Minimum Standard of Riding Needed for Own Horse?

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JAK

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Just wondering, thinking about someone on yard who is now looking for her own horse but barely knows even the basics. She can walk, trot & canter (meaning she can stay on!) on a completely steady, push button horse but no more.
No idea about trot diagonals or canter leads & couldn't cope with even a minor buck or shy! Still using reins for balance & can only use both legs together for 'aids'!

Is this just me or is this:
a) The norm & b) acceptable these days?
She is intending to hack out (often alone) & 'school' new horse, most often with no supervision or instruction.
Opinions?
 
Theres always one isnt there!
Im afraid you just cant tell these people that they would be better off waiting, than potentially ruining their new horse, which will probably end up being sold on or stood in the field doing bugger all!

It not acceptable for me, and it will only end up with the horse suffering if im quite honest.. Not only that but the said person need to have knowledge of basic care for the horse!!

Some people clearly have a death wish...
 
She might cope if she finds a complete plod, but I wouldn't be buying a horse if thats all I could do
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. Depends what she wants to do, if its just a walk up the lane every week she might cope
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. Horses are getting more expensive, so don't know why it seems more and more people are buying on a whim almost
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Hi there.

It sounds to me like your friend is wanting to run before she can walk "literally". I think that it should be said to her that a REAL horse is not somthing that she can just sit on and say wake me up when the hcks over! My advice would be try and explaine to her everything that you do on a day to day basis with your horse so she understands that it isnt just a case of on off heres some hay, bye. Her money would be better spent on getting some propper training from some very good trainers who wil help her find the right horse when the time is right. hope this helps. pm me if you have any probs.
 
Sounds like ermmmmmm... everyone (else) at my yard!! They're all convinced that all it takes to ride is an ability to hang on.
The ones who REALLY crack me up are the one's who've bought Peruvian Pasos and ride (I use the term loosely!) with one hand on their hip and the reins held up under their noses with the elbow out to the side and they think they've got it cracked.
I'm astonished more of them haven't hurt themselves!
 
In my experience this is becoming more and more frequent. The sad thing is they will buy a horse that is well beyond their limited capabilities, and then the horse will get the blame when things go wrong. Said horse will then get a reputation for being difficult, when really all that is wrong with it is it's owner can't ride!
 
Believe me eventing_kid, we've tried but it goes in one ear & out the other! To her, she can ride, same as her kid can ride!
Kid (hedgehog child!) wrenches pony around in a Dutch gag & also uses reins for balance!
Apparently, once you have your own horse, you don't need lessons any more?
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My OH does not ride that well, He can manage walk, trot canter and a small ditch. He does have good hands and balance - has done his share of no hands and no stirrups on the lunge. He knows a trot diagonal (just) but not a canter lead.

All he wants to do is to plod along on a hack, with the occasional trot, even more rare, canter or ditch (which is probably why Cairo loves him to ride him - such an easy life).

With a nice quiet horse like Cairo or Blaze he is safe and fine.

What I personally feel is more important is the ground side - do they know how to look after a horse, feed, basical medical knowledge etc and handle one? Andy has spent a long time being bossed about by me and the person who shared Blaze with him - ex horse guards and boy did everything have to be done right.

There are people who have horses and enjoy them but have limited riding skills. As long as the horse is well cared for and when ridden are not hauled in the mouth etc then I don't have a problem with someone with basic skills as long as they buy a horse that is suitable, ie a steady plod who will look after them.

Now if she is looking for a TB - then yes her head needs examining. If she has no idea of how to look after one, then again she either needs lessons, the ideally share with someone or to have someone prepared to really take her under their wing and show her the ropes and get a very sensible cob type suitable for a novice.

Schooling - definately no no - if the horse needs schooling it is not right for a novice, it should be teaching them not the other way round.
 
One thing about this that triggers a reaction from me.... there doesnt seem to be any qualifications that one can take (other then the professional BHS stages). [I remember about 15 years ago doing some sort of casual rider qualification, but I've not seen or heard of it since.]

If there was such a scheme in existence, the BHS could then recommend that you get to at least 'Stage n' before you buy a horse.
Also, it would make it easier for me to describe my riding abilities when I go to a new riding school.
 
PF - I think your last comment says a lot for the horses' wonderful, accepting natures! (Poor things!)

Theresa - point taken but how many Mr. C's are there around? She doesn't want a 'plod' though, she wants something that can do all the basics, so she can learn on from it!
(Not that I'm saying Mr. C isn't capable, he's bl**dy capable of a helluva lot actually & very well schooled!)
 
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If there was such a scheme in existence, the BHS could then recommend that you get to at least 'Stage n' before you buy a horse.

