What is a novice rider

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Lady Tinseltime

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I am searching for my next horse due to the unexpected retirement of my older boy. Up until 6 months ago I was hacking several times a week and competing at dressage (only up to novice unaffiliated). I am looking for a RC level horse not a sharp competition type. I find I am being put off by the ads I read for something that looks perfect but at the end it says "no complete novices/will not be sold to novice home etc". I have been riding for 45 years approx and am aware that I am not the rider I was 20 years ago, as in I don't feel that my core strength is as good and I am more averse to risk taking but should I classify myself as a born again novice? What is a novice?
 
milliepops said:
I think you can still be a novice after years of horse ownership, but i would take "no novices" to mean that the horse is either a bit green or a bit sharp/lively and needs someone with the skills and experience to deal with that.
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I would agree with this. I have a couple of friends who have owned horses for 20 years and been riding longer than that, but they very much put themselves in the novice rider category and wouldn’t entertain anything sharp or green.
 
I had the same predicament when looking for a horse. I took "novice home" to mean "first-time horse owner", but didn't really know what to make of "novice" in terms of riding skills. Having my horse now, I'd say that if I were advertising for a sharer or something, I'd need someone who can deal with napping, spooking, and baby behaviour, which I wouldn't expect many novices to be able to do, so that would be my current definition; novice = passenger rather than rider, and potentially unable to deal effectively with stickier situations.
 
I know a ton of riders who are riding decades, but I would class as novice. Some people just don't get the opportunity to ride a range of very hot/sharp, sensitive or reactive horses. You can own one or two gorgeous safe horses for decades and be a good rider, but it's a whole other kettle of fish to know how to spot and react quickly to a sensitive horse before it kicks off.

Although the phrase 'no complete novices' would, in my head mean something different to 'no novices'
 
I would take it as a description of the horse, not of you as a rider. A horse described as "not for a novice" would be inclined to spook, nap, maybe have bad brakes in open spaces, buck when fresh etc. Up to you whether you want to put up with that horse. It wouldn't stop me phoning for a chat with the owner. I saw one that was "not a novice ride" but all it did was jog a bit when asked to walk at the beginning of a hack. There is no shame in wanting a "novice ride" although you are experienced. Just because you can deal with a sharp horse that doesn't mean you have to .Many a calm RDA type can up its game beautifully with a good rider on board.
 
Sometimes in adverts as well it's vendors trying to discourage first time owners and nervous people because they want the horse to fulfil potential (when they think it's a smart horse) and want to reduce the chance of it being sold on quickly (because people find themselves over horsed).

If you see one you like it's worth a phone call to see why they say it's not suitable for a novice. Then you'll be able to judge whether you fall into the category of "novice" for that subjective advert.
 
Goldie's mum said:
I would take it as a description of the horse, not of you as a rider. A horse described as "not for a novice" would be inclined to spook, nap, maybe have bad brakes in open spaces, buck when fresh etc. Up to you whether you want to put up with that horse. It wouldn't stop me phoning for a chat with the owner. I saw one that was "not a novice ride" but all it did was jog a bit when asked to walk at the beginning of a hack. There is no shame in wanting a "novice ride" although you are experienced. Just because you can deal with a sharp horse that doesn't mean you have to .Many a calm RDA type can up its game beautifully with a good rider on board.
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Hello again Goldie's Mum. Are you still looking for another horse too? I want a reasonably forward going horse but not something sharp. Hen's teeth??
 
I think the issue is expectations. There is no such thing as the perfect horse, it takes time to get one. I do think novices and inexperienced people fall down rabbit holes quicker and the horse ends up being the victim. I have one I need to sell who is an incredible competition horse but literally only suited to pros or experienced set ups. I haven’t even decided how to write the advert!
 
Lady Tinseltime said:
Hello again Goldie's Mum. Are you still looking for another horse too? I want a reasonably forward going horse but not something sharp. Hen's teeth??
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Annie waves.
Its on the back burner atm. We're making haylage and then it'll be the lamb sales. Also a neighbour needs help with their youngster so I'm not completely horse starved. Got half an eye open but to be honest if I saw the perfect one right now it would be difficult to travel, so I'm kind of afraid to look!
 
I think "novice " is very subjective but in this context, I'd take it to be a combination of experience and confidence. Someone can have been riding for 20 years but be unhappy on a horse that only jogs. It's about a willingness and ability to understand and deal with horses having opinions and reactions, rather than trudging along like RS plods or trekking cobs.

