A novice rider should buy a horse they can 'grow into' ???

[Alyth]

Green on green makes black and blue......horses teach riders and riders teach horses.....the moral of the story being that learner riders need teacher (experienced) horses and experienced riders can teach learner (young) horses!!

 

[Goldenstar]

I think it really depends on how well trained the horse is and its temperament and what support the rider has .
With mine I was cautious the horse was still quite young but I knew she was no competition horse she was ideal for this role .
But I knew and trusted the agent sourcing the horse and knew of the yard the horse was going to . There was an excellent rider on the yard to work the horse and keep her training right .
The rider was highly intelligent and had a plan to learn and the resources to do it properly . I delivered the horse ( seven hours away ) and so I saw the yard etc .
I am glad I did it it was right for the horse and right for the rider .

 

[oldie48]

Yes, true. I've owned a variety of horses for getting on for 20 years and still describe myself as a novice because I don't have the skill, confidence or experience to ride "hot,tricky" horses" but I do ride fit competition horses reasonably well. I know people who have owned and ridden all their lives who I think would describe themselves as experienced but basically they are passengers. i also know very experienced and professionally trained riders who, now they are older, are careful about what they ride and choose not to ride "difficult" horses. Novice/experienced isn't really about how long someone has ridden. I think it's about confidence, exposure to a variety of horses of different ages abilities etc natural feel and ability and training.

I'm also thinking that people may have completely different definitions of 'novice' and could well be having 2 different conversations when they're talking to each other without realising it. How do you know when you're not a novice any more?

 

[windand rain]

You are forever a novice when riding a horse you never know it all. You may know some things better than others but the horse will always make a fool of you.
So having said that can people over horse themselves of course they can. I know of a top dressage rider who is terrified of jumping is he a novice? and vice versa a showjumper that wouldnt recognise a round horse if it hit him in the face.
So in my view the best horse for anyone is one that makes small challenges and will ultimately with experience and tuition have the talent and ability to do what the owner has ambition for. In that way fewer horses would be sold and more would have a home for life. It is always sad to see horses that have reached their pinnacle for their rider passed on because they cant fulfill an ambition.
So no matter who you are you should if possible buy a horse that is within you capabilities but is also able to extend your knowledge and has the ability to in the future turn is hoof to your level of riding
Whether novices should buy horses at all is a difficult question total beginners probably not, someone willing to learn and with the correct input why not
Probably the worst type of owner is a know everything know nouwt who is closed to input because they know it all and are in their own eyes very experienced and tell everyone all the time. I have been at this for over 50 years but still learn something new every day.

 

[Emmie&Max]

You are forever a novice when riding a horse you never know it all. You may know some things better than others but the horse will always make a fool of you.
So having said that can people over horse themselves of course they can. I know of a top dressage rider who is terrified of jumping is he a novice? and vice versa a showjumper that wouldnt recognise a round horse if it hit him in the face.
So in my view the best horse for anyone is one that makes small challenges and will ultimately with experience and tuition have the talent and ability to do what the owner has ambition for. In that way fewer horses would be sold and more would have a home for life. It is always sad to see horses that have reached their pinnacle for their rider passed on because they cant fulfill an ambition.
So no matter who you are you should if possible buy a horse that is within you capabilities but is also able to extend your knowledge and has the ability to in the future turn is hoof to your level of riding
Whether novices should buy horses at all is a difficult question total beginners probably not, someone willing to learn and with the correct input why not
Probably the worst type of owner is a know everything know nouwt who is closed to input because they know it all and are in their own eyes very experienced and tell everyone all the time. I have been at this for over 50 years but still learn something new every day.

Very well put!

 

[criso]

I bought my first horse five years ago. I stuggled with him and the only advuce i got was get rid. I made appointments with instructors who failed to turn up and lost count of the amount of experts who could sort him out in five minutes ( but they didnt have five minutes) i removed both him and myself from the prescence of all these people who all seemed to be fantastic riders according to their own mouths. Ive still got the horse and he is now just what i wanted . All entirely down to me myself. I dont think anyone can predict how someone will manage a horse..its not all fancy lessons and schooling... a lot of it is common sense. The other thing ive noticed is that there are plenty people to tell you to get rid or how you have overhorsed yourself.... not many have the time of day to tell you what a good job you ve done when it all comes right.

