Lunging aids? Topline activator?

[Casper]

Casper has quite a lot of muscle wastage after being out of work for so long.

At the moment I am focusing on short schooling sessions during the week with lots of hacking in walk at the weekend - lots of slow hill work.

In addition to this I have lunged him a couple of times in my Topflyte Topline activator which is similar to a Pessoa.

I'm working him on the lowest setting to encourage him to stretch down but he's not really stretching - he's not fighting it but just going round with his head up slightly (he has a short neck and therefore a pretty low head carriage anyway) and his nose poking out.

I'm not sure if he just needs to get used to the aid or if I need to adjust the settings to asking him to come down more or what?

The main purpose is just to build up that muscle that he's lost.  My RI suggested a chambon instead?

Any suggestions would be very welcome as to what I might be doing wrong or what else I can do to help him build up that muscle?

[shoveltrash]

JMHO - i am hesitant to advise employing "gadgets" to build a horse's topline.  just not convinced that they work.

At the moment I am focusing on short schooling sessions during the week with lots of hacking in walk at the weekend - lots of slow hill work.

this WILL work .  combine it with lungeing over poles & cavaletti (at the walk and trot), and very basic lungeing . years ago owned a Pessoa, but i just didn't think it worked well.  i felt it merely pulled the head down  
with correct work a normal horse will begin to stretch and *reach* forward/down/out on his own

but this is all "JMHO" as i posted in the beginning -- and there may be others who have experience with these training aids who know better .

[issywizz]

Agree with shoveltrash.
The best way to get a horse to work over its back on the lunge imo is to ensure you have bend through the ribcage and a slight flexion to the inside then keep the rhythm as you send them into the contact-you need to half halt and drive to ensure correct work once on the lunge too,its not just about standing in the middle of a circle whilst the horse runs round 
If you want to post a vid up of him lungeing just off the cavesson without extra reins Im sure a few on here would be happy to give pointers to help. 

[Casper]

Thanks - I'll try and get a video of him being lunged.  I have a strange lunging techinque - I don't work him in a small circle but stay pretty close to him and lung him around the whole arena with lots of gradually increasing and decreasing circles and lots of transitions.

I'm hoping to go and buy some poles in the next couple of weeks so will also be walking/lunging him over then shortly.

I just wish the nights were a bit lighter as we have a 70 acre forest complete with rolled tracks and lots of hills right next to the yard but I'm not too keen to ride in there in the dark!

[catkin]

Thanks - I'll try and get a video of him being lunged.  I have a strange lunging techinque - I don't work him in a small circle but stay pretty close to him and lung him around the whole arena with lots of gradually increasing and decreasing circles and lots of transitions.

Sounds a pretty good lunging technique to me - and great to do pole work with

What you are doing, long slow hill work, is the best way to build them up IMHO.

[Casper]

Yes lots of slow hill work - much to his disgust - he things he should be allowed to go at a flat gallop and did so last week resulting in me having to launch myself off the side of him before he tried to run through a horse gate - bad pony!

[issywizz]

Thats a perfectly reasonable way to lunge 

[Cabruze]

Absolutely agree with Trish and IW .... but having just watched your dressage video - getting that lovely trot on the lunge will really help him.  Again I'm a no-gadget person!  More faith in yourself to help him find his balance. 

I have a strange lunging techinque - I don't work him in a small circle but stay pretty close to him and lung him around the whole arena with lots of gradually increasing and decreasing circles and lots of transitions.

  Aaaah - sounds like you know what you're doing (the same way I lunge!!  )  You definately don't need gadgets!! 

[Casper]

Thanks for all the comments.

It's interesting that so many of you advocate this simple form of lunging.

I've always had it drilled into me that if you want to improve topline/encourage correct muscle development you needed to use some sort of gadget to do this be it a pessoa, sidereins or similar - in fact I don't recall seeing anyone at my yard simply lunging their horse in a bridle or cavesson and nothing else.

[happy-horses]

Thanks for all the comments.
.I've always had it drilled into me that if you want to improve topline/encourage correct muscle development you needed to use some sort of gadget to do this be it a pessoa, sidereins or similar - in fact I don't recall seeing anyone at my yard simply lunging their horse in a bridle or cavesson and nothing else.

to those people! 

I'm working him on the lowest setting to encourage him to stretch down but he's not really stretching - he's not fighting it but just going round with his head up slightly (he has a short neck and therefore a pretty low head carriage anyway) and his nose poking out.

I'm not sure if he just needs to get used to the aid or if I need to adjust the settings to asking him to come down more or what?

What I do is use body language as much as poss, to get the stretch I stick my own head out ( yes I look like a werido when I lunge  ) , If they don't respond I encourage with the lunge line a little. 


Sounds like a great place to ride! Poles will also help for sure 

[ChrissieW]

All good advice.    I'm a bit in between, I like gadget less lunging, but have also used and found a place for the Pessoa and side reins in the past and probably in the future, but with everything only guiding, never forcing.

I do like lunging slightly closer to the horse though and lots of movement, straight lines etc - so boring just standing in one place "a la BHS" 

Personally, I'd be out there on those lovely forest paths, dark or no dark - they sound fantastic and horses can see really well in the dark!!