pansymouse
Well-Known Member
That's me too
How do you describe your riding skills?
- Thread starter Horseymumma
- Start date
That's me too
Polos Mum
Well-Known Member
With horses you never stop learning - very few people are experts across all disciplines !
Compitent novice for me - I always underplay my experience on forms/ in discussion etc. - much easier (for me) to impress people than fall flat on my face !!!
Anyone I meet who describes themselves as an expert or tells me they KNOW the answer to horsey things - I treat with great suspision! there must be a million different horsey answers and nobody can know everything.
Compitent novice for me - I always underplay my experience on forms/ in discussion etc. - much easier (for me) to impress people than fall flat on my face !!!
Anyone I meet who describes themselves as an expert or tells me they KNOW the answer to horsey things - I treat with great suspision! there must be a million different horsey answers and nobody can know everything.
Pippity
Well-Known Member
Competent beginner.
I'm solid at walk and trot (with and without stirrups), and getting there with canter (though I still want my stirrups for that!)
I'm solid at walk and trot (with and without stirrups), and getting there with canter (though I still want my stirrups for that!)
marley and danni
Well-Known Member
I have beem riding little over 2yrs an i feel im a very competent and confident rider
I feel i can get on most horses and get them to do most things i want
I have also been huntinh jumped up to 3'9 with out whimpering and reguarly go xc and have lessons. X
I feel i can get on most horses and get them to do most things i want
I have also been huntinh jumped up to 3'9 with out whimpering and reguarly go xc and have lessons. X
Kitty B
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure. I suppose I would have to say novice. I am certainly no expert! I spent my childhood riding ponies bareback, and then rode western. I did have a go at English riding shortly before moving to the UK, but I was rubbish at it. I continued to be rubbish when I took up lessons here. So, while I can ride bareback or western competently, my English riding still makes me grimace, and my jumping skills... well, my horse was patient. Very, very patient. So I would have to go with novice.
maisie06
Well-Known Member
Dire....very dire!! I don't ride anymore though!!
HashRouge
Well-Known Member
I describe myself as pretty rubbish, but good at sticking on when it counts!
Autumn sonnet
Well-Known Member
To quote my instructor ' better than you think you are '
Despite having owned and ridden for over thirty years , done medium level dressage , and grade B showjumping , and long distance , I have a real issue with confidence . I seem to overthink everything at the moment . If I could turn my brain off , and just DO , I'd be fine . When I don't get the time to think about it , apparently I'm not bad . I just wish I could be like that all the time .
I've just got a new horse, and I'm hoping he might be the key to realising that I'm not as appalling as I feel .
Despite having owned and ridden for over thirty years , done medium level dressage , and grade B showjumping , and long distance , I have a real issue with confidence . I seem to overthink everything at the moment . If I could turn my brain off , and just DO , I'd be fine . When I don't get the time to think about it , apparently I'm not bad . I just wish I could be like that all the time .
I've just got a new horse, and I'm hoping he might be the key to realising that I'm not as appalling as I feel .
Enfys
Well-Known Member
Are people just being modest when they class themselves as competent novice? That seems a contradiction in terms to me. Why not say competent.? What is wrong with saying you think you are competent, or intermediate, or experienced?
A novice to me, is somone who is learning the basics, a learner. Liken it to driving, you have to be competent to pass a test, experience comes with practise, lots of it, expertise in any field comes with more experience. Riding is a hard one to classify as there are so many spheres. I, for example, am experienced at hunting, fast, on mountains, I'd wet myself out with a jumping pack, and I couldn't ride one side of a dressage horse and you would have to pay me to ride a warmblood.
A novice to me, is somone who is learning the basics, a learner. Liken it to driving, you have to be competent to pass a test, experience comes with practise, lots of it, expertise in any field comes with more experience. Riding is a hard one to classify as there are so many spheres. I, for example, am experienced at hunting, fast, on mountains, I'd wet myself out with a jumping pack, and I couldn't ride one side of a dressage horse and you would have to pay me to ride a warmblood.
NaeNae87
Well-Known Member
I would class myself as competant. I can get on a variety of horses and have them working alright. I am balanced and can handle most situations.
I don't see myself as a novice nor do I see myself as advanced.
I don't see myself as a novice nor do I see myself as advanced.
Ancient Hacker
Well-Known Member
"Could do better" Been working on it for half a century and still hope to improve.
maresmaid
Well-Known Member
I have owned horses and ridden for over 30 years and each year horses teach me something new. I consider myself to be a competent rider on my own horse when i am in my comfort zone, but there are many areas where i am not "experienced" ie hunting, xc, breaking youngsters for example, so as i am very aware of how much i don't know i would never insult truly experienced horsemen / horsewomen by giving myself the "experienced" tag. If i was to visit a trekking centre i would be modest about my ability, although i am sure i could comfortably manage any of the horses such an establishment might consider suitable for their clients, i would be just as happy meeting the challenge of getting a nice tune out of a steady "ploddy" type as i would riding something hot and sharp.
asommerville
Well-Known Member
in my lesson the other night i describes myself as sh**e.....tgis was our first jumping lrsson so confidence was nin existent!! instructor says i think too much and when im not thinking i do ok lol
Bambi.
