Take Off the Elbow Pull

(Page 32) Many fans ask me what happens when you finally take off the “Elbow Pull?” Will the good posture go away? We use the “Elbow Pull” (photo #1) on equines that are two years and older during initial postural leading exercises first on the flat ground, then leading over and through obstacles (photo #5), during round pen lunging (photo #6) and ground driving (photo #7), and then for a year under saddle (photo #8). This helps their good equine posture to become natural and habitual through routine and consistent practice over a long period of time. Shown here is Lucky Three My April at twenty years old both with (photo #2), and without (photo #3), the “Elbow Pull” after only two weeks of tune-up work. Since she was young, April has had the benefit of leading and groundwork training for core strength in good posture prior to use with the “Elbow Pull” in the round pen. Also shown is Lucky Three Roll after only two years of rehab from a “collapsed posture” (photo #4). Lucky Three Roll was 18 years old when I got him, fully foundered with ring bone and side bones in three feet. The postural training rendered him sound enough at walk and trot to be lightly ridden until 2016. In early 2016, He got White Line Disease and it was his good postural balance that saved him. It allowed him to disperse his weight better over the other three feet and allowed his left hind foot to grow back. He became sound enough once again to be ridden for another full year and a half until he passed away in 2019 at the age of 27 years. Understand that the “Elbow Pull” is not designed to be used by itself as a simple restraint, but rather as an integral part of my postural training program. The restraint is NOT in the rider’s hands and is fully manipulated by the equine himself. It’s all about the equine’s self-carriage in good posture, unobstructed by human interaction. Learn much more under TRAINING on my website at www.luckythreeranch.com.