The use of training aids (Pessoa / Equi Ami or similar)

Question from a Brain or Pain reader:

"Hi Sue,

I hope the three of you are well. I’ve been mulling over something I wondered if you’d consider answering in Brain or Pain?

There’s a thread on the DG at the moment about training aids and I’ve heard lots of physios apparently recommend lunging in a pessoa to help strengthen the horse’s back. It seems to be standard  practice for rehabbing kissing spines horses (or at least those that can be rehabbed) so there must be some benefit.

Generally I steer clear of training aids and subscribe to the theory that if the trainer is skilled they don’t need them. But I’m also of a view that I’m not all that skilled J I’ve got a young(ish) horse with little topline who has never really been taught to lift his back and engage. I’m having lessons to learn how to improve his way of going but I do wonder sometimes if work in a pessoa might help with strengthening his back which would help make the ridden work easier for him.

So I wondered what your thoughts on Pessoa’s are and if you see any benefit in them in this way?

p.s. my horse sees a physio regularly and I’m obsessive about saddle fit!

Thanks, Michelle"

My response:

"Hi Michelle,

Thanks for your question, this is something I get asked on a regular basis.  My basic response is that if we could all ride at Grand Prix level, with the muscle tone and balance that can only be obtained through riding for several hours a day every day, then we wouldn't need training aids such as Pessoa's, Equi Ami's, or similar.  In an ideal world we wouldn't use them, but we don't live in an ideal world.  So I think that unless you do have that level of ability, these particular training aids (Pessoa and Equi Ami are the ones that I personally have experience of) used without a rider on the horse's back can, in some cases, help the horse to develop better muscle tone and balance himself, which he can then use to support the less than perfect rider more easily.  Whilst I am far from being a fan of training aids that force a horse into a certain position, I would far rather watch a horse learn to carry himself, than watch a rider continually fight to keep him in an 'outline', usually incorrectly.

I have two major problems with their use though. The first is that if the horse has physical pain, then it seems cruel to me to force him to work in a way that might aggravate that pain. Many people, of course, combine the use of the Pessoa with the use of a lunge whip, so the horse really has very little option than to cooperate. Sadly I've seen plenty of horses whose owners have no idea the horse is in what I would consider to be considerable pain, just because he is doing what is asked of him. I believe this is due to the huge tolerance that many (not all!) horses have, and their willingness to do what we ask of them if they possibly can. Because of the lack of protection of the title 'equine physio' and therefore the lack of regulation of many practitioners, I also come across far too many horses who have been given the 'all clear' but in my opinion shouldn't have been. I guess there could be a counter argument here that at least if the horse is being worked in a Pessoa then he isn't having to cope with the weight of the rider, but I'd far rather the pain issues were resolved.

My other main concern with the Pessoa is the uneven pull on the horses mouth (assuming you have it attached to the bit). Because of the way it is connected, every time one hind leg goes back, there is a pull on that side of the mouth. Compare this to side reins where the horse has a static point of contact to his mouth, and you can see that to the horse it might be confusing.

I have also heard stories of people who haven't prepared their horse correctly for wearing the Pessoa and so he's been petrified by the feel of the rope round his quarters. This is the fault of the handler, not of the equipment, but it is something that's worth being aware of.

Nicole Rombach, Dr Hilary Clayton and Narelle Stubbs have designed a set of equipment that aims to do what must people think of as the Pessoa doing, called the Equicore Concept. This is something that I've seen in use, am very impressed with, and highly recommend. Sadly, because it is more expensive that the Pessoa or the EquiAmi or similar, many people choose the cheaper option.

So in summary, whilst I am not a fan of training aids in general, I do believe that there is a place for some of them until we discover a way for everyone to ride to a far higher standard! I hope this helps, and please feel free to get in touch if you have further questions or comments. Bear in mind that these are my personal opinions at this point in time (June 2013), and I strive to continually learn and improve my knowledge, so I'd value any input towards this!