While it's great that it worked out for you the problem with stories like this is then people think it will happen for them.

I have just seen a lot of people who buy horses who are a bit too much for then and then you get

1) The ones who have a fall, give up riding altogether and sell the horse for a fraction of what they paid as it is now seen as a 'problem horse'.
2) The ones who are too scared to ride their horse so they spend all that money and time to keep a very large pet, fine if that's what they wanted to do but they wanted to ride.
3) The ones who cope, but only just. Instead of advancing their riding, it sets them back. They can't hack, they scream at anyone who wants to use the school when they are riding as it will upset their horse. While their friends are off going to shows and doing fun rides, they stay at home as they can only handle the horse in a very controlled environment.
4) The ones like yourself who persevere and some years later come out the other end with a horse they can ride and experience under their belt. hile their friends are off going to shows and doing fun rides, they stay at home as they can just about handle the horse in a very controlled environment.

I was at a yard where the instructor pushed unsuitable horses onto her pupils using example 4 for why they should buy, but failed to mention that most of these resulted in the other examples.

 

[Antw23uk]

How do you know what you are capable of dealing with if you never have to confront problems and your own inadequacies. If the horses temperament is good and they are happy to accommodate a novice rider then with time, support and lessons they will grow together. Sadly I've also seen far to many beginner riders buy their own horse and then lose confidence because they can't cope.

This rings very true with me actually. I knew I didnt want a heavy plod along type which with all the best will in the world would have bored me eventually because as a kid I rode all the loonies and jumped anything and everything and in my head coming back into riding 25 years later I knew I would want something with some poke to it. My ex racer has a fab temprament and I say he is more like a cob in a thoroughbreds body so owning him has allowed me time and confidence to get back into the swing of things but with the added bonus that yes he is a throughbred and if you push the right buttons, up the feed and fitness he certainly steps up a gear and I've not really got any reason to go looking for a '2nd' horse (although if i cant teach the ****** how to jump he is going to be replaced, lol )

 

[criso]

But does that make you a true novice Antw23uk. Even if you were a bit rusty and had areas to work on, you had a background of experience from your childhood which helps.

Many of the examples I was quoting had been riding a matter of months not years and had come to riding as an adult.

And if a horse has an accommodating temperament and can adjust to a novice or more experienced rider, then it sounds like a horse that is suitable for many different riders including novices..

 

[Carrots&Mints]

I needed something to to advance to as my old horse was getting to the point where I couldnt progress any more, so I started saving up for a new horse, something abit younger but had experiance, a good allrounder. Unfortunatly my old horse Alfie had to be put to sleep do to arthiritus. So after a 4 months of being bored stiff with no horses or only riding the odd horse, I had a little google and had a sneak peak on Preloved (for my syns) haha and I ended up buying a Section D rising 2 year old... totally unhandled straight out of the barn.... yes I have lost my marbles, but with all the support of my experianced friends and family I think I have made the right choice, hes come so far from that totally unhandled youngster to I now can take him inhand anywhere and were just starting long lining doing all the groundwork and not rushing him into being backed, but like I said earlier I have all the support behind me, and I dont think I would have bought him if I didnt have these guys behind me

Also, Im having weekly lessons on a horse that hasnt been schooled very well, so therefor teaching myself and the horse, and then I have a ride of my friends horse who qualified for HOY's last year and also a 14hh section D mare whos a typical mare But sometimes I will still class myself as a Novice!... So what is a novice???

