Not a novice ride.... *Another pointless post/ rant* ARRRRGGHHHH

I've just sold one, that needed a rider, nothing horrible or complicated about him, he just needed a rider who liked a responsive ride. I originally put "forward going" in his advert which seemed to have most people running for the hills, so trying to get the wording in an advert to attract the right people is quite an art. Not necessarily those who write the best adverts have the best horses to sell!
 
Rebelzmum said:
To be honest, I think it is the seller not wanting someone to come and get frightened by the horse, so they do it to protect themselves. I have a TB mare who I will be selling in a couple of months. I think she is superb, but she can jog a bit when out hacking. That would terrify some people - I just think it's normal and shows her enthusiasm - better that than napping. She has spark, but doesn't buck or rear or do anything silly like spinning, but I wouldn't want a beginner on her pulling her about. I think everyone means different things. I would advertise mine as "not suitable for total beginner" because that's the truth.
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I agree, an ex race horse i have is great to handle and ride, having nice flat work and a great jump and good hacking.
BUT when you first get on he can be a little coldbacked and joggy, is doesnt last long but could really knock a not to confident rider.

The amount of people i have that told me they were confident and experineced but then they got on and he scared the hell out of them, not to mention not control and they didnt listen to my tips about how to deal with him!
 
i can see your point but a quick phone call can sort it out. I have just bought a 5yr old warmblood with a lot of blood. When i rang up the seller made it clear she is safe but not for novice. She had someone come to try her before me who had only ever ridden riding school ponys. What would make someone think they can go straight onto a horse like that. Her reponse was that she wanted to start eventing.
 
I bought my ID x TB mare 7 years ago.
She was described as not a novice ride and her owner was frightened to get on her.
She was an eventer that had had an injury, was used as a broodmare and when she failed to get in foal again was sold off to a total novice.
She learned that she could tip the novice off and stood looking at her after she did and if she threatened to bite her she would not fastened the girth.

She is well schooled, responsive and a fantastic ride though I still would not describe her as a novice ride. She would not cope with anyone kicking her and if you lean forwards/sidewards she will respond accordingly.

A friends daughter who is not experienced, though not a total novice, loves riding her.
She has been on loan to the local equine college for 18 months and was a great schoolmistress.
She is back home at age 21 and acting like a 4 year old!

I would always ring regarding an advert for not a novice ride though would question the seller at length as to why they were described as this. There is nothing worse than an unresponsive, unschooled ride.
 
Frankly it means absolutely bu99er all, unless it is followed by BECAUSE......

Otherwise it is meaningless words added into an advert because in this day and age they don't charge by the word.

It CAN mean any of the following:

Horse is a total unrideable loon but I'll never find some unsuspecting fool to buy it if I write that

I don't want numpties riding my horse

I think my horse is amazing and is only soooo amazing due to my massively superior riding skills so obviously I only want people who are London 2012 prospects to come and try it

Horse has one or two normal horselike quirks and is otherwise fine but I don't want to get sued

Horse is a poppet that would be entirely suitable for a novice but I think that anyone who hasn't been riding since before they could walk and was raised by the pony club must by default ride roughly and with no finnesse, with the aids roughly equating to kick, pull, yank.

Horse has one or two specific issues, for example bucking when excited or strong in company, it would have saved pointless phone calls to put that down, but why would I when I can have 20 phonecalls a day asking "what do you mean by not a novice ride" and then moan on HHO about timewasters.

;) :p ;) :p
 
hannahc said:
IMO "not novice ride" means don't call if you have only ever ridden at a riding school, but the right person could be put off thinking the horse is a loony.
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Really!?

I'd class a fair percentage of riding school horses I've come across in my 25 years of riding at various riding schools as "not a novice ride", and judging by some of the things on this post so would you guys.....

Ex-racers
Inclined to tank off in open spaces
Bucks when excited/jumping/if you get on from the floor/if there's a Y in the day
Incredibly over the top spooky
Very mareish
Coldbacked
Has been known to rear when challenged
Won't stand to be mounted
Very bargy, will flatten you when you open the stable door and needs a bridle to lead
Naps
Pulls/is strong
Young and recently broken
So headshy you can't put its bridle on without taking it apart
Rushes everywhere and has no brakes

I also know someone who didn't buy their first horse until after they got their BHSAI, but I guess if you've only ridden in a riding school you need to buy a dead to the leg plod......
 
Katt said:
Really!?

I'd class a fair percentage of riding school horses I've come across in my 25 years of riding at various riding schools as "not a novice ride", and judging by some of the things on this post so would you guys.....

Ex-racers
Inclined to tank off in open spaces
Bucks when excited/jumping/if you get on from the floor/if there's a Y in the day
Incredibly over the top spooky
Very mareish
Coldbacked
Has been known to rear when challenged
Won't stand to be mounted
Very bargy, will flatten you when you open the stable door and needs a bridle to lead
Naps
Pulls/is strong
Young and recently broken
So headshy you can't put its bridle on without taking it apart
Rushes everywhere and has no brakes
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I too have known riding school horses that did all of the above, including some RDA ponies, when they had an able-bodied adult on board.
 
IMO a rider stops being a novice when they can tell the difference between a horse being scared or being stubborn, and they don't need supervision either when riding or coping with a horse on the ground. So a lot will depend on their ambition and the horse they are dealing with.
"Not a novice ride" means ask why before going to view.
 
Hmm, for a horse to be not a novice ride I would say one that is sharp to the leg, and sometimes takes control, possibly spooky. It can go nicely if you dont push it, but it will go well/properly if you ride it properly. Might have a scopey or staggy jump and be pernikity about stride.

A horse that needs to be ridden properly basically.

