# Pessoa and other "balance" training systems



## Canterklutz (Jul 20, 2012)

My vet actually gave me one of these to help my horse rehab from his back issues. I've used it for 2 weeks so far and have seen an amazing difference in the development in his back muscles and his poise. He went from being too weak and painful to hold a rider on his back to automatically holding himself round and strong enough to hold a rider again. 

The Balance training system is the same thing as the Pessoa except way cheaper. I think at Schneiders you can just buy the breeching system and pulleys if you already have a surcingle and caveson/bridle. I don't use the caveson and bit it came with since it is crap. The snaffle it comes with is longer on one side than the other so I just use my own bridle and bit. They can be either really helpful or really harmful depending on if they're used correctly or not. Having it too tight will make them painful and stuck behind the bit and having it too loose will cause it to bump against the horse. Have a second person help you adjust it so the whole apparatus is taut and even on both sides. This way I've never had a problem with it bumping my horse or not keeping my horse forward (well he was already forward to begin with). The instructions it comes with aren't really instructions but just pictures of the different levels you can set it on. I went on to Youtube and looked at some videos so I could figure it out. 

It's a tough workout and can really make their muscles sore at first. I think most people who ride maybe use it 1-2x a week. I have my horse on it 3x a week and it makes him really tired going in it for about 20 min right now. I keep it on the longest, lowest setting to work his back. I'm typically an anti-gadget person and I was reluctant to use it at first knowing my horse has had bad history with gadgets in the past. But overall I'm very impressed with the improvement he has made with it in such a short amount of time.  People at my barn keep asking me if they can use it for their horse too after I meticulously spent so much time perfecting the adjustments on my own horse. XD


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## DraftXDressage (Aug 29, 2011)

I do not think this is an appropriate tool for the level that you and your horse are at right now. I don't like them for 99% of horses anyway (won't say there is absolutely no place for them, but instances where they are appropriate are rare), but certainly not for a horse who has yet to achieve forwardness. They are difficult to get adjusted correctly, particularly if you do not have a very experienced person to guide you, and an incorrectly adjusted Pessoa will create a whole host of problems. I also do not believe that this is a good tool for *teaching* a horse to use its back - to the extent the Pessoa has an appropriate use, it is strengthening the back of a more trained horse who already knows what is being asked of him.

I do not mean any disrespect, but your side reins video a while back showed that you are not yet ready to use side reins correctly in your lunging program, and the Pessoa is 1000x more complicated (and more disastrous if used incorrectly) than side reins. Focus on your riding and enjoy your horse; save tools like this for well on down the road, if ever.


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## Jore (Dec 4, 2010)

My instructor loves using her Pessoa on horses that need to learn how to better balance themselves and get their hind legs more under them. However, she knows how to use it properly and although she's let me use it in the past, she's taught me and I usually prefer to have her there anyways.

Indie might be having her first session in it, or side reins, this coming Wednesday during my lesson.. since I don't know how she'll react and I trust my instructor to know how to handle anything that may arise.

So I definitely agree with the people above.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

Draft, you've obviously not seen them used properly.

They are very useful tool for building muscle in young horses and encouraging using thier back end and rounding thier backs. If adjusted properly ou can have them in a long low outline and learning to balance themselves.

It is also very useful with horses who bolt as they end up pulling against themselves and not you which means you can hang on and the horses learn that bolting doesnt get them anwhere.

Obviously they need to be used properly and I stronly feel that if you cant longrein effectivly then you shouldn't be using one but they are a very valuable tool.


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## DraftXDressage (Aug 29, 2011)

I have seen them adjusted properly, but I am still of the opinion that they are not appropriate for a horse that does not have any concept of engagement yet. I am entitled to my opinion, as you are to yours.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

As we all already know, I love the Pessoa system. I have yet to not have positive results with it.

That said. Unless you are properly trained in using it, you can cause more issues then you started with.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Thank you all for your input, it really does help me to think this thoroughly. Draft, have you seen the lunge video I posted less than a week ago or are you talking about the one from a few months ago?


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Google Linda Tellington-Jones. She uses a similar system and explains why she does. The difference is she just uses wide tensor bandage. It provides gentle yet firm pressure. it's worth checking out.


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## AngieLee (Feb 20, 2011)

I dont have any opinions except that when i horses back was sore my vet suggested i look into getting one. I never did find one and he healed up fine. but yeah lol


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## DraftXDressage (Aug 29, 2011)

Cinnys Whinny said:


> Thank you all for your input, it really does help me to think this thoroughly. Draft, have you seen the lunge video I posted less than a week ago or are you talking about the one from a few months ago?


