Need help getting my arabian to tuck his nose.

I am having troubles getting my arabian to tuck his nose. He has done saddle seat riding and hunt seat. I am doing hunt seat riding with him but I'm struggling with getting his nose tuck. When I longline him he looks awesome, when I ride with a martingale he looks great but when I ride him without it he doesn't tuck his nose very well. I have changed bits kimberwick, correction bit, slow twist kimberwick bit. I just had his teeth done. I would love to hear any advice any help would be appreciated!! Thanks!!

Ive no idea what hunt seat is but these might be able to help you

REALLY understanding collection.
Can someone show me true collection?
Collection

Thank you!! I will look into that. I have a horse show this sunday and I'm really praying he will tuck his nose for me. Thank you!!

Horsecrazy, unfortunately getting a horse to consistently 'tuck his nose' - I think you are referring to having him 'on the bit' takes a lot of consistent, correct and patient work. It won't happen over night. It's not a matter of just see-sawing your reins or pulling back as hard as you can until he pulls his head in, that is a forced frame and far from desirable. I won't go into details because the threads posted above had all of the 'ins and outs' of it. But don't expect him to be on the bit consistently by the weekend!

Kayty, Thanks for the info. I have been doing neck excerises for him, then longlining him.. I never pull hard on the reins cause I don't want to hurt him. Sometimes I do see-saw the reins but do it easy. He is 15 yrs old and the people I bought him off of had him at the class A shows so he has done the hunt seat riding before and tucking his nose. Had him at a show 5 wks ago and he looked good nose wasn't tuck like it should of been but still looked good. I had him at a show last weekend and he wouldn't tuck at all, his nose straight out. I only show him at small shows for fun. I just didn't no if I was doing something wrong. He came from a huge arabian farm and I couldn't even rub his face. Now I can rub his face, hug on him, he is such a great horse. I have worked very hard with him. We have a great bond together.. Thanks again for the info!! If you have any more please let me know!! Thanks

I have been working on getting my horse on the bit for a couple of months now and let me tell you Kayty's post about consistent and patient work is so true. LOTS of work. I have the kind of hunter school master who knows all his stuff but will only give it to you if you ask properly/ride him correctly. Someone with an educated seat and hands can put him on the bit and in the perfect hunter frame in a heart beat, but me, I cheer if I have him round and stepping under himself for more than one full go round the arena. It's lovely to see my coach get on him and show me what he can do, but also can be a bit frustrating at how much time it takes to get there. It is more about you and your seat and riding than a magical trick or just the right bit.

Funny enough, when we hack out and trail ride I can get him framed up and on the bit in no time, almost without even thinking about it. I think I am more relaxed and balanced when I'm not trying so hard. Are you working with a coach who can help you on this? It's the kind of thing that is hard to learn but becomes more automatic the more time you put in doing it.

My arab trainer has me run my reins through the rings of the bit and snap them onto the center ring on the martingale, so when you pull back it tells the horse to lower its nose. I know alot of people don't like this method, adn it's not collection by any means, but eventually they learn to keep their nose in even when its off. You'll have to work up their neck muscles, so its good to release them once in a while.

This post was general, if you want more info message me and I can even send pictures :)

Eliz, yes that method will pull the horse's head in, but the horse may very well develop incorrect undermuscling on the neck and also a very tight, tense back. Pulling the head in breaks the horse at the poll, and also allows it to dip and suck back at the wither. You need to be riding the horse's head and neck AWAY from you rather than towards you. The neck should get longer when you are starting out with putting them on the bit, not shorter.
Pulling the horse down using reins connected to the martingale will merely teach the horse to suck behind the vertical and as a result you will end up with a horse that braces the back of its neck and back, and will not accept a true contact. So when the time comes that your riding advances and you are able to start working on TRUE collection, you will have to re-train the horse to take the contact. This is a very very long process, you'll have to ride the horse above the vertical and force it into the bridle.
Long story short, it's much easier to start out doing it 'right' than fake it in the baby stages and then having to re-teach it all when you learn to ride more correctly.

Welcome to the forum.

If your horse has been at "A" shows, he already knows what to do. It may be that you are screwing him up by changing bits and the other different methods you try. I would suggest contacting the old owner and/or a trainer for both you and your horse. Hopefully they will be able to give you the cues that you need.

I agree. You are obviously doing something different so your horse doesn't understand what you want.
Can you contact the old owners and ask them. Perhaps they could even give you a lesson.
Even if what they say sounds like what you are doing it could be a very subtle difference in how you are doing it.