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Long and Low Without Gadgets

4K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  Smilie 
#1 ·
My Standardbred Poe has been coming along in leaps and bounds. We've recently started lunging over trot poles and he's doing really well.

I would like to start working on getting him long and low, but I have no idea how to do it and would rather not use gadgets, mostly because I'd be worried about using them incorrectly. Is there any way to achieve this? Keep in mind that he's not yet saddle broken.

He's starting to muscle up, but his topline still needs a LOT of work, hence the poles and wanting to get him working better. He's a lot better than he was, but still a ways away from where I'd like him to be when he goes off to the trainer.

Here's a screenshot of his current headest, in case it helps.

Horse Mammal Vertebrate Mane Stallion

 
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#3 ·
Long lines. Teach him to stretch INTO the contact by getting the contact, then pretending your lines are sticks, and push a little. As SOON as he responds with a smidge of head lowering, give, but that is only a relaxation, not a floppy reined thing. Take contact, and ask again. Continue, both directions, over a period of days or weeks, until he will draw the reins down to the ground.

Also, he needs to understand stepping out with that inside hind leg, which is taught the same way, only he steps out, like a spiral. Do this once he understands the contact.

The lines need to go from bit around his body, above his hocks, and the need to run through stirrups, or the low rings of a surfing legend to stay in place.

Good Luck!!
 
#4 ·
You also have to take into consideration the natural topline of the horse, and how his neck ties in
A horse without natural flat kneed movement, is going to always have more knee action then a horse that is built to travel with flat kneed movement, which in turn allows that long and low
I would concentrate on getting correct movement from behind. When that horse relaxes, uses himself correctly, that head carriage will be where it is comfortable and right for him, and this is best achieved by riding, using your legs correctly, and with feel in your hands
Ground driving a horse a lot, will get that head set, but the hrose will tend to get heavy on the front end
 
#6 ·
Avna;9715106[B said:
]Surcingle to surfing legend[/B]! That's a great one.

huh? @Avna , could you explain?

also, that's a handsome horse, whose topline looks naturally rather nice. his neck ties in high, and too much bit-fiddling that results in him feeling 'pulled back' into his neck will result in a possible ewe neck sort of drop on the front of the neck, lift of the poll part of the neck, so, your thoughts on teaching long and low are a good direction to go, IMO.

pretty horse!
 
#9 ·
Truly, while lunging, you can bit a horse up, not for headset, but so he learns to give softly in the face and poll, but with that desired way of going, topline ect, coming by first getting that correct movement from behind, getting the horse supple in his entire body, having the horse relax, and then, and only then do you put on the final touch, which is the headset,not the movement or topline, by adding a bit barrier, to contain that correct movement and energy , generated from behind, and with that head set then just falling into place as that FINAL, and minor part in that total picture
There is no way to achieve this, without riding, using legs to drive that hrose as needed, and hands that have feel, knowing when to hold, while driving, and when to release
Logs are not going to do much, at this point,but rather concentration on having your horse track up from behind, and lunging him that way, will give a better idea of what is comfortable for his conformation, and also limitations, if he naturally has a lot of knee action.
Horses have to also be built so they can move long and low, and why those horses that are asked to do so, don't have a lot of knee action
 
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