Its easier to define a novice ride!

Can walk trot canter and jump with garbled aids, but will do it after a few goes. Will jump most things safely but not with a huge amount of scope. Takes care of its rider. But as rider progresses horse will progress a bit to.
 
When I was looking if ad said not novice ride. Id whats wrong with it, is it nuts. It should be explained on ad really. My current mare spooks so is she not a novice ride? My last horse spooked also. Im a bit of a nervous rider and Ive ridden for 11 plus years, so when an advert says that I wont ring up.
 
The phrase really does need clarification for it to make any sense, ie strong...

I would class my horse as suitable for a novice to compete, as she is easy if getting the right signals, if quite forward going and strong, but when my "I've cantered and jumped at a riding school" husband first got on her and gave a "riding school kick" she fast-cantered round the arena for ten minutes getting herself quite frightened as she didn't understand his signals - so not a novice ride!

Buying and selling is a funny game from either end. I've just sold a pony, and so many people rang up saying "would she be suitable for my 7yr old?" Never quite know how to respond to that one - how tall is your 7 yr old, how heavy, how experienced... You're better just going to see them and making your own mind up - taking an expert if you're novice, and ALWAYS see someone else on them first...
 
attheponies said:
Would "suitable/not suitable for a weekend rider" be a better phrase, ie does/doesn't need to be ridden into the ground every day to keep sane?!
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I think suitable/not suitable for a weekend or casual rider is quite a good way of saying, it doesn't need riding hard every day and schooling regularly to keep it sane. Much more descriptive than not a novice ride.
 
Don't agree with using "not suitable for weekend rider". I used to only ride at weekends before I got my own horse - usually spent the weekends schooling other peoples pride and joys.......and guess what? I didn't start riding til I was 13 and god forbid, I learned to ride at a riding school!!! A riding school where the horses either bolted, spooked or wouldn't move at all. It's the best way to learn....there is nothing to be learned from sitting on a push button horse/pony. That should come later, once the basics of stopping, starting and steering are gained, and then you can start on the "feel" which everyone yearns to attain.
So Katt I do agree with you there - riding school ponies are generally not novice rides....they might not teach "feel", but they do teach stickability!
 
I think a novice ride is a total plod - something bombproof who is probably pretty dead to the leg and mouth. A not-novice IMO is something sensitive. Mine I'd say isnt a novice ride by any means - if you booted him in the ribs or yanked him in the mouth you'd be in trouble (not that he's nasty at all, but I literally need to "think" canter and he does it!).
 
Wow, a right can of worms here!

It is an awkward definition, because it seems to be an all-encompassing term ranging from slightly quirky to downright psychotic, depending on how much artistic licence the advertiser is using.

Jack is "not a novice ride." He's not dangerous, and certainly isn't a nutter, but can be very sharp and sometimes is inclined to shoot forwards a few steps. In the past he has had issues with being mounted, although we seem to have put this behind us. I would describe him as forward going - i.e you only have to ask once for a transition and you get it, and you don't have to keep nag nag nag to keep him forwards.

But - he's excellent in company, if a little keen (but won't bolt for the front or buck, just likes to go with the others). Hacks alone or with others, totally traffic proof (didn't even lift his head from grazing next to the wagon when an oil tanker passed very close), excellent hunter and will jump anything. However he needs to trust his rider and it does take time for him to relax with a new person on board - so I would say he needs a fairly experienced and sensitive rider, who isn't going to get scared/unbalanced if he has one of his stupid moments.
 
I'm not sure, I would put 'not novice ride' to try and stop novice type people enquiring either if I thought the horse had potential, would get bored with novice rider, can be quirky/nappy and in some sence for my piece of mind (would want competant/confident person buying horse - not saying all novice types aren't competant/confident). Would still look at horses labeled 'not novice ride' but would obviously want to know why :)
 
well not novice ride to me is my boy, hes quick off the leg ...but too much novice leg will get on his nerves he will misbehave, hes soft mouthed n novice hands will make him get techy n nap n rear etc etc, when he starts dancing novices would panick n get nervous n hed do it all the more, he shys at things and will stop dead in his tracks sometimes which a novice may not be able to sit too, hes a fantastic jumper but he needs controlling so a novice may nt be able to hold him, all of these things make him not a novice ride.
 
I personally would take "not novice ride" to mean a horse that needs a sensitive, competent rider - not necessarily a loon, but a horse that might have a bit of a buck, or get tense, or strong and take the piss with someone who wasn't experienced enough to cope with it.
 
Sorry (just my little opinion!)
but from what I've seen "not a novice ride" is usually cryptic clue for "a complete fruit bag" :D ;)

Not all of course, just from the (very) small selection I've seen :)
 
TBH I think the phrase is used far too much and to easily to cover the sellers. If someone buys a horse that is put as not a novice ride, and they have problems with it, the sellers have covered their backs.
So it is very difficult to know what it really means.
 
oh god, string, how long etc etc etc......in the school anyone could get a tune out of mine, he's straight down the line, genuine and a *comfy ride*-light off the leg and light in the hand.kids, your gran, your none horsey OH-he'd ping round sweetly for all of them.

out hacking its a different kettle of fish....he sets off down the drive sideway, in extended passage, tail up like an arab, breathing fire..................but if you sit quiet, soft loose contact, leg wrapped round and just laugh at him he's fine and after 10/15 mins he settles, but how many people have the balls to do that, and if you get hold of him and try and force a steady walk he goes thermo-nuclear.

so is that a novice ride or not?!

i tend to ignore everything the seller says except colour and sex and work the rest out myself.......ever been to see a 16hh 4yo that turned out to be a 15hh 2 yo....coz i have!!!!
 
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