Horse Pessoa Training System: Improve Balance & Flexibility

The Pessoa training system — also known as the Pessoa lunging system or Pessoa training aid — is one of the best-known ridden-frame lunging tools in British yards. Designed by the Brazilian show jumper Nelson Pessoa, it uses a system of ropes and pulleys to encourage the horse to work over his back, step through from behind, and develop a rounded top-line. Used correctly, it’s a useful rehabilitation and fitness tool. Used badly, it can do more harm than good. This guide covers what the Pessoa does, how to fit it, who it suits, and where it falls short.

What Is the Pessoa Training System?

The Pessoa is a lunging aid — a system of straps, ropes, pulleys, and rings that fits onto a lungeing cavesson and roller (or the saddle). It connects the bit to the hindquarters via the surcingle, with adjustable settings that vary the pressure pattern depending on the horse’s stage of training.

The core idea is simple: as the horse moves forward on the lunge, the ropes encourage him to step further under his body with his hind legs, lift his back, and seek a rounder, softer outline through the neck and poll. Unlike fixed side-reins, the Pessoa allows the horse’s head and neck to move a little as he works, making it — in theory — more sympathetic to developing topline without forcing a frame.

Components of the Pessoa Lunging System

A full Pessoa kit typically includes:

• A roller (surcingle) with multiple D-rings at different heights
• A pad under the roller to protect the horse’s back
• Two long cotton ropes with small snap clips and wooden or plastic beads to prevent chafing
• A breast strap to stop the roller slipping back
• A crupper (or rump rope section) that passes around the hindquarters
• A set of pulleys and bit clips

The ropes run from the bit, through pulleys on the roller, down to the hindquarters, and back again — forming a loop that responds to the horse’s movement. When the hind legs step forward, the loop creates gentle pressure asking the horse to round through the topline.

How the Pessoa Works

There are three standard settings, from least engaging to most:

• Low setting — ropes attached to the lower rings on the roller. Gentle encouragement to stretch forward and down. Good for young or unfit horses starting out.
• Middle setting — moderate engagement. A natural working outline, roughly on the bit. This is the setting most horses spend the majority of their sessions on.
• High setting — ropes attached to the highest rings. Asks the horse to work in a more collected, uphill frame. Only appropriate for fit, experienced horses in the later stages of conditioning.

The key principle: start low and progress gradually. Most horses and most sessions should stay on the low or middle setting. The high setting is not a “full training” setting — it is a brief, occasional exercise for horses who are already well developed.

Benefits of the Pessoa System

Topline Development

This is the most common reason owners buy a Pessoa. Working correctly in the system encourages the horse to lift the base of the neck, engage the abdominal muscles, and develop the longitudinal muscles along the back. Over 6–12 weeks of consistent correct work, you should see a fuller, rounder topline — particularly in horses coming back from winter or rehabilitation.

Post-Injury Rehabilitation

The Pessoa is a popular rehab tool for horses coming back from box rest, tendon injuries, or back problems. Used on the low setting at walk and trot, it encourages gentle engagement without the weight of a rider. Always follow your vet or physiotherapist’s programme — don’t design a rehab routine on your own.

Unridden Fitness Work

For horses on light duties or whose owners can’t ride every day, the Pessoa provides more engaging work than unequipped lunging. Twenty minutes of correct Pessoa work builds far more than forty minutes of hollow, rushed lunging.

Working with Young Horses

Before backing, many yards introduce young horses to the Pessoa on the low setting to teach forward contact, acceptance of the bit, and basic topline before a rider sits on them. It’s not a substitute for ridden work, but it’s a useful foundation.

Riders with Positional Issues

If a rider is inadvertently holding the horse in a hollow frame, a Pessoa session once or twice a week can help the horse remember how to stretch and round without the rider interfering. This is purely a supplementary tool — it does not fix the rider’s position.

How to Fit the Pessoa Correctly

Fit matters enormously. A badly fitted Pessoa causes discomfort, resistance, and can injure the horse. Follow this process:

1. Put on a well-fitted lungeing cavesson and a bridle with snaffle bit underneath, noseband and flash removed so the bit can move freely
2. Fit the pad and roller snugly but not tightly — you should be able to slide a flat hand under the girth area
3. Adjust the crupper or rump rope so it sits on the top of the hindquarters without slipping
4. Attach the ropes to the bit rings on both sides — use bit clips, never tie directly
5. Thread the ropes through the appropriate rings on the roller (low, middle, or high)
6. Attach the ropes to the rump rope section, leaving enough slack that the horse can reach forward naturally at the start
7. Lead the horse on for a few steps before you begin work — he should be able to walk on a free rein before the lungeing starts

If the horse protests immediately — head up, tail swishing, shortened stride — check your fit. The settings may be too high, the ropes too tight, or the roller uncomfortable.

Pessoa Lunging Session Structure

A sensible Pessoa session should not exceed 25–30 minutes total, including warm-up and cool-down. A sample session:

• Minutes 0–5: Walk on a long loose rope, ropes on loosest setting, both reins
• Minutes 5–10: Trot on both reins, with short walk breaks
• Minutes 10–15: Canter circles if fitness allows, changing rein
• Minutes 15–20: Trot with active transitions
• Minutes 20–25: Walk cool-down, ropes released for final 5 minutes

Change the rein regularly — every 2–3 minutes of active work. Horses that only work one way develop unbalanced musculature.