Well-Known Member
I don't think there's anyone who isn't still learning, all horses are different so you can always learn more!
As others have said if you are stable and competent in the saddle etc then you are probably past the novice stage
As others have said if you are stable and competent in the saddle etc then you are probably past the novice stage
TrasaM
Well-Known Member
Possibly. It seems safer to under play what you can do rather than say you can do something and then get on a horse who immediately shows you up
I seldom mention the length of time I've been riding if I go for a lesson with someone new. I tell them afterwards. So far I've had positive reactions but I've also had a horse make a total ass of me when I had an assessment done; turned left when I tried to go right and kept stopping with his head in the corner of the arena
Orls
Well-Known Member
I think this could be said of a lot of people. People put themselves down far too much and don't give themselves enough credit when it comes to riding! I don't know why. So many riders downplay their skill level.
A girl I was teaching up until recently never had a nice thing to say about her riding when I asked to evaluate herself, when in fact she had a very nice seat, soft hands and incredibly good timing! I thought it was sad that all she had to say about herself were the negative things. I know we learn by recognising our mistakes, but by recognising our achievements we give ourselves the confidence boost to continue and to aim for bigger and better things. The best thing I feel I taught this girl was some self confidence and self belief. She came on so quickly when she believed in herself and I think the same could be said for a lot of people. If you are willing to believe and accept that you suck at riding then you'll never move on from that and you'll never allow yourself to improve.
Enfys
Well-Known Member
Possibly. It seems safer to under play what you can do rather than say you can do something and then get on a horse who immediately shows you up
I seldom mention the length of time I've been riding if I go for a lesson with someone new. I tell them afterwards. So far I've had positive reactions but I've also had a horse make a total ass of me when I had an assessment done; turned left when I tried to go right and kept stopping with his head in the corner of the arena
As I said, I would make an ass of myself jumping nowadays, or riding most horses, so I don't. I know my limitations.
skint1
Well-Known Member
I'm firmly in the camp that if ever I were to go on a trek or to a riding school or whatever I would totally be the one saying I'd never sat on a horse before, I don't want the nappy one, and there's always a nappy one!
Having said that, I really am not a great rider and I never will be, my aim is to be adequate for the comfort and safety of myself and my horse. I rode as a kid, not very often not very well, got back into it through my daughter, was her groom etc for 12 years, took it up again for myself last summer after losing a lot of weight.
I am blessed to have a great horse, a very smart, very experienced horse, a horse that can, I kid you not, open gates on her own and once when my friend fell off my horse calmly pinned her horse against a wall til she could catch it, very smart, but it takes a lot to get her to really "listen" to me if I try and tell her to do something she doesn't think we should be doing, if I were a really good, effective rider, I could get her to do it. It's magic to see her when someone good gets on her.
Having said that, I really am not a great rider and I never will be, my aim is to be adequate for the comfort and safety of myself and my horse. I rode as a kid, not very often not very well, got back into it through my daughter, was her groom etc for 12 years, took it up again for myself last summer after losing a lot of weight.
I am blessed to have a great horse, a very smart, very experienced horse, a horse that can, I kid you not, open gates on her own and once when my friend fell off my horse calmly pinned her horse against a wall til she could catch it, very smart, but it takes a lot to get her to really "listen" to me if I try and tell her to do something she doesn't think we should be doing, if I were a really good, effective rider, I could get her to do it. It's magic to see her when someone good gets on her.
Lucyad
Well-Known Member
It's all subjective depending on who you are talking to. A 'novice' turning up at a trecking centre will be put on a plod and sent on a slow amble. I have never even attempted a novice dressage test (seems to be far too much on one sheet ever to remember!), and I never intend to attempt a novice BE track. A BS British novice would be just about within my capabilities, but I don't fancy tackling the jump off!
I just say that I am a riding club allrounder, and do prelim dressage, max 90cm SJ, 75-90cm xc, hacking and hunting, all with more enthusiasm than style.
I just say that I am a riding club allrounder, and do prelim dressage, max 90cm SJ, 75-90cm xc, hacking and hunting, all with more enthusiasm than style.
AmyMay
Situation normal
Decidedly average.
flump
Well-Known Member
Quiet and considerate, not novice
Could pretty much get on any horse and do the basics. I'd say I was competent
Could pretty much get on any horse and do the basics. I'd say I was competent
Chottsy
Well-Known Member
I would say confident and experienced novice.
Chottsy
Well-Known Member
It depend what horse I am on. Stroppy cob who wants to do what he wants to, I schooled toworking nicely and forward. showjumper that cost 20k, walk and trot feeling like a muppet.
Chottsy
Well-Known Member
but am trusted to hack our 4 year olds and ride the nutty mare who rears if you touch her mouth. confident and have ridden a few nutters, but need perfecting A LOT!!!