower and encourages stretch over the top line.
When using it to rehab after surgery I started with 10 min both ways for about 2 weeks 3-4 days a week walk and trot. After 2 weeks i incorporated cantering about 2 circles both ways and increased to 15-20 minutes. Did that for another week and worked up to 20 minutes with lots of transitions to help build up the hind quarters. I think I started riding again after 5 weeks of only pessoa work.
Of course the rehab depends on the injury but this worked well for me. I never raised the level of the poll but I did eventually make the frame shorter so it was more of a working frame vs. stretch.
I loved it for working on transitions because it trains the horse to stay in the same shape and not become hollow or invert. I think if you are careful to adjust it so it is loose enough to allow some play but tight enough to encourage carrying a frame you’re in good shape.
Used it yesterday for about 5-10 minutes after I had done about 25 minutes of long & low under saddle, and WOW! He looked amazing – really stepping under himself, lifting his back, and looked relaxed and supple. I kept it at the trot and did a few W/T transitions, but I can absolutely see the difference. Will continue to keep it on the low setting as my goal is to build his topline – he’s at the disadvantage of having a long(er) back and a bit of a downhill build, so it’s a constant struggle for him to carry himself.
He’s also generally a good boy on the lunge, so I do a HUGE circle – I’m basically at the end of the line and parallel lunging him.
That low setting is the only setting I’ve used to date, and I’ve used it for 3-4 rehab horses and a few more educated horses also. As far as I am concerned pessoa = long and low work. I ALWAYS have mine loose enough that they are encouraged, but never held, into a long and low frame. For this reason I don’t worry about starting all that slowly really, because there is no force. Even my guys who have never worn one before I’ll do 7-8 minutes each direction w/t and maybe a quick canter each way first time wearing it, as long as they were doing more then that without the device already.
If the horse is coming back from stall rest, then lots of walk. Depending on what the stall rest was for, you can walk over poles to up the anti without upping the speed. You can also use it for longer walks - up the driveway, around the hay field etc and it encourages the best quality of walk while still staying in walk, and not carrying a rider. Always allow additional walk without the rig on as a ‘cool down’ stretch time. Ending with carrot stretches, cat stretches, belly lifts etc is ideal after this. I’ve used mine on a rehab horse and done only walk sessions including poles and backing up, 20-30min and had really great results. Keep one walk day a week but other days add trot work in slowly. Walk days = longer maybe 30-40min total, more intense days = short, maybe 15-20min total. No not exactly lunging, often just walking in hand, or most of mine follow me around anyway, so we’d play ‘go with the leader’, walk-halt-turn and walk on off the line in a closed arena. I can do walk jog over poles and through some obstacle type stuff, barrels, over a tarp etc and this really helps mentally engage the ones that aren’t getting much stimulation. Plus it helps reinforce that they actually lead properly, meaning they don’t need a rope to walk politely next to you, taking all their cues from you without touching them, and that they yield space to you if you turn into them. One should never require a lead rope to lead a horse once its in a focused setting.
I have a horse who is about 5 months into rehab and he still goes at least one day a week in the pessoa or sometimes a neck bungee, because he does better long and low in the bungee, and he does wtc about 15-18min a side if I’m ‘working him’ but only about 10min a side if he’s just having a stretchy day with no real ‘work’. This is a horse thats coming back from suspensory problems with both back legs, which was also causing severe restriction of movement in the SI. I always alternate ‘work’ days with ‘stretchy’ days. He can’t take two work days in a row without getting stiff/sore enough that he’s a grouch and trips a bit. His stretchy days might be pessoa, ground driving where we focus on flexions and serpentines at walk, walking hacks, or free lunge wtc naked. His work days might be lunging in a pessoa wt over poles, lunging no gear and working on canter strike-offs over poles, riding wtc inc poles, trot sets around the 1/2 mile track with some canter, hill work at w/t and gentle hills at canter. I rarely ride him longer than 40min total, to keep it in perspective. His rehab is coming along very well, with notable increase in top line strength and muscle tone, and an overall increase in stride length and engagement from the hind. I think the catch is to balance long, slow miles with shorter periods of added intensity. Don’t mix endurance and intensity, always choose one or the other for rehabs.
