Define a 'Good Rider' please!

A

Agent XXX999

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What is your definition of a good rider?

Mine is someone that can get on anything - be it a flash warmblood or a hairy cob, a happy hacker or showjumper and get a 'tune' out of them - i.e. get it to work 'properly' and use itself properly - or moreso than it usually does, and has the skill and persistance to improve whatever they are riding.

A brilliant rider is international to me!
 
My idea of a good rider, is someone who gets the best out of a horse. One that has just a natural way of riding that gets a horses attention. In my opinion they wouldnt naturally be able to get on any horse, but will be able to ride a variety of horses extremely well
 
my idea of a good rider is someone that works with the horse and the have mutual respect. And look like they are one.

a good position helps to
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Hmm interesting one.

I think personally there are two types of good rider :

1. the type that as you say can get on a horse and get a "tune" out of it etc. A very natural rider with excellent feel. This type of rider are usually good at showing etc but will often write a horse off as a horse they "don't like" etc.

2. the type that will get on a horse but refuse to ride it as it the horse makes them WANT to ride, and work on training reactions to be how they should etc. This sort of rider is better at working with horses that have been shut down etc and rarely will find a horse they don't like, only one they can improve.

Both are good in their own right, and I don't necessarily feel one is better than the other.
 
ooh thats ai interesting point!

Would a good rider also have to have a lot of bottle?

I suppose some people think a good rider is:

Someone who can execute all the fancy moves on a dressage horse and see a good stride to a fence, but wouldn't neccesarily get on a naughty one..

Someone who would ride anything and can calm down a fiery horse, gain trust from a nervous horse and stay on anything, but may not ride in a polished way

Someone that has gained experience over many years in their preferred field of riding and has achieved excellent results on more than one horse..
 
I know some superb riders but they have never made it to international - to get international takes a good horse and sometimes a superb rider does not get access to that.

For me a good rider is someone who constantly looks to improve, can get a tune out of anything or improve something. They can ride a fiery horse and they can ride a lazy one. They can build partnerships quickly and make it look easy! They fill a horse with confidence and they can persuade it to do something it might not want to.
 
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I know some superb riders but they have never made it to international - to get international takes a good horse and sometimes a superb rider does not get access to that.


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and a fair bit of £££££££££££££££££
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International? Meaning what, competing Internationally?
My boss does and she can't get a tune out of my cob, can't get her to work nicely or anything. But I can get on her any of her eventers and get them going nicely. Does that make me a better rider then her?
 
I don't think there is a finite definition TBH. Everyone's opinion of a 'good rider' will be different, usually meaning anyone better than themselves! I know people that would class very average riders as good merely because they are not horsey themselves & have no benchmark - i.e. they ride often so must be good.

To a lot of people, anyone able to w/t/c, jump a few jumps & sit a buck is a good rider.

I believe I am a good rider - probably some people would see me ride & think I'm super, others would think I'm distinctly average...

Horses for courses!
 
Simply....Somebody who can have a positive effort on the horse. And work does not have a negative effect all to together. E.g Get him to think about using him self propely over the eco way... Over pining his head down for those fancy moves...The rider must think long term not short term...Will it have a negative effort in the furture rather then will it work today...
 
I would say my sisters ex OH could be described as 'one of the best riders in the world' but no-one will ever have heard of him. He lives in rural OZ and trains stock and camp draught horses plus any other difficult cases. He's certainly not an international rider but he can get on any horse and get it settled within minutes. My previous YO had a total headcase horse that no-one could ride, he was a bolter and a rearer and hadn't be ridden for years. Colin got on him and hacked him out down main roads immediately on a loose rein! Thats a good rider. IMO there are soooo many definitions of a good rider and you can't put a blanket description on it.
 
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