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A better idea would be to have a basic qualification before you could insure a horse, which should be compulsory by law!
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A good idea, but would an insurance law be practical ? Where would you draw the line... would you then need compulsory insurance for cats, dogs, other pets... farm animals... zoo animals...
 
Sounds harsh but unless miss treating horse the word NOT BOTHER spring to mind.

As you can go to afflialate stuff and see cr8p riding, if me yes i would be shocked and unless asked to help or for opinion wouldn't get invovled with yard politics

But defo agree riding is been dumbed down and i wish you had to prove your ability before affilating at and any disciple(sp) but the organisers seem to be more intent on making money, but thats my opinion
 
I think it depends on the person. I wouldn't have a problem with someone who can't ride, but has always loved horses and wanted to own one, buying a horse - providing they accepted they knew nothing and took appropriate measures. ie. lots of lessons, part or full livery for a start, until they got the hang of it. I would also expect them to buy an experienced older horse, not a 4 yr old TB!

Sadly, most novices who buy horses actually think they know everything, so are unwilling to take advice from anyone or to learn through books and instruction. I'm not completely against the idea of licenses for horse owners, although I do think the idea needs work - at the moment it sounds like just another source of income for the Gov. It would be good if horse owners had to take a basic horse care test though before they took on a horse.
 
Ok I am probably coming from a slightly different angle: I am a novice, and I part loaned for 6 months before buying my first horse which meant I had a good idea of the amount of time and work a horse required, but it also (partly thanks to quite a bitchy yard) made me acutely aware of how much I didn't (and don't) know and needed to learn.

I have been very lucky in that I had a very experienced, helpful friend on hand for the first 6 months. I probably drove her mad but I learnt a lot, and I've never been afraid to ask for advice, and am under no illusion that I am a good rider!

I don't think my pony suffers at all from having a novice owner....but he is not exactly highly strung and is just happy to have a bit of fun together. I know I have a huge amount to learn, but I am learning it by having my own horse. I do think there's only so much you can learn from a riding school and for me, half of the fun is not just riding, but looking after my horse.

I think that problems occur when people over-horse themselves, and I think this can happen to more experienced riders, as well as novices...
 
A really interesting & varied selection of replies!
It would seem there is room for improvement in riding ability at all levels for a start, not just 'beginners'!

Maybe I should also have asked if the general consensus of opinion is that riding standards have declined in the last 10, 20, 30 years & if this is connected to the way people actually learn to ride, or their attitude to what constitutes being able to ride, or both?
 
Oh, don't get me wrong bex, my kids had LBO when they were extremely novicey beginners but they had constant help, lessons etc., as you do!

What worries me more is that (like many others!), this particular person thinks that buying her own horse will then entitle her to do the same things as other more experienced owners, e.g. hacking out alone down a busy main road & that, I do have a problem with, as she would only be 'safe' as long as nothing even remotely untoward happened, as she wouldn't have a clue what to do, or the reactions & experience to deal with it!
 
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I think that problems occur when people over-horse themselves, and I think this can happen to more experienced riders, as well as novices...

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hehe! Well said Bex!!!
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Maybe I should also have asked if the general consensus of opinion is that riding standards have declined in the last 10, 20, 30 years & if this is connected to the way people actually learn to ride, or their attitude to what constitutes being able to ride, or both?

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Now that would be an interesting debate!
 
Deffo not acceptable!

In my opinion, before you buy a horse:

Understand about fitting tack and choosing the correct bit ect
Understand about lameness and back probs
Know how to groom a horse properly
Know how to tack up a horse
Be able to deal with it if it's spooked, both leading and on the ground
Be balanced and able to manage horses in difficult situations
Actually be able to ride. Without pulling the reins and sliding all over the place.

Luckily we have no real novices at our yard, but I do know of a couple, and they have both managed to ruin lovely horses, apart from one, who bought a fab cob, but then got bored of riding and sold him.

I mean, I'm not a particularily good rider, esp compared to the pony clubbers from the bottom yard who were practically born in the saddle, I've been helping at a RS for years (since I was 8, and now I'm 15), but only recently got my own pony. I'm sure I wouldn't have managed with less.
 
I think people these days have got so much more confident and see themselves as a capable rider and it's not until you get an opinionated bu**er of a horse that you realise that you know nothing and should of stayed at that riding school.

*not that I'm speaking from experience at all
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*

The people that get themselves in even more poo are the ones that think they don't need help.

What are all your thoughts on bringing in that to buy a horse you would need horse owners level 1, riding road safety and a riding equivailent(sp?)?
 