I've had horses I'd let a novice ride, but I don't think I've ever had one that I'd let a novice rider/ owner actually take home with them!
 
I was beginning a horse search last year, and it petrified me. It’s hard to read between the lines of adverts, and that’s before you read that final line which mentions the horse will not be sold to a novice.

I have read many threads on this forum over the years and the only thing which is clear is that the definition of what is a novice rider varies wildly. At one extreme I heard of a university riding club which defined novice as a person who could walk, trot was intermediate, and canter advanced…and at the other end I remember reading on this forum (can’t remember when or who, sorry) someone who considered anyone who was not at a particular competition level a novice - iirc it was BE80 or 90.

When I did my BHS riding and care courses about a decade ago, the first surprise was that many of the other attendees were horse owners, and the second was that the majority really were not very good riders when faced with the standard school horses. None of them classed themselves as novice riders.

All of that means that I ended up deciding the only solution would be to pay a fortune for my instructor to come with me, as someone who would be able to judge whether a horse would be too much for me or not, and as an experienced eye, since this would be my very first horse after years of riding schools/sharing two or three horses…so still a steep learning curve.

But still, trying to filter those adverts I found almost impossible. So apologies: I’m not much help but I really, really sympathise.

In the end I was offered a loan of a horse age 16+ with health issues which require a bit of management, but apart from that is an ex eventer who is good in traffic, well mannered (all I have to do is maintain those manners!), occasionally tries to pretend to have a spook - nonsense, just trying it on - and loves to go for a fast gallop every now and then, as do I. I’d love to do some schooling, though it’s clearly not his thing, sadly no school available so that will have to wait. My jumping skills are very poor, my technical riding ability is not exactly advanced. I could not train up a young or inexperienced horse. Definitely a novice!….according to my definition, anyway <g>
 
A novice is different from a novice RS rider. As an RS rider I have ridden over 100 different horses aged 6 to 24 years and had long term relationships with three. The two horse owners in our extended family have ridden fewer horses. But neither is a novice.
 
I think these days its a legal defensive
Move. So many people seem to want to return a horse because its not a half dead riding school pony. If you stick this statement in an advert then the buyer cant say that the cendor said it was 100%bombproof
 
Having finished a horse hunt at the beginning of this year, I found I had to get the seller on the phone ask questions. I have been riding for 30 years and rode up to AM dressage, can ride around a 1.10 course with the right horse, but was wary of ads saying "not a novice ride" as I wasn't looking for a horse that was going to test my confidence every time out, having a stressful job, the horse is downtime!

The one I found was advertised as bombproof for hacking but not a novice ride - what the seller meant is that she is a big moving warmbloods, who needs the aids to be given in the right way, and has a tendency to dominance so may walk all over an inexperienced rider. But she's pretty straightforward to someone who knows a bit about horses.
 
Depends on the situation but I was horse hunting earlier this year and was ok with the vast majority of horses described as 'not for a novice', but I did try and find out why the owner was saying that. Those who were young or would have a bit of a buck when excited were OK, those who were sharp / hot / volatile weren't what I was looking for. I was also very clear with the sellers that I was looking for a riding club type horse so anyone who wanted a competition home for their horse could politely turn me down without time wasting by either party.

What I bought was a rising 4yo who had been given a good start but was still green and can throw the odd buck (usually quite pathetic ones!) if he's excited going into canter. He's a cob, not a nasty or volatile bone in his body but he is a baby and his owner needed to know he was going to a home who would appreciate that and not expect him to be the finished article.
 
I had a friend of a friend ride one of my advanced dressage horses once......it didn't go very well, even tho he was a professional Show Jumper - Nations Cup no less, but you could say he was very 'novicey' in the way he rode him. I'm sure if I'd attempted a jump on one of his horses, I'd probably have looked like a novice too!

I think advertisers just try to find the best experienced and knowledgeable that they can. Whenever I buy I always start with temperament first and foremost - you could say I 'buy' like I'm a novice, and go from there. If you look around long enough, you may find one or two athletic equines for sale, but perhaps their owners haven't quite realised the potential of what they've got, but they've got superb temperaments. I'm too old for difficult horses now....I don't bounce anymore! Good luck in your search.
 
