Are there any 'gadgets' that you recommend for lunging

[winnieandben]

Does anyone use side reins, pessoas, lungie bungies or any other type of training aid when lunging?

If so, what do you use and why, please 

I occasionally lunge in loose side reins.  My side reins have elastic inserts in them.  The reason being I wanted horse to get a feel of the reins on the bit.  I am now looking to lunge to help strengthen her back end and and encourage her to stretch through her topline.

I have never used any thing other than side reins so would like to hear what people have tried and their opinions on them please.

Thank you.

[ukica]

Just a good old lunge cavesson....you can get good inside bend with the action coming from the front of the nose, encouraging stretching down and stepping under, leading to a lovely stretch over the top line.

Also, very useful to encourage engagement, the bum bandage.  I really noticed a lifting in the back with this.

I don't like side reins, apart from very loose ones used to get the horse used to the weight of the reins like you said.  I think they can lock the horse in a front heavy position.

[Larri DB]

Two reins so you can work into a steady contact or in a horse that needs to be shown how to stretch FDO a chambon and a bum bandage.

I also always use straight lines, deep corners and circles of varying sizes depending on what I'm looking to achieve in terms of hind leg engagement 

[winnieandben]

How does a chambon work?  She does need to learn to stretch down more as she holds her tension in her neck.   I will try a bum bandage tomorrow night though

[ukica]

How does a chambon work?  She does need to learn to stretch down more as she holds her tension in her neck.   I will try a bum bandage tomorrow night though

  i noticed a visible difference with this.  need to get mine out again.

[Lyndsey Lewis]

Can someone explain the bum bandage?

Thanks!!!

[shoveltrash]

no gadgets!!!!!
there is no gadget that can replace effective lungeing imho.
(and btw i don't consider double lungeing/driving 'gadgetry')
a chambon places pressure on the poll.  i'd rather a horse seek to stretch minus poll pressure .
and i place no value in 'bum bandages' or pessoas.  side reins?  well, maybe, IF the horse is truly seeking/reaching for the contact.  i have only JUST put side reins on Nico lungeing.  i'm so scared of creating an artificial frame or headset .

my 2 cents, for what it's worth
(probably not much!  but i do feel strongly about this subject )

[Trudi]

I would pretty much agree with Trish and I have  'lost' all of my gadgets/tools over the years. I think a good 'eye' is the best tool for the job.

Trish, out of interest why are the side reins going on now?

[Appy2quarter]

I don't like gadgets; however I DO like the 'bum bandage' as I've found it very useful to help the horse bring awareness to their body (and yes, I have trialled body bandages on myself so I know what they feel like!).  Having had some feldenkrais lessons I can appreciate how building awareness can help a body move.

The bum bandage is just a stretchy wide elastic bandage placed either from girth to girth if the saddle is on, or in a 'figure 8) using 2 bandages - one around the chest and tied behind the withers and then the other around the bum.  they are not tight, they should just rest around the horse.

I found that the difference between asking Loly to go over cavalletti on just a headcollar resulted in clonk, clonk, wallop.  Put the bum bandage on and he was clear through the first time.  It also helped when I was working on exercises in the labyrinth.

Hate the YO lunging in tight side reins, riding in 3 ring gags......at least the rest of the liveries aren't orientated that way.

[ukica]

The bum bandage isnt really a gadget per se!  

According to TTouch methods its key uses are:

Gives spooky horses a feeling of containment
Helps horses lift the back
encourages lazy or short strided horses to move out(encourages engagement)

Also, it is used to relax horses who kick others when ridden.

I used it for first ridden work with my horse who was reluctant to walk forward and it seemed to work.  Also in lunging where i saw a visible lift in the back.  Definitely going to get mine out again  

You can ride, lunge and do in hand work with the bandage.  It is elasticated and about 4 inches wide.  It sits just below the point of the buttocks and should be just snug enough so as not to slip ie not too tight.  So you attach it around the butt and to the stirrup billet under the saddle flap.

Trish, if you havent tried it, you will never know  

ETA...you may want to add some pole work Janet.

[winnieandben]

Just having a very quick read on my lunch break, but just wanted to say I dont own any lunging gadgets other than the side reins so would have to be very convinced by something to go out and buy it.  I did guess that the general thoughts on here would be not to use anything    but you dont know until you ask 

Did find some interesting vids on youtube by horse mart about using a chambon, side reins and the pessoa, will link them later if I have time 

[shoveltrash]

Trish, out of interest why are the side reins going on now?

i put them on the other day, VERY loosely adjusted - i wanted to see if he'd honestly *seek* the contact on the lunge.  Nico is 99% confirmed lungeing beautifully, stretchy, relaxed and flowing forward.  i thought it might be time to 'test'.  and it was successful!  i should video this

Did find some interesting vids on youtube by horse mart about using a chambon, side reins and the pessoa

all at once???

it has prompted an interesting discussion
and of all 'gadgetry' i've seen/heard of, the bum strap seems a much better choice .  most gadgets focus on the headset, which ruins your true *barometer* of knowing when your horse is honestly working correctly.  i'm very anti-headsetting

[Larri DB]

a chambon places pressure on the poll. 

So does a headcollar if you ask a horse to lead or move their head Trish, but they aren't generally seen as the work of the devil  

Like I said I like them if a horse needs help to be shown they can move and stretch and only come into play when the horse raises their head above a level where they'll build incorrect muscle if they carry on giraffing around. They can't duck behind one like side reins and it's only action is to encourage the horse out and down - not in and back,  so is a useful tool for re-habbing. I don't as a rule use them on youngsters - never had to use it with Bally as she's only ever been lunged by me so no bad habits to get out of    

Bum bandages are brill, lovely soft encouragement to step under and as others have said heighten awareness of their own movement.

[shoveltrash]

'work of the devil' is terminology i reserve for something like Rolkur!
personally, i teach a horse to lead by influencing their body, not pulling on the head w/headcollar .

[ChrissieW]

I have a pessoa   but to be honest i'm too lazy to use it nowadays and it sits on the rug rail rusting! I only lunge in a cavesson as its quicker nowadays and lost my side reins about ten years ago.

I'm not anti pessoa though, they are often recommended by physios, although the bit i like and used to use the most is the back bum bit and not connect up in front so I might as well just use the bandage set up for my purposes.
 
On that note, what kind of bandages? Normal elastic exercise type or some special thing?