Experienced rider

[Irishcobs]

When do you become one?

When youv'e ridden of a number of years? When you can train your own horse? When you can ride difficult horses? When you've reached a certain level, if so what level? Or when someone says you are?
Or something I haven't thought of?

I know wierd post but I was thinking about this today and couldn't think of when/how you become experienced.

 

[GTs]

I would say when you can go to a barn with 10 different horses, and ride all them well and with ease.

 

[Happy Horse]

Ok, I'll have a bash at answering! I would say an experienced rider is capable of getting on any horse, assessing it and then knowing how to ride the horse to get the best out of it and to work to correct any faults without necessarily resorting to artificial aids.

 

[RunToEarth]

Getting on any horse put infront of them, within reason, weighing the horse up and then riding it to show the best of that horse's ability, comfortably.

 

[vivhewe]

I agree with what's been said. I've had my welshie for 10 years now and ridden for about 14 but I still don't consider myself experienced

Not a total idiot but not an experienced rider either.

I think though that the ones who consider themselves experienced because they have jumped 3ft and galloped once before need a slap. The archetypal riding-school pupil springs to mind

Then they get a neddie, jump on and the problems start. They go out on a hack and sh:t themselves because it's totally different to riding in an arena. *Rant Over*

 

[viola]

When you can ride all sorts of horses, give them confidence and make them look like everything they do is easy...
I do sometimes call myself experienced but I consider various dimensions of it. You can be an experienced handler or a young horse producer or a teacher but not necessairly an Olympian...

 

[Irishcobs]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok, I'll have a bash at answering! I would say an experienced rider is capable of getting on any horse, assessing it and then knowing how to ride the horse to get the best out of it and to work to correct any faults without necessarily resorting to artificial aids.

[/ QUOTE ]

Very well put. I stuggle with wording things so I'm glad you have answered.

Now, the reason I was thinking about this was because my boss is an international eventer, she has done well at all of the 4* eventers but can not ride my cob mare, meaning she can't get her working nicely, and will not get on my boy cob, saying she doesn't want to die! I have to admit you have to be suicidal to ride my boy. But I would say she is experienced but has only ever ridden eventer types and can get a tune out of any eventer type horse.

 

[vicijp]

An experienced rider makes every horse look easy.

 

[spider]

But is there a difference between "experienced" "good" and "effective". I think that people can have loads of experience so would be an "experienced" rider but not necessarily be amazingly good. I would say an experienced rider has been around horses for a long time in a lot of different situations and would be able to ride effectively on any reasonably schooled horse but may not necessarily have any specialist knowledge about problem horses.

 

[magic104]

Someone who has an independant seat, can get on any horse & get the best out of it. Understands ea horse is an individual & can adapt their riding as necessary.