In the context of horse sale, I take novice to mean complete beginner to horse-owning, and horse possibly livelier than dope-on-a-rope types, so no riders who haven’t ridden a sharper horse.

You sound like you’ve handled a wide-variety of horses, so would exclude you from novice.

Decades ago the RS i started at was excellent. They had 50+ horses, many were gentle plods for complete beginners, but they had a fair few who were more ‘spirited’, aswell as some livery horses that were for riding - sport horses.
So, once you had become confident with general riding on their safe plods, you’d be promoted to riding the more livelier horses, and have the chance at riding a different array of horses. This really propelled my riding giving me the chance to develop my riding and become a more attuned, sensitive rider than just steering ‘passenger’. However, some of the cheekier mounts were often the welsh ponies! Riding loads of different horses is an excellent way to develop skills and confidence.

Many smaller RS have just gentle mounts, understandably - the one i went to ended up closing but it was truly a brilliant RS for all abilities.
 
I'm starting to look again and always assume that "not novice ride" means there's a quirk and I avoid them. Apart from anything, my confidence has taken such a battering over the last few years, I need one that is suitable for a novice even though I'm technically not one. I also avoid any with the phrases "takes confidence from the rider" and "needs a confident / competent rider".

I love the phrase "born again novice". That's very definitely me at the moment.
 
Annagain said:
I'm starting to look again and always assume that "not novice ride" means there's a quirk and I avoid them. Apart from anything, my confidence has taken such a battering over the last few years, I need one that is suitable for a novice even though I'm technically not one. I also avoid any with the phrases "takes confidence from the rider" and "needs a confident / competent rider".

I love the phrase "born again novice". That's very definitely me at the moment.
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I sympathise with you. Others I avoid are "suitable for teenage girl" (we know they are the kamikaze pilots of the horse world) and "currently wasted in hacking home" and "still green" (for a 9 year old!!!. I notice that a lot being sold now seem to have been in their current homes only for 6 - 18 months which would indicate that a lot of "desperate for a horse" buyers overhorsed themselves during lockdown
 
milliepops said:
I think you can still be a novice after years of horse ownership, but i would take "no novices" to mean that the horse is either a bit green or a bit sharp/lively and needs someone with the skills and experience to deal with that.
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This is how I always take it too. If anything it puts me on more high alert for looking at horse's behaviour if I went to see etc.
 
You need to ask why exactly they say no novices. If a professional is selling then it may well be a bit sharp but some private sellers just don't want people bouncing around on their horses. Be honest about your abilities, you sound like me and actually after a chat I found most of these were perfectly suitable. I will confess I didn't get on one of them as I realised it would be too much for me.....but the owner was happy with that
 
I take novice rider to be inexperienced. Possibly best suited to to riding / managing horses under instruction.

I am no longer a good rider (I don’t ride often enough and have too many physical limitations to be properly effective) but I have feel and can bimble around happily on a sensitive horse without upsetting him or her.

When I was looking for my latest horse, I didn’t rule out horses described as not novice ride, but I did filter out those I thought I wouldn’t enjoy riding or those that wouldn’t enjoy the somewhat low key lifestyle I can offer.
 
I am an owner in my 60s and I know where you are coming from. I would say that unless a horse is deliberately trying to get rid of me, I am pretty secure in the saddle and can sit spooks and shies. I was always very surprised to see people fall off from what I considered a minor spook, even though they were horse owners.

But I wouldn't like a horse to feel out of control in a wide open space, or buck when its feet got onto grass.
So I wouldn't say I was novice, obviously I am not, and I think I can manage any reasonable horse, but I wouldn't want something that was going to try and walk all over me or be difficult to handle.

You might find that an ex competition horse is a possible buy, because someone will have put a lot of effort into schooling and should generally have good manners to ride and handle even though it is a bit too powerful for a "novice" rider.
 
I have neither the nerve or the skill I once had but am still reasonably capable. When I was looking for a horse I stopped reading adverts at the word 'needs'. I ended up buying a younger horse than I was really looking for but it all worked out fine.
 
It can mean so many different things these people might not want just out of riding school/ first horse and happy hackers trying their horse some people are snobby or the horse could be spooky green or very forward going and sharp. From my experience I have learned from trying horses and seeing people trying horse. some horse are not novice safe but in most cases it’s owners not wanting to sell to certain people.
 
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