is there anything that indicates to you, if someone can ride?

Starbucks said:
Yep that's another one! So if you hack in:

Hi Viz jacket, exercise sheet, anklets, head band and nose band/brow band
Brushing boots all round + over reach boots
Tracky bottoms
Skull cap with no cover
don't make your horse walk on

You are the worst! :P
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Oops. I am head to toe in hi viz, as is my horse. She wears brushing boots all round and knee boots. I obviously can't ride :p;)

I don't work her "on the bit" on the roads but she does march on and is between hand and leg. Mind you, once off the roads and on fields that I know the footing we like walking along holding onto the buckle.

I do think tracky bottoms and skull cap with no cover looks funny though :rolleyes:
 
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Starbucks said:
Yep that's another one! So if you hack in:

Hi Viz jacket, exercise sheet, anklets, head band and nose band/brow band
Brushing boots all round + over reach boots
Tracky bottoms
Skull cap with no cover
don't make your horse walk on

You are the worst! :P
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Ok, I am always hi-vized up and the girlie wears hi viz leg bands. n In the fog the will also have a hi-viz exercise sheet - I need the tractors to see me!!

We wear over-reach boots as she has her heels left long and my farrier told me I must :)

Tracky bottoms - oh dear, how could any of you do that? They sum up "chav" in one garment.

Skull cap - had one once, always wore a silk, now wear a normal hat (gatehouse?)

My horse marches everywhere, whether I want to or not.

I can't ride to save my life.
 
I work at a riding school, and it's great fun trying to judge how someone will ride by what they look like when they turn up! I used to think that if they turned up with all the gear (own hat, jods, boots, chaps, even body protector) that they must have been riding for quite a while to accumulate all that expensive equipment... but no, some of them are still getting the hang of rising trot and have just treated themselves to a shopping spree! (I don't really judge these people too much because I know that the only reason they irritate me is because I'm jealous that I can't afford to do things like that myself.)

Now I've learned that all brand new gear tends to = novice, whereas someone who's wearing older, well-worn but good quality boots tends to be a bit better as they've been riding for longer to get their boots to that stage. I also used to make the mistake of thinking that if someone turned up in trackies/jeans and wellies and borrowed a hat, they must be a novice. But actually, some of the best riders we teach arrive looking like this because they have better things to spend money on than loads of expensive gear for one hour of riding a week.

I could turn snap judgements into an art form... :p

PS. I ride my coloured cob out in a hi-vis tabard with "Please Pass Wide And Slow" written on it (I'm wide and he's slow!), usually on the buckle end, slouching like the saddle is an armchair, often without stirrups, and if we're heading away from the yard he will be shuffling along so slowly you can hardly tell he's moving, as soon as we turn onto the road that loops back home he will suddenly take up a very bouncy racehorse jog! I, of course, cannot ride for toffee. :D (I'm not being sarcastic there, I really am not a very good rider. I spend hours trying really hard to get us both working properly in the school, and I see hacks as wind-down time for both of us where anything goes!)
 
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I have no problem with hi viz gear... or have any thoughts other than thank god I saw you (this is while I,m driving, down the lanes usually late)

What really bugs me and I can't understand is people who slouch whilst riding, I see a woman out hacking and she looks like she,s sitting on the sofa. I know she can ride better I,ve seen it.
 
jesstickle said:
Likewise. And then I met this monster

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running left to right is the A14 which is dual carriage way and top to bottom is the main Cambridge road. I ride up the main road out of cambridge, over a motorway bridge 30 foot up and cross the roundabout.

All of a sudden I've developed a thing for hi viz!
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Blimey.........RESPECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I must be a terrible rider then, with all my hi-viz and boots all round on the roads.

I have the most wonderful, sensible horse who was absolutely bombproof on roads - that is until someone (who was on the wrong side of the road turning into a junction) drove straight into him....

Obviously the hi-viz didn't do any good that day (you can't account for some of the idiots on the road) but although his boots were trashed, and the car written off, my boy walked away with only minor abrasions.

I really don't mind if it means people think I can ride or not :)
 
Starbucks said:
Yep that's another one! So if you hack in:

Hi Viz jacket, exercise sheet, anklets, head band and nose band/brow band
Brushing boots all round + over reach boots
Tracky bottoms
Skull cap with no cover
don't make your horse walk on

You are the worst! :P
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Oh god!
Well one day when I was hacking my pony, I was in all the hi viz (had just rode on a quite main road early on a winter morning) trackie bottoms (because I woke up determined to ride and stumbled around my room looking for something comfy) a tree on the common had ripped off my hat silk from me being lazy and not ducking my head for long enough, so lifted it up and bam a tree was in my face! (Don't laugh, we have all done it! ;) ) and I was plodding along (I was tired and the pony also agreed that it was way to early to be even out of bed!)
I must of looked like a right plonker!
 
