Definition of 'novice'

Spudlet

Spudlet

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nov·ice   /ˈnɒvɪs/ Show Spelled[nov-is] Show IPA
–noun
1.a person who is new to the circumstances, work, etc., in which he or she is placed; beginner; tyro: a novice in politics.
2.a person who has been received into a religious order or congregation for a period of probation before taking vows.
3.a person newly become a church member.
4.a recent convert to Christianity.

NOT

Stupid, irresponsible, lacking in common sense, uncaring for horse welfare etc.

Thank you. Rantette over;)
 
I mainly agree. Although I am probably not "new on the horsey scene" as such, just inexperienced, so I would still class myself as a novice!
 
As this is in reference to my thread, titled "NOVICE HORSE OWNERS"

If a novice is

1. person who is new to the circumstances, work, etc., in which he or she is placed; beginner; tyro: a novice in politics.


and the horse owner (who doesnt ride, just bought a pony for her child who then lost interest is a horse owner who is new to the circumstances/a beginner...where exactly have I gone wrong? Surely she is, indeed, a novice horse owner? Or what would you call her...
 
R2R said:
As this is in reference to my thread, titled "NOVICE HORSE OWNERS"

If a novice is

1. person who is new to the circumstances, work, etc., in which he or she is placed; beginner; tyro: a novice in politics.


and the horse owner (who doesnt ride, just bought a pony for her child who then lost interest is a horse owner who is new to the circumstances/a beginner...where exactly have I gone wrong? Surely she is, indeed, a novice horse owner? Or what would you call her...
Click to expand...

I think that the point was more that yes, in that definition the owner would be classed as a novice. But their behaviour is not due to them being a novice, but instead being a numpty/prat/dirty ingreat.

As I replied in your post, being a novice does not make you a bad person, indeed most novices wouldn't dream of treating anyone like they have treated you. It is just where everyone starts, so saying "NOVICE HORSE OWNERS" as you did in your title unfortunately gives the impression that you feel all novice horse owners would do something like this...
 
E_Lister said:
I think that the point was more that yes, in that definition the owner would be classed as a novice. But their behaviour is not due to them being a novice, but instead being a numpty/prat/dirty ingreat.

As I replied in your post, being a novice does not make you a bad person, indeed most novices wouldn't dream of treating anyone like they have treated you. It is just where everyone starts, so saying "NOVICE HORSE OWNERS" as you did in your title unfortunately gives the impression that you feel all novice horse owners would do something like this...
Click to expand...

Exactly. Damn 10 character rule.
 
R2R said:
As this is in reference to my thread, titled "NOVICE HORSE OWNERS"

If a novice is

1. person who is new to the circumstances, work, etc., in which he or she is placed; beginner; tyro: a novice in politics.


and the horse owner (who doesnt ride, just bought a pony for her child who then lost interest is a horse owner who is new to the circumstances/a beginner...where exactly have I gone wrong? Surely she is, indeed, a novice horse owner? Or what would you call her...
Click to expand...

What I would call her would get me thrown off the forum. But I have seen people who have owned horses for many decades with as little regard for the welfare of their animals. In this case experience has nothing to do with it - this person is a [insert your own profanity here] and will remain so until the day they die, not matter how many horses they own!
 
BTW, this was not just in response to R2Rs thread although that was the last straw - the point is that every so often various dismissive comments are made about 'novices' implying that novice = uncaring etc rather than just lacking in experience. The definition I posted was from dictionary.com.

My point is that a lack of experience is a lack of experience, but that does not mean a 'novice' owner will necessarily be any less caring or have any less common sense.
 
My point is she IS a novice - she has no clue!!! This is not uncaring...it is having no idea :)
 
I too am glad someone has decided to post about this, not that i have read the original post this is in response to but just because i'm sick of everyone being painted with the same brush :)
It can get quite downgrading when the term 'Novice' is continually used in accompaniment to a complaint about how awful someone either rides or cares for their horse(s).

I consider myself a novice rider since i am not the most confident and certainly not the best of riders by any stretch of the imagination - I haven't been riding for all that long in comparison to someone i would consider to be 'experienced'. However, that does not make myself or other 'novices' stupid or any worse of an owner just for being less experienced. :)

I'm sure as many others have done i must have read god knows how many books before i got Ronnie. I accompanied friends to shows as 'groom' just for the experience, rode other peoples horses, bought horsey magazines to educate myself and learnt a lot from my friends. Despite the fact i have only owned my first horse for 6months i frequently find myself wanting to correct some people on here who would deem themselves 'experienced' on general basic horse care. I would like to think by doing all of that us 'novices' can at least be 'informed novices' who i would say can do a lot less harm to a horses welfare than an experienced but ignorant rider can.

I don't think you ever really do stop learning when you work with horses, there will always be someone more experienced than you in the horse world and always someone less experienced. Instead of slating 'novices' maybe if you know so much you should try and help us out? I know when i get into a situation i am unsure about the first thing i do is ask someone or research the problem, which incidentally is one of the reasons i joined this forum. :D
 
I do feel the word novice is banded about too easily and too much. I can understand why sellers put on their ads not suitable for novices, but I believe some, not all are put onto the ad to cover their backs, just in case a novice rider buys the horse, something happens so it means there is no comeback on the seller. On that side I agree with it being put on the ad, but as i class myself as a novice, I dont bother looking at these horses, which maybe a reason that sellers are feeling the market is slow.
 
OP that is completely unfair what you have said. anybody can be cruel and have lack of sense or neglect an animal, a novice is someone who hasnt got a lot of experience - everyone is a novice at some point!!!!! rant over...grrr
 
Haven't read the thread that this is in response to but hey ho wade in.....

Being novice is not an excuse for being clueless/uncaring/useless/neglectful etc when looking after your horse etc. Our yard has changed almost completely from time served experienced liveries to novice liveries in the time I have been there. Nothing wrong with that.

However, some of the novices (and I would class myself among them in some respects - certainly novice at XC or jumps above 2ft!! Despite having ridden for 30 yrs ;)) anyway, some of the novices are also rather ignorant. They do not read books, they do not have lessons, they do not follow advice they have asked for, they do not learn from their mistakes, they do not even watch other peoples lessons if they can't afford their own. They are novices, but it is not the fact that they are novices that is the problem. I wouldn't refer to them as 'bloody stupid novice horse owners' or anythign like that. Something much worse with the word novice removed.
 
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