Abbot Davies training aid

[chickflick1066]

Has anyone ever used one of these before? We have 2 at our yard, and looking at them in action they look like a glorified set of draw reins. Someone recommended I put Stumps in one for a brief period of time, just to start 'bringing her round'.

I'm a bit wary of using gadgets as a 'quick fix' to something which could be resolved with proper schooling so just wanted your opinions first.

Oh, this proper schooling will have to be done by someone else as I just can't seem to get her to 'work properly' no matter what I do.

Appreciate the opinons.

[akehurstannabel]

I have used one on an ex steeplechaser and it really helped. You can set it in quite a few ways. Quick tip though don't buy one! If you have one you can "copy" you can make one from a chandlers really cheaply and just buy a set of market harborough reins.

[greydales]

Unfortunately that is what most of these 'gadgets' are - a quick fix. It's proper schooling and instruction you need, the aim is to work the horse or pony from back to front, not from front to back as many people do - hauling it's head in or tying it down creates a false 'outline'. Many horses look like they are 'on the bit' but are not working properly through their backs.

I was watching a lesson the other evening and one horse in particular seemed to be going in a very consistent outline - until I noticed it's head was practically tied down!

To improve a horse's way of going does take time but not everyone wants to wait that long, and so resort to these kind of gadgets.

[chickflick1066]

Greydales: It's taken us nearly 2 years to get to this stage of just staying on the track so time isn't really an issue!! LOL

[greydales]

LOL! Maybe you need to change instructors!

[chickflick1066]

Well, lessons are always an up and down thing. I've not had one for 2 months after a particularly nasty lesson and I can't get the confidence to get back on!

[merlinalison]

Having read this and your other post about lessons I certainly wouldn't - I'm not a big fan of gadgets at the best of times, but from the sounds of it it is far more important for you to be enjoying your riding again than it is to have your horse rounder. I would find yourself an understanding riding instructor who is prepared to teach you and Stumps as you are at the moment, in a way that you and Stumps enjoy and without constantly saying either verbally or non-verbally that their job would be easier if you rode better/ if Stumps was a different sort of horse etc etc. (Been there done that got hte T-shirt - its far too destructive to put up with - particularly as you're also paying for the privilege of being undermined) Once you've got that in place, you should find that Stumps way of going improves anyway as your self-confidence increases and if need be you can then ask your instructor for homework (exercises not gadgets) to improve things further.

[harveydales]

I agree with the others, what you need right now is to go back to enjoying Stumps, having fun and not over-analysing the schooling side. Then find an instructor you gel with and trust as was said in your other thread.

Certainly exersises rather than gadgets! I have used an Abbot-davis on Harvey on one occasion, under STRICT supervision in a lesson at a time when his schooling was quite advanced. We used it to break a "chicken and egg" cylcle I'd got into. It was set up VERY loose and was there for my benefit as a rider to get it through my thick skull what I was doing in canter and was set up so it would barely have any effect on Harvey other than he appreciated my improved position. I really don't think you should use this or any other gadget on Stumps. Far better to take time to build your confidence and don't listen to people who tell you to get poor Stumps "rounder" - it all should come from the back end, not pulling the head in as so many seem to do. I wonder how long these poor horses stay sound!

[chickflick1066]

Thanks guys...feeling a bit better now. I knew gadgets weren't the answer, just needed confirmation. It's sometimes hard to say 'no thanks' to people at the yard who are offering advice etc...

[shirlnjazz]

I ride in draw reins with Dancer most of the time, ok not ideal but his owner insists, BUT I usually have them very loose, they should only come into play when the horse throws his head up too high to resist the bit, which Dancer did do an awful lot at the start but I put that down to a previous rider with heavy hands so tying his head down would only make him fight worse.
The thing is if they resist an awful lot its either heavy hard hands, or back or teeth problems so imagine the pain a horse would be in if everyone thought the cure was draw reins and the like.

Usually soft contact, lots of transitions, circles changes of rein some play with the outside rein, give and take with your fingers not sawing with your hands and arms like I see a lot of people do

Dont try to hard, sometimes the more you try the more tense you get, the more upset you get with your riding/horse whatever then its a vicious circle of tenseness.

What does Stumps do when you take a contact, does he poke his nose, is he leaning, or throwing his head up?

[chickflick1066]

Pretty much a bit of everything, she likes to lean, will often poke her nose out and will occasionally throw her head up. She's good at throwing tantrums!

[shirlnjazz]

Sorry I was calling her he , apologies Stumps.

[Daftmare]

I think some gadgets have their place and others definately do not. I like the abbot davies in theory in the right hands like the pessoa it encourages the horse to stretch down and work through the back. Amber I have owned for nearly 3 years and I have spent the majority of that time "being nice" it didnt work and I didnt get anywhere. I had a lesson with a chap who trained the olympic 3day event team many moons ago and even he said she defied every rule as she can work through and be tracking up with her ears up my nose. I resorted to a market harborough in the end and I have to say its working she is now building up topline on her neck and it catches her before I can say " oy no". I dont think a gadget is any substitute for riding correctly pushing the horse forward into a contact etc but in my case it was the last resort! In your case I would persevere without for a while. Try doing plenty of transitions to wake her up and get her listening a few poles on the ground to make her think about where she is putting her feet.
I also found this website very very helpful www.classicaldressage.co.uk/index.html and this one
www.classicaldressage.net/index.html

[julie]

Thats a fab site. Jean Claude Racinet has written the best book ever and is the only one I would ever recommend anyone buys! Its fab. Try and get an instructor who is a classical riding club member.

Forget gadgets and get some good lessons

[chickflick1066]

Thanks for the advice guys