Their ability to control my safe, but headstrong, opinionated, occasionally excitable boy :)

He can sort those who can ride from those who can't in an instant. Those who can't are quickly escorted back to the house/gate/my side and 'allowed' to dismount, in a "you've had a go, you can get off now" kinda way. :D
 
Apercrumbie said:
Whenever I see someone wearing a skull cap with no silk I automatically assume that they can't ride.
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Whenever I see someone in a skull cap, I assume they didn't duck quite far enough ;)

Tharg said:
When I see people out hacking with no hi-viz I think 'Desperate for a Darwn award'
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Must admit I feel like that too

jesstickle said:
Likewise. And then I met this monster

running left to right is the A14 which is dual carriage way and top to bottom is the main Cambridge road. I ride up the main road out of cambridge, over a motorway bridge 30 foot up and cross the roundabout.

All of a sudden I've developed a thing for hi viz!
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Christ, if I had your hacking I'd be staying in the school! :o Hope what's on the other side of the roundabout is worth it ;)

Wagtail said:
Not too sure what indicates if they CAN ride, but one thing that really bugs me is the BHS method of teaching which tells riders to shorten their reins and push the horse into a contact. I end up picking up the peices when riders come to me for lessons. I can see immediately those that have been BHS taught as they are tipped forward with straight arms and their reins are far too short and hands way too high. Despite this their horses still go round with their noses in the air. :rolleyes: Not all of them of course. There ARE some good BHS instructors around.:)
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err... :o *note to self to check that shortening reins doesn't necessarily mean lengthening arms and tipping forwards next time I ride past a mirror.* Never had those comments from an instructor or judge, though?

Kerilli - would you mind explaining why on the bit (well, for sake of arguement call it working forward into a contact as opposed to "I can get my horse's nose down without caring about the fact that his hocks are around the last bend") on the roads is a bad idea for his biomechanics? Really interested in that one. :)
 
Naturally said:
Christ, if I had your hacking I'd be staying in the school! :o Hope what's on the other side of the roundabout is worth it ;)
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No it's just ordinary, on the roads round the village hacking :D

I think we can safely say our horses are good in traffic though. Mine is only 5 and doesn't bat an eyelid anymore.

It doesn't bother me at all but I must say I do feel better when I'm lit up like a Christamas tree!
 
I don't care what people look like, what they wear or how slow/fast their horse moves.

What shows me someone can really ride is if their horse does something very sharp suddenly and they stick on. Most people have all the gear but when their horse jumps or spins, stops at a fence or suddenly shoots off, they just fall off!

Iv'e seen people in rubber riding boots and crash hats slopping along but when their horse has lept 10 feet in the air and tried to spin/buck at the same time they have stuck like glue and carried on as if nothing can happened. Those people can ride.
 
I am Hi Viz'd upto the eyeballs - when I had a bad fall its what helped people find me quickly when I was knocked out in undergrowth.

The big grey pet wears boots and overreach ( farriers request ) I have weaned him off the knee boots he used to trip constantly until we had words.

I cant ride for toffee but have mastered a sticky bum :)
 
Adults at shows with jods and short boots on. Cheap, nasty chaps that are straight at the top and only go about 3/4 of the way up the leg. People who turn up looking at a horse to buy who are fully bedecked in all the gear with the hat on and crop in hand ready to go - you're not at a riding school lovely. Oh and rubber riding boots! Do they even still exist though??!!
 
DragonSlayer said:
We mosey along at a snails pace often, because we want to. I like going along at a snails pace when the mood takes me, horses neck stretched long and low.....I also often let her have a sniff about.....

Depends what mood I'm in. Sure, hacking to get and keep fit is one thing, out for an afternoons amble is as good for the horse as it is for me if I were out with the dogs.....

Why does everything have to be done at full speed all the time?
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DragonSlayer said:
That's the problem with the world today, everyone is in such a rush, we should take a minute to slow down, and view whats around us.....even in the supermarket!

And me ride? hell no! I have no clue! I just bought 5 horses one after the other coz I thought they was cute!

