describe a novice rider?

hamish1 said:
Just wondered as it seems people have different views to what a novice rider is and just curious to what you all think. :)
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I would describe myself as a novice! Been riding 29 years on and off but lack in confidence now! I need something nice and steady that doesn't react too much or dance across the road - done all the TB spinning in the road stuff and cantering towards oncoming cars - just too old for it now and have a child to think of! So someone who likes a plod that will listen to riders commands- need as near as bombproof as you can get without being a cardboard cut out! (BTW don't think any horse in bombproof:))
 
anadain said:
I would describe myself as a novice! Been riding 29 years on and off but lack in confidence now! I need something nice and steady that doesn't react too much or dance across the road - done all the TB spinning in the road stuff and cantering towards oncoming cars - just too old for it now and have a child to think of! So someone who likes a plod that will listen to riders commands- need as near as bombproof as you can get without being a cardboard cut out! (BTW don't think any horse in bombproof:))
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i once considered a rocking horse! well my OH did! now i have just bought a 5 year old! novice or stupid? not quite sure, had horses for many years, had good and bad but ones but things never change- the need to learn more and still take lessons! i also take advice too x so still not sure if i am a novice and yes i get terrified on occassions too x
 
I would class a novice as someone who can walk trot canter alone and jump a small fence under instruction on a safe horse that knows it job. They couldnt however cope with a more forward horse or one that is spooky, or school/bring on a younger horse.
 
Not sure what I am. Have a WB mare who is not an easy ride especially when hacking out but reluctant to ride horses I don't know. Before a really bad fall 6 years ago, wasn't afraid of riding anything, big or small, young or old, stallion or mare and it didn't matter what they did. I think it's now a confidence (or lack of) and age thing. As you get older you realise things break easier and you also have other commitments that can suffer as a result of an accident.
 
Ginger_Nut said:
I would class a novice as someone who can walk trot canter alone and jump a small fence under instruction on a safe horse that knows it job. They couldnt however cope with a more forward horse or one that is spooky, or school/bring on a younger horse.
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This ^^

I am a novice rider. I've ridden for many years, but am not confident enough to say i could go at great speed and be able to steer round a course of jumps! I can walk/trot/canter/gallop and have schooled younger horses and jumped small x c courses, but I prefer to be a 'novice' these days. I reverted back through choice. It's safer :p
 
Ginger_Nut said:
I would class a novice as someone who can walk trot canter alone and jump a small fence under instruction on a safe horse that knows it job. They couldnt however cope with a more forward horse or one that is spooky, or school/bring on a younger horse.
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i agree with this :)

i dont think lack of confidence, or for example just looking for a happy hack is always a novice rider. some people are not natural confident but they may be very good riders and not novice.

i personally see myself a novice agreeing with ginger nuts defintion
 
Im with lizziebell. I don't consider myself a novice rider, I have over twenty years experience with horses, sat my AI in the dim and distant past of my youth, I think I have reasonably good knowledge and am an educated rider. But I am far from brave nowadays I like the pleasure and not the challenge so I too stay away from "not novice ride" adds.
But to be honest I have no idea what the true definition of a novice rider is.
 
Ginger_Nut said:
I would class a novice as someone who can walk trot canter alone and jump a small fence under instruction on a safe horse that knows it job. They couldnt however cope with a more forward horse or one that is spooky, or school/bring on a younger horse.
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That is almost exactly what I was going to say! I also think that there are various different levels of "novicehood" as well. For example

Novice - is able to control a safe and sane horse in walk and trot (possibly canter) and hop over a tiny x pole. Is aware they have a long long way to go.

Middle novice - has slightly more experience than a total novice, but has a lot more confidence. If out hacking, by this point they may have done a little and controlled gallop. Often thinks at this stage they are up to riding anything as they can "ride".

Advanced Novice - Can walk, trot, canter and gallop on a safe and sane horse. Can jump small heights, again, on a sane horse in a controlled environment. Has probably, in the mid novice stage, over horsed themselves, so they become far more aware of their limitations. They have a decent seat and although "improving" a horse with problems is above them without any guidance, if an instructor is present, they know enough about horses/riding, to follow the instructions and polish/improve smaller problems of a horse in a controlled environment.