I had not seen that video when I posted my comment, but I have gone and looked now. I think your set up is much better, but Cinny is still not moving forward. I do not think the Pessoa would benefit him at this point in his training, and it has the potential to create new problems for you as well.

I would keep working on driving him forward into the bridle. I know that you have been having trouble with him stargazing, but I really think that he won't bring his head down on his own until you get his rear end MOVING. I think it has been suggested by others in other threads, but I think cavalettis would be a great benefit to him. Keep changing it up - some days, a set of four evenly spaced poles, other days more random (single stride then double stride or something), and other days raise every other pole. Anything you can do to keep him thinking about what his body is doing is going to help him immensely. It will help you with the forward (space them so he absolutely has to take a good, full, tracking-up stride between poles), and should get him using his back more as well. They are a great tool for teaching a horse that running around with your nose to the sky and your back all hollowed out is way more trouble than it's worth.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

I do have to say I would work for the forward THEN get the head down. By bugging him to keep his head down he is also wanting to slow down and not use himself. Which means sucking back. Once you have the forward the rest should follow.

As far as his SI issue. I was training a horse a few years ago who had SI issues. We could not figure out why he ALWAYS wanted to run with his head up in the air, hallowed out back, sluggish and every time we asked him to jump he would fall on his face.

I had a vet out and she did diagnostic acupunture and lo and behold it was his SI.

We gave him a month off in the pasture. Picked him back up and did a week in the pessoa and Then working through poles and did stride control. Opening and closing his stride under saddle. Doing serpentines, spirals etc... and he was a different horse. Though we never jumped him again. He did turn into a decent lower level dressage horse.

Now as I previously said. Pessoa is not to be used in untrained hands. 

I would use the veinna draw reins and adjust them so they are just kind of "there" to stop him from having his head in the clouds and work on moving him forward. Once you get the forward slowly adjust the reins so they ask him to come down. But still move FORWARD. No western pleasure pony jog. A true forward gait. 

Then maybe do some long lines and start using poles.

Forward first, everything else will follow. Thats just my opinion though. And as you already know. Everyone has a different opinion and different ideas. Its a matter of taking what you want and putting it together to find what works for you. It sounds like you have a great trainer. So you are in the right direction.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Getting proper poles is a big goal of mine. I had no problem at my other stables, but the one I moved Cinny to last July isn't quite what the owners made it out to be and I am now on waiting lists for others, including my old one. But I digress.

The poles at my current barn are hollow 8 inch pvc pipe cut into 5 foot lengths. Needless to say they fly several feet if they are very lightly tapped. For this reason I don't use them. I just don't think it's worth the danger. I have been keeping my eye at our local community recycle place (where people take things like cupboards, tables, fencing, flooring to be recycled when they remodel their homes) for some poles or even vintage round fence posts to redo that would be safer to use. But for now, we have no hills, and no cavelletti...and nothing to make a SAFE 1 foot cross rail to lunge him over either...just hollow pvc.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

Ugh I hate those hallow pvc poles. I wonder if you would be able to fill them with sand or something? 

In the mean time go for a walk through the woods... you would be surprised what you would find laying around that would work as a pole. It doesn't need to be the same thickness and shape. As long as its long and reasonibly straight with some weight its good to go.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

NBEventer said:


> Ugh I hate those hallow pvc poles. I wonder if you would be able to fill them with sand or something?
> 
> In the mean time go for a walk through the woods... you would be surprised what you would find laying around that would work as a pole. It doesn't need to be the same thickness and shape. As long as its long and reasonibly straight with some weight its good to go.


Sadly, new stable has no trails near it, no woods, no hills, no nothing. It was more economical and closer to our house but I am finding that lack of riding area really isn't worth the savings  Basically I have a tiny arena in which I compete with lessons no matter what time of day it is. A gravel road that tears up Cinny's hooves, or neighboring corn fields and hope that whomever owns them doesn't flip out if they catch me riding there  I can't wait till warmer weather when people will be moving their horses out of the stables at back to their own homes LOL. That's the cycle here in my area...when it gets cold people move their horses to nearby stables and board and during warm weather have them at home living on pasture. I waited too late to try to move again so I'm stuck on 5 waiting lists instead.


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