When Not to Use the Pessoa

The Pessoa is not a cure-all. Don’t use it if:

• The horse has a back problem that hasn’t been diagnosed
• The horse is severely unfit and can’t sustain 10 minutes of trot unequipped
• You don’t have proper lungeing training — the Pessoa multiplies the consequences of bad lungeing
• The horse resists immediately — work on plain lungeing and cavesson-only sessions first
• The horse is young, uncoordinated, or still learning balance on the lunge
• The bit pressure causes obvious discomfort despite correct fit

If your horse is stiff, bucking, or showing sudden behavioural change, book a physiotherapist, saddle fitter, and dental check before you start schooling in any training aid. A Pessoa will not fix a painful horse.

Pessoa vs Other Training Aids

Pessoa vs Side-Reins

Side-reins create a fixed contact from bit to roller. They teach acceptance of the bit but don’t address the hindquarters. The Pessoa connects the bit to the hindquarters through the rump rope, so engagement is rewarded with softer contact — arguably more biomechanically useful but also more complex to fit.

Pessoa vs Chambon

The chambon encourages the horse to stretch down and forwards by applying gentle poll pressure when he raises his head. It’s excellent for stretching and warming up but doesn’t ask for engagement from behind. The Pessoa is more comprehensive; the chambon is simpler and arguably safer for novice lungers.

Pessoa vs de Gogue

The de Gogue uses a triangular pulley system similar in principle to the Pessoa but typically without the rump rope. It can be used in the ridden position too. The Pessoa is strictly a lungeing aid.

No training aid is universally superior. They all have specific applications, and the skill is knowing when to use each.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Jumping straight to the high setting. This forces a frame the horse isn’t ready to sustain and causes resistance.
• Lungeing for too long. Twenty to twenty-five minutes is plenty. Over an hour risks navicular strain, joint fatigue, and soreness, particularly on small circles.
• Using too small a circle. A 15-metre circle is the minimum for most adult horses. Below 12 metres and the joints take a punishing load.
• Not warming up first. At least five minutes walk on a loose rope before the system is engaged.
• Fitting the ropes too tight. Pressure should be gentle; the horse should be able to stretch forward comfortably on the low setting.
• Daily use. The Pessoa is best used 2–3 times per week, alongside ridden work, hacking, and plain lungeing. Overuse dulls the response and can cause soreness.

Cost and Where to Buy

A complete Pessoa training system in the UK costs approximately £120–£200 new. Popular options:

• Original Pessoa Training System — the real-deal, designed by Nelson Pessoa’s family, £180–£220
• Shires Lunging Aid (Pessoa-style) — budget option, £60–£90, less durable
• Kincade/Rambo Lunging Systems — mid-price copies, £90–£140

Second-hand systems are readily available on Facebook Marketplace and specialist equestrian forums. Check that all ropes and pulleys are intact and the roller pad is free of hardened sweat residue.

Who Should Not Use a Pessoa?

If you are new to lungeing, buy a book or book a lesson before you buy a Pessoa. Poor lungeing technique with a training aid is worse than no training aid at all. The handler’s feel for the horse’s tempo, straightness, and engagement determines whether the Pessoa helps or hurts. In particular:

• Beginners who can’t keep a horse out on a proper circle
• Owners who use lungeing as a way to “tire out” hot horses — this creates resistance in any system
• Yards without a properly enclosed school or manège — lungeing in open fields with a Pessoa is dangerous

For novices, arrange a lesson with a British Horse Society Instructor or UKCC-qualified coach who can show you the Pessoa in action first.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I use the Pessoa training system?

Two or three times a week, for 20–25 minutes, alongside normal ridden work and plain lungeing. Daily use dulls the horse’s response and risks soreness.

Can I use a Pessoa on a young horse?

Yes, on the lowest setting, after the horse has been properly introduced to plain lungeing. Keep sessions short (15 minutes maximum) and prioritise rhythm and relaxation over “outline”.

Does the Pessoa build topline?

Used correctly, yes. Most owners see noticeable topline improvement in 6–12 weeks of consistent 2–3-times-weekly sessions combined with hill work, polework, and correct ridden schooling. The Pessoa alone is not a quick fix.

Is the Pessoa cruel?

Not when used correctly. The ropes apply mild, responsive pressure that releases as the horse moves forward correctly. Used incorrectly — tight settings, long sessions, unfit horses, tiny circles — any training aid becomes cruel. The tool itself is neutral.

Can I ride in the Pessoa?

No. The Pessoa is strictly a lungeing aid. A similar principle in the ridden position is the de Gogue or the Harbridge.

The Bottom Line

The Pessoa training system is a proven, widely-used lungeing aid that — in capable hands — builds topline, supports rehabilitation, and adds variety to fitness work. It is not a shortcut. It demands competent lungeing, attentive fitting, and a willingness to start slow and progress only when the horse is genuinely ready. Use it thoughtfully, 2–3 times a week alongside sensible ridden work, and you’ll see the results that keep it a fixture in British yards decades after Nelson Pessoa first introduced it.

For related reading, see our guides to horse training, correct lungeing technique, and horse care. Authority sources: British Horse Society and British Dressage.