What is a novice?

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Kalico

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We had to fill in a questionaire today and one of the questions was what stage is my daughter at?

I'm not sure if she's a novice?

She's ridden for 4y in total, 2 of these years she's part loaned the horse and been responsible for her 5 days a week..from stable management to feeding/exercise. She now owns the same pony.

She can walk, trot, canter, gallop and can jump 2ft. She does school work and lunging.

She exercises the local RDA ponies over the winter and has exercised other people's ponies - but never challenging ones.

Is she a novice?
 
Personally I class myself as a novice.. I can ride and have ridden I have no self confidence at all :(

I would say your daughter is definitely not a novice xxx
 
It totally depends on the context. If it was for a lesson at a riding school, she certainly wouldn't be classed as "novice" more like advanced! However, if she is apply for a position on an eventer yard or such like, then she could be a novice in their eyes.
 
As far as I am concerned anyone who is not capable of schooling a reasonably quiet horse without instruction is a novice.
Beginner means they are still at the learning to walk, trot, and canter stage, and I would really say that jumping 2 foot is not really something that would require much skill, we had a man do that on one of his kids pones at a "kids and dads class" , he had never ridden before!
 
I guess they just need an idea of the riders abilities. I didnt mean that jumping 2ft was anything, more that that's as high as she's gone. I think very often people wildly over exaggerate what their riding skills are, I'd rather err on the side of caution.
 
I think erring on the side of caution is the best way. If you tell the new club that your daughter is a novice, and after watching her ride the club officials think she is more advanced, all well and good, but in my experience as a relative outsider (Male over 50), an awful lot of people, and not just 'confident' teens, overestimate their ability.
 
Kalico said:
I guess they just need an idea of the riders abilities. I didnt mean that jumping 2ft was anything, more that that's as high as she's gone. I think very often people wildly over exaggerate what their riding skills are, I'd rather err on the side of caution.
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That is for sure, the modern idea is that instructors praise for every little thing, and so kids think they are good, whereas it is the pony who is good, there is nothing wrong with jumping 2 foot, but one jump is easy, the better they get , the more complex the jumps will become, with combinations and bounces and so on, so it is not so much the height , which tends to be pony related,
 
NeilM said:
I think erring on the side of caution is the best way. If you tell the new club that your daughter is a novice, and after watching her ride the club officials think she is more advanced, all well and good, but in my experience as a relative outsider (Male over 50), an awful lot of people, and not just 'confident' teens, overestimate their ability.
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That's exactly what I hear and see around tbh and I think over confidence with horses is a dangerous thing. My daughter has been described as an 'intuitive and natural rider' however, I'd rather, describe her as less experienced than she may be and let the people who can class her properly do their thing. Sally has needed time, patience and understanding, I've heard too many people say that 'they would do this/that' or 'you should be doing x/y/z with her' - even at the tender age if 17y my daughter is very sensible and not into competing with anyone else.
 
Mmmm, difficult one this, it tends to crop up on here occasionally, i.e. definition of a "novice".

I offer the suggestion that a "novice" is a rider who can do a nice walk, trot, canter and maybe pop a small fence in a "safe" environment such as an arena. They'd be able to ride say a schoolmaster horse without any vices and know the rudiments of basic aids.

They'd be able to put on a simple saddle & bridle (i.e. snaffle bit with plain saddle & girth, no martingale) and be able to catch-up and turn-out safely, be able to confidently pick up hooves/groom etc.

They would be reasonably competent to hack in