What exactly is a novice rider?

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FinellaGlen

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I think this is one of those "How long is piece of string" type questions but I am interested in people's views anyway. I think I am a novice myself rather than a beginner because I have been riding for years now. My OH is a beginner, or rather he was, when we had a horse that he could ride. My daughter is also a novice but, again, she is 14 and has been riding for about 9 years now.

The reason that I ask is because one of my friends wants to buy a horse and she thinks that she is beyond "novice" stage although her riding isn't anywhere up to mine or my daughter's standards - not trying to show off here, just looking at it objectively. She is looking at various weird and wonderful breeds at the moment. Her latest favourite is an American Saddlebred but I am worried that she will overhorse herself and it will all end in tears which would be a shame as she is so keen.
 
Ooh I'd be interested to see how a novice gets on with a Saddlebred, particularly if it is gaited.

I'd class the majority of my boarders as novice riders - they know something about how to ride in theory, but haven't managed to perfect their skills yet.
 
Thank you Tia. My friend has a lot of confidence and says she doesn't want a "boring" horse! Whilst I don't think she should look for a rocking horse I still think that a well-mannered cob or something similar would be a better starting point for her but she has rejected them out of hand. I don't think that she realises that there are plenty of "naughty" cobs out there - if naughtiness is what appeals to her so much.
 
I think I'm a novice rider as well, I've been nearly 20 years, but lack confidence at times. I have loaned, owned and ridden a variety of horses but have very little competition experience. If I was looking for a new horse I would look for something that was responsive but a confidence giver or a novice ride. I think many people think a novice ride is the same a being a beginner?
 
A nice Connemara X TB is what she wants; not a Saddlebred. Let her try it though - might change her mind somewhat.
 
I still class myself as a beginner! My legs go forward when i trot and canter. I still make mistakes that i try to rectify. I would say a novice is someone that rides and doesnt make as much wee mistakes
 
I'm a novice
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Been riding since I was 4, ridden a variety of horses from eventers, hunters, small ponies etc.
I lost my nerve and have serious confidence issues, so much so I seem to have an electric bum and pass my nerves onto the horse. When I buy I will be looking for a safe cob or pony.

As Tia said, i know how to do things, putting them into practice on different horses has yet to come. I won't class myself as anything more than a novice until I can ride a variety of horses and get a good tune from most of them.
 
The way I see it you are beginner, novice or proffessional BUT the novice group ranges from happy hacker on their first horse, to your average pony-clubber, to the weekend competitor and so on. The difference between the novices is their level of experience and confidence.
 
Thank you everyone for your input. I agree with what you have said, Ginn. I think the term "novice" does cover a huge range of abilities. I also think that my friend is confusing the terms "novice" and "beginnner" like you have mentionned tabithakat. I would never go to see a horse that was advertised as not being a novice ride and I don't think that she should either but I can only give her my advice - I can't force her to take it!
 
i honestly don't know what i am. i can do stuff, but tbh lack confidence. i used to ride a 6yo just off the track tb who had bucked my intructor off (several times) and loved him to bits. but now i'd rather not even get on a horse that is known to buck... hmm... i would say i'm a novice, but i've ridden far, far less then a lot of the people who are also calling themselves novices. but i don't think i'm a beginner.. i have my own horse, can school a horse so that he is actually improved. can't really do anything at the moment, my horse can't be worked in the arena or schooled properly, or jump, or do anything apart from hack really, but me and my sister are going to share a loan pony soon and i can't wait!
 
IMO a beginnner is just starting out, a novice knows the basics,imtermidiate rider can get good work out of most horses and then there are the pros.

Novice covers a whole range of people(as siad) from safe happy hacker(ie confident at all paces,but wouldnt know how to ask for anything other then dressage movements ) to a pony clubber who can do a fair amount on lots of types of horses.
I think people dont like to class themselves as novice because they equate it to incompetant which is not the case.
 
Well, here goes my opinion.

Beginner: new starter, getting to know basics.
Novice: Learning the aids, and putting everything together, walk, trot, canter, jumping, hacking, riding club shows etc.
Amateur: BSJA, BE, BD etc, a more able rider than the novice rider but not up there with the professionals but can get the horse between hand and leg and keep them there, working correctly, round and obedient, more refined schooling - like lateral, flying changes, using their weight etc.
Professional: Whitakers, etc need I say more?
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I would put anybody who isn't competing at an affiliated level into the 'novice' catagory for ease of reference, but there are clear exceptions; those who have hunted since before they can walk and have no interest in competing being one example
 
The group of people I used to ride with when I started up again, rode as a child then had a break until my late 20s used to describe ourselves as "noggers" which was between beginner and novice. To this day I still use this term and I have competed unaffliated in dressage, cross country and hunted for several years, but there again I like being a "nogger" it's a good excuse when things don't quite go right.
 
To me that is generous - I have competed succesfully BD affiliated but I'd put that more down to a good trainer and an obliging horse than my rider skills. I've been riding nearly 20 years, have my own horse and am very definitely a novice. Ads that state 'not novice ride' to me read 'not with a bargepole'
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Lots of realtive beginners can walk trot and canter on a kind horse and if you are told that that is "all" a prelim test requires then it seems pretty reasonable to think you could do one. As might popping over a jump or two (at least in a clear round competition) if you've been learning to jump on a good school horse
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I think if you have limited experience of horses and riding it is understandably easy to over rate your abilities. It's not until you ride a more demanding horse that you get a reality check
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That said a horse doesn't have to look like a cob to be sensible and suitable for a novice (as not all cobs are suitable novice rides!) It does depend on the persionality of the rider, as well as their experience, what sort of horse they will get on with, so if they don't like cobs perhaps you can persaude them to look at established horses that know their job?
 
A novice is someone who is not experienced. I don't think you have to compete to become a non novice. I would class a person who can ride a variety of horses of different behavioural types confidently and over a range of terrains, schooling and activities. I would not classify myself as a novice as I have been riding for 40 years. I don't compete because I'm just not competitive and I haven't got the enormous amounts of time to just wait around and travel about that it involves.
 
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