I find that it's the more experienced riders who realise that they will need to continue having lessons after they get their own horse, and the ones who could most benefit from them don't want them!

I have had the thought several times that people seem to be buying horses earlier in their riding careers. I rode for 12 years, know most of the stable management stuff (I'd need help with injuries and things like quantities of feed to give), competent rider (wouldn't want to get on something that rears or bucks though as my history of staying on is appalling! Although I probably could manage it) and I have been second guessing whether I know enough to have my own horse for YEARS!

The ones who know the least are the ones who think they know the most! Still, having seen a lot of them, it has given me more confidence in my own abilities and made me listen to the people who said I was good enough to have my own horse
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I do think that some sort of basic qualification before horse ownership would be a good idea. A bit like the Cycling Proficiency test I had to take at school.

Isabelle
 
Yeah, when we finally decided to get a horse, the first few I looked at were elderly cobs! And that was a step down from my riding school horse xD He was a young TB who actually loved bucking
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I've been riding for 30 yrs and as a kid I helped at my local stables every hour that god sent for about 12 years and in that time I learnt a lot about stable management etc. For the last 4mths I shared a horse and then thanks to an inheritance I could afford George! Despite 30yrs of lessons I think I am still pretty cr*p (I think I was born clumsy, unbalanced!) and I know that there is still sooooo much to learn that you can only learn by having your own or loaning. I still have lessons and will forever and I picked a yard that was part livery where there is always someone on hand to help and they've been brilliant. The thing is though I am happy to hack and do some work in the school, but I just love looking after George as much as riding. I think it is all about knowing your limitations and using your commonsense and this is what is so often lacking.
 
Hmmm, a very interesting post.
We have a similar situation to a poster above re my husband - he was a relative novice when we bought his horse, and she is far from being a plod, in fact she can be quite challenging! However she is a great schoolmaster who will always do as she is told if you tell her right, and is teaching him loads, and I am always on hand to jump on if she is being a bit too 'on her toes' initially! In terms of stable management he doesn't really know that much - can cope with routine things like feeding, mucking out, grooming etc but doesn't know a lot of the reasons behind things and would probably struggle with anything out of the ordinary! However we bought him a horse becuase the one he was having lessons on happened to come up for sale, and a true schoolmaster who can go up a few levels with him as well is difficult to find (she has the scope to BE/BSJA and has teamchased). But the important point is that I am around to help, and although far from an expert I have ridden for 20 years and had my own horses 10 years.
BUT I agree with those above who say that if a person is buying a horse, a lot of what would concern me is their willingness to ask for help! And accept advice when given. In a way the care of the horse is more important than the standard of riding - IMO.
It does seem that a lot of the people who know the least are the ones who are the least willing to accept advice as well, which can be very frustrating!!
 
for me riding is not really the issue - there are good plods and plenty of instructors - for me the issue is stable management. We have a few novices at our yard - they ride OK (ones just cantering) but their management is just awful. Not noticing seriously obvious lameness, random feeding regimens, not having a clue about horse behaviour and field management. One was trying to convince another livery that ragwort was only poisoness after spraying due to a chemical reaction caused by the chemicals - alive was apparently fine - its just plan terrifying and they are so arrogant that there is no saying anything against them
 
I agree that riding is not so much the issue as care. After all, what about people who keep ponies as pets and for showing in hand and those who drive? You don't learn much about care generally in a riding school environment, though, which is why a lot of people have riding lessons, then buy a horse and know diddly squat about how to look after it!
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I think it's getting much more normal these days for many reasons

And this is where the decline of RSs comes in and the spiraling costs as well. Plus I really do feel that RSs should offer more on the groundwork side regarding basic stable management etc.

I'm a long term RS client but thankfully, had stable management lessons when I first started, if the weather was too bad to ride, we'd be plonked in the tack room to learn about something. I then fell into working there as well
 
I gave up riding fifteen years ago when we moved to Shetland as there is no such thing as an adult riding school/ club up here, let alone livery yards. Basically, if you don't have your own land and horse you're scuppered.
I started hacking out with a couple of friends on their horses last year but had never owned a horse of my own until I bought my boy in December. It took months of deliberating and reading into/ researching every aspect of horse care/ management before I took the plunge (plus I qualified as a veterinary nurse on leaving school although no longer work in that field). I still ask for help and there's a group of us trying to set up an adult club as there is nothing for adults up here.
What I'm saying is that sometimes people don't have the luxury of access to riding schools and livery yards near by and have to start out by having a horse. I hope to goodness that others in that situation would be sensible and look into all aspects of owning a horse before they take that step. With help, support and common sense you can do it.
 
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