 

[Slightlyconfused]

A novice rider does need a horse they can grow into, but not a speedy horse that's too much for them. There are horses (I know two at least), who will adapt to their rider - being slow and steady for a novice, then gradually upping the game as their rider becomes more confident. For an experienced rider they'll compete to good RC level, being keen and demanding good riding or they'll throw in the odd buck etc. For a novice, they toddle along gently, until the rider is ready for the next level, where they will start to require more control of speed and so on. These horses aren't ten a penny, and are usually over 10 years old, but are the perfect first horse.

this basically describes my appy....is chilled out and a plod with a novice on but as soon as you get a rider on him that knows what they are doing he is feisty and up for it!!!

 

[Amymou91]

I "share" a mare who is fantastic in both sense. It's as though she is aware of who is riding her. With me is forward and eager and with others she is placid and a plod. It just depends on what the rider is looking for. If said novice is confident and keen to learn I don't see any reason as to why they should have a forward horse for them to grow into. It's more of a matter of the age and the experience of the horse. If he or she has been there and done it with other riders, I usually find they are the best to learn from. The first horse I shared was exactly that and he taught me so much because he had done it all and gave me confidence. I wasn't an exact novice but had just come out of a riding school which I find can limit your abilities in trying new things and he gave me the opportunities to go to shows etc and now with my new horse I have the knowledge to do all of that but with a bigger younger horse. It just proves everyone is different, as are horses x

 

[Pigeon]

It's a weird one. To be honest I think any horse can be made competitive with hard work, as long as the basics are there (mentally and physically sound) so it's probably safer to start with something quiet and increase it's fitness and sharpness incrementally. I'm truly inspired by 'small pony big dreams' on facebook, where a girl has turned her childhood pony into a very accomplished dressage pony! Here's a photo of their journey - https://www.facebook.com/SmallPonyB...0.1393330524./334068003398607/?type=3&theater

I also think the stamp of horse can be deceiving. I know more quiet thoroughbreds than quiet cobs...

I guess it depends very much on the individual. My first horse was far too much for me, and I didn't have any control for the majority of the time, but I adored him, he never scared me and I think I learnt a lot, and improved my stickability, even if that did involve falling on my bum quite regularly. I would never have sold him, he was my first love!!! So I think that's worth taking into account as well, some people aren't going to want to move the horse on.

 

[H4flinger]

It ultimately depends on the person and their circumstances along with the support that they will receive. Oakley my Haflinger was my first horse at 17 that I share with my mother who rode as a child, he was very well schooled in the past (from a dressage stud in Germany) yet misunderstood/ underestimated by his pervious owner who wanted something faster and didn't realise what he was capable of due to his cheeky/ spooky nature.
I am proud to say that in the 2 years I have owned him, he has taught me everything that I know and in fact I have taught him.
He was stubborn and refused to work correctly for experienced riders but by being a novice and taking it slowly to build his confidence while working on my own, I have revealed his true ability leading him to be very successful showing locally and at Equifest last year with much more potetial. With his quirks, I am 10x the rider I would have been if I had learned on a riding school plod and certainly wouldn’t be where I am today with my youngster (albeit currently out of riding due to injury).
He is the perfect horse for us as he is slow and steady to suit my mum’s lack of confidence yet faster and more challenging for me to ride, adapting to riders ability and nerve.
However, we are keen to learn listening to any advice and conducting loads of research, I also used to have several riding lessons a week on him. If an individual relies heavily on the help of others without willing to learn, a more challenging horse can be dangerous. At the end of the day everyone has to learn in a way that works for them and, for me, I would have been bored with a plod after a few months.

 

[Antw23uk]

But does that make you a true novice Antw23uk. Even if you were a bit rusty and had areas to work on, you had a background of experience from your childhood which helps.

Many of the examples I was quoting had been riding a matter of months not years and had come to riding as an adult.

And if a horse has an accommodating temperament and can adjust to a novice or more experienced rider, then it sounds like a horse that is suitable for many different riders including novices..

Hmm good question. I guess I see myself as a novice rider (I have to otherwise my riding would simply be classed as appaling, lol) and hadnt thought of it in terms of experience over the years. Just another reason why the word 'Novice' can imply so many things I guess?