I feed them pizza and chips, and I make all my tack from baler twine. :D
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I thought you were me till I got to the 5 horses bit, cos I've had a few more over the years (last count up was too many)- and mine all smoked whilst supping guinness :D
 
firewell said:
Iv'e seen people in rubber riding boots and crash hats slopping along but when their horse has lept 10 feet in the air and tried to spin/buck at the same time they have stuck like glue and carried on as if nothing can happened. Those people can ride.
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Lol, that would be me! I'm not all that, I'll probably never win a dressage test and I tend to scream as I go over jumps but I'm b******d if I'm getting bucked off out on a hack.
 
If you saw me out riding you'd definitely think I can't ride. My horse is usually muddy still from the field. I go out in a baggy coat with a discoloured old velvet riding hat. My boots are no longer black leather, more brown and the zip has broken. I do wear a hi-viz tabard which says young horse in training even tho he's 12. My hair is never combed, and my gloves have holes in them. My stirrups are long and my irons are crusty. Sometimes i'll even be on the phone, while my horse plods on the buckle chewing whatever hedge he's just managed to grab.

To top it off, we'd probably pass you quite slowly because I think it's rude to trot past another rider at full pelt.

Yeah so I'd probably fall into the can't ride category, except when you next saw us at the meet when we've had a spit and polish.
 
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I've just finished a module on rider fitness and how poor posture and poor core stability causes so many issues. We're usually told just to 'sit up' without being straight most riders just curve they're lower back causing stability issues and problems with lower back pain.
 
Wohaaaaaay, I feel another "Are you a tack bigot" thread starting up! :D I don't make snap judgements as when I lived on the moor, I used to ride out in a Parelli halter and to my horse that was a moochy ride and a chance for him to go long and low and relax, I would not class myself as a professional but I have been riding for over 40 years :)
 
Eeyore.1 said:
Wohaaaaaay, I feel another "Are you a tack bigot" thread starting up! :D I don't make snap judgements as when I lived on the moor, I used to ride out in a Parelli halter and to my horse that was a moochy ride and a chance for him to go long and low and relax, I would not class myself as a professional but I have been riding for over 40 years :)
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Yep, I'd clock you as an "can't ride".
 
I THOUGHT I could ride cos I could do a decent dressage test, and schooled every day with a lesson a week. My idea of a good rider WAS someone who is good at dressage.
Now I mainly hack, in HiViz, BP, overreach boots, and we do our schooling as we go, we don't plod. I ride across moors and beaches and jump ditches, across rough terrain, bogs, muddy slopes etc. I have to stay in balance when my horse spooks at something or gets excited and spins or bucks.
I have to say I am a much better rider than when I only did dressage! My dressage scores now are no better or worse than when I used to take it seriously. And I am still shite, I'm just a lot better at staying on!!! :)
So in that case I reckon hunting peeps must be the best riders, cos they do all the gnarly stuff.
 
A livery yard where I once kept my nag was run by a lady who had been round Badders, successfully evented, show jumped, shown, taught, produced, dealt and had been in horses all her life, said to me that you could tell a rider by the way they walked (on foot!). She said the only exception she had ever come across to this was *****, an 'I' from a local equestrian centre and another competition rider, who kept a few horses there and just ambled about.

I don't believe I saw either of them in any kind of 'trendy' or horsy outfits and one summers day YO turned up in a pair of cotton checked summer trousers (no hat of course) on the most lovely 16.2 grey TB (buckle end of reins and horse in wonderful outline) to go for a quick hack with the 'I' who said she couldn't ride in those trousers. I awaited the reply with interest, but the 'I' interjected with 'they are far too good to ride in'!

Another Badminton rider who lived down the road from me used to ride in Hi Viz (so there!!).

As for me, well I'm absolutely dreadful, saunter along (can't make pony go any faster, unless it decides to take off), tabbard, old jumpers/t shirts depending on the weather and usually something with a pocket so I can keep my fags in it! My yardstick on whether somebody can ride or not, depends on how much time their animal spends tied up on the yard!
 
Seahorse said:
You have all forgotten rubber riding boots! Now that's a dead give away that someone has noooo idea!!
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Alot of the work riders I work with ride in rubber boots....they can definitely stay on!! ;)

Its the body protector that doesn't fit and comes up to the ears that makes think, novice.
 
Horseyscot said:
I see your point exactly.

BUT i can ride, I have ridden since I was four, (now 38:o) , I won't pretend I'm a fantastic rider, I'm not. However, I now choose to amble about on my cob:rolleyes: sometimes, probably more often at a sedate pace, plodding around. Now and again, fleeing about fields and jumping (and cobs can jump:eek: lol) .

What I'm saying is, what you see people doing, doesn't have to mean what they are capable of:)
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I agree, I like to amble along on a hack, it is time to relax and ejoy life, the school is where I do my 'work'
 
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