i was checking this out and wondering if it is a useful tool. Have any of you used it with success or is it just as easy to use a regular surcingle and side reins instead?
A friend of mine has one and she likes it. Though, she can tend to get stuck in gimmicky ideas.
I like a regular surcingle and side reins or tacking horse normally and as long as you know they aren’t too silly on the lunge, hooking reins behind stirrups. I find this similar to side reins and easier if you plan to ride after.
The Pessoa seems like a great concept and it quickly corrects horse by pressure if they are not moving correctly, ie leaning pulls on haunches.
The system with all the straps though kind of freak me out if your horse had an episode, plus I feel it more artificial, less relating to riders aids.
I thought Molly was very remiss in not pointing out the obvious danger of standing directly behind the horse while setting up the rig. Especially with a horse that has never had one on before. Obviously this horse has been through the drill more than once.
I would never stand like that regardless of how many times the horse has had it put on. ALWAYS put it on from the side.
People who make these advertisements need to understand a lot of people that are not well versed “learn” from poorly thought out videos and pictures.
Personally I don’t see the need for these sort of rigs, gadgets. IMO better ways of going about it. But it takes a bit more effort.
The whole thing can be made from inexpensive parts bought at a hardware store and Walmart. Saw them as a kid. It took someone smart enough to put their name on it and laugh all the way to the bank.
Don’t waste your money. I prefer side reins and a surcingle with a crupper. Please don’t stand behind your horse like in this video, I felt a little nervous watching it when she was standing back there.
Looks like a lot of “moving parts.” And anyone operating this rig had better carry a sharp knife at all time 'cause if things ever “turn to worms” it could make the Gordian Knot appear like simple square knot.
A knowledgeable hand ought to be able to use this effectively. It’s not a device for newbies, I fear.
G.
I use it all the time with rope/hybrid halters instead of a bit (though you can use it with a bit of course). Here is a video I made for someone recently, explaining basic setup (safe and easy!) and use on my boy, Bishop, to stretch and strengthen his back!
I’ve never understood the point of connecting the horse’s mouth to it’s butt. Seems like a fabulous way to teach it to duck behind any sort of contact.
I have one and really like it. I would never pay retail for it though since you could easily make one up for a lot les money! (I got mine off a tack website for like $40!) The butt part encourages the horse to move forward by bumping him on his hindlegs and one of course must encourage the forward. You can produce the same affect by using two lines but some people cannot keep those organized so the Pessoa works well. I have used it on lots of different horses and only had one filly who objected to the butt strap but she objects to most things touching her hind legs!
Some poster recently had a thread up about a horse flipping over and dying in one of those things.
I don’t like the fact that it connects the mouth to the hindquarters. Seems set up to clonk them in the mouth if the hind legs trail or have exaggerated movement.
Rather get a theraband slung round the bum attached to a surcingle, then use side reins or a chambon.
To me, it’s one step up from hock hobbles, and not something I’d ever use.
I’ve seen it go wrong, and that experience alone stopped me from ever thinking of using one again.
They are inherently abusive and not useful for any training which aims to build the horse rather than destroy his body for a quick fix.
[QUOTE=Unfforgettable;8965373]
To me, it’s one step up from hock hobbles, and not something I’d ever use.[/QUOTE]
Yea same concept as hock hobbles really. Horses hind leg movement pulls back or “bumps” the bit. Doesn’t seem like a fair way to educate a horse
There’s better ways…and if you are NOT experienced with correct lunging technique and the horse you want to rig up in this thing already well schooled on the lunge line, you can get yourself and the horse hurt or killed.
Theres nothing inately wrong or evil about any kind of rig like this. Long as the horse is at a point in its training where it might be beneficial, understands what it’s asking and the handler understands basic safety when using it and WHY they are using it? Its fine.
Unfortunately many think they know way more then they do and most of their horses lack the foundation to accept the things…and I cringed reading that the video shows very unsafe methods, that’s what happened in that other thread. Dead green horse and inexperienced handling.
Venture to say if you have to ask about its use on the Internet, don’t use it. Yes, asking is learning but some things need experienced, hands on, in person guidance, not Internet advice from strangers.
[QUOTE=Simkie;8965186]
I’ve never understood the point of connecting the horse’s mouth to it’s butt. Seems like a fabulous way to teach it to duck behind any sort of contact.[/QUOTE]
Yup.
It’s also incredibly unsteady “contact” for the horse. Each movement of the hind leg bumps the mouth. I generally longe in just a heavy longeing cavesson, and will add plain leather side reins attached to a surcingle when I want to introduce moving forward into (steady) contact on the longe.
I also always have a loop of bailing twine attached to the rings on my surcingle, and I loop the sidereins through these - not directly to the rings. It’s not flimsy enough to break when the horse reaches into contact, but I feel much better about breaking/cutting twine in an emergency than leather.
If someone put a gun to my head and said “Lunge your horse with a gadget!” I would use a chambon long before I used a Pessoa.
Nope, classical dressage. Never needed one of these, they are just counterproductive.
I’m with the not-tying-the-head-to-the-legs camp. If you like the idea of having something behind the horse to encourage it to engage their are other products such as the Pro-core trainer from Thermatex for about $100. It’s basically a saddle pad with an elastic band that can be connected around the haunches, and another that can go under the belly to encourage engagement of the abdominal muscles. It’s recommended to only use for only a few minutes at a time so as not to over-do as it is highly effective. A quick search did not find one online, unfortunately. If you pm me I can hook you up 
I had the Horze knock-off lunging rig for a while. Same thing, but I got it for $45 on sale. I gave it to a friend who has Saddlebreds–she seems to like it! I’m with other commenters, though–too many moving parts, which made me nervous. Plus I felt like i had to put it on very snug at a walk to see any results at faster gaits. I think i used it twice.
As far as results go, when my pony was very green, I had better luck running the lunge line through the inside stirrup. As she has progressed, i have switched to regular side reins.
And if you are married to the idea of a line or strap around their butt, you can always just tie a polo wrap or track bandage from one side of the girth/surcingle, around their horse hiney, to the other side of the girth.