My thinking is based entirely on my own experiences... I spent a lot of time as what I call a "middle novice" though, within the past year or so I have realised my limitations and hopefully I would now be classed as an advanced novice!

(advanced is not the right word... however I am not being very eloquent at this precise moment in time)
 
hamish1 said:
Just wondered as it seems people have different views to what a novice rider is and just curious to what you all think. :)
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Somebody who can ride around ok but couldnt school a horse themselves to a high level and would need one already trained, with a well trained horse it would not be so good after 6 months or so of being owned by a novice
 
anadain said:
I would describe myself as a novice! Been riding 29 years on and off but lack in confidence now! I need something nice and steady that doesn't react too much or dance across the road - done all the TB spinning in the road stuff and cantering towards oncoming cars - just too old for it now and have a child to think of! So someone who likes a plod that will listen to riders commands- need as near as bombproof as you can get without being a cardboard cut out! (BTW don't think any horse in bombproof:))
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I don't think you are a novice, the fact that you say you have done the spooky TB etc would suggest to me that you are perhaps experienced but nervous. You can't really be a novice with that amount of experience.

micramadam said:
Not sure what I am. Have a WB mare who is not an easy ride especially when hacking out but reluctant to ride horses I don't know. Before a really bad fall 6 years ago, wasn't afraid of riding anything, big or small, young or old, stallion or mare and it didn't matter what they did. I think it's now a confidence (or lack of) and age thing. As you get older you realise things break easier and you also have other commitments that can suffer as a result of an accident.
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Again probably not a novice, lacking confidence yes but not novice if you have a fair amount of experience and are able to do things like ride in all three paces in balance and control.

itsme123 said:
This ^^

I am a novice rider. I've ridden for many years, but am not confident enough to say i could go at great speed and be able to steer round a course of jumps! I can walk/trot/canter/gallop and have schooled younger horses and jumped small x c courses, but I prefer to be a 'novice' these days. I reverted back through choice. It's safer :p
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Another not actually a novice!


I'd go with the description given earlier, you are a novice until such a time as you can ride in balance and control in walk trot and canter, and pop a small fence on a reliable steady horse in an enclosed space.

After that you may not have confidence, you may be nervous, you may not be technical but you aren't a novice and describing yourself as such is just misleading.

Nervous and Novice are not interchangeable terms, and I hate the fact that some people seem to think they are. Being nervous doesn't mean you are a novice, you can be an experienced but nervous rider, or a confident novice. Indeed I think that is more common than nervous novices and confident experienced riders. I mean Pippa Funnell has spoken about her battle with crippling nerves but you wouldn't describe her as a novice!
 
Hiya
I've been riding for over twenty years. I've got my stage three although i'm not sure how as I thought id die from my nerves on the day. I've just backed my four year old warmblood mare and have regular lessons.
However if asked to describe my level of riding i wouldn't know where to start.Am i a novice rider as i am not really capable of riding advanced school movements unless on a schoolmaster. I don't compete mainly due to confidence, its the people not the horses that scare me.And have been known to revert to beginner mode when under pressure.
So what does everybody else think. Am i a novice rider???????
 
starandgarfy51 said:
Hiya
I've been riding for over twenty years. I've got my stage three although i'm not sure how as I thought id die from my nerves on the day. I've just backed my four year old warmblood mare and have regular lessons.
However if asked to describe my level of riding i wouldn't know where to start.Am i a novice rider as i am not really capable of riding advanced school movements unless on a schoolmaster. I don't compete mainly due to confidence, its the people not the horses that scare me.And have been known to revert to beginner mode when under pressure.
So what does everybody else think. Am i a novice rider???????
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Certainly not, why would you think you are???

I agree that it is incredibly difficult to describe your level of riding accurately, although having done BHS exams makes it easier, but if we start calling everyone who isn't Olympic level a novice that isn't going to help matters.

A true novice wouldn't be able to ride advanced school movements even on a schoolmaster. A true novice wouldn't be capable of backing and riding away a youngster.

We all have room to improve and classifying yourself as above a novice doesn't mean you don't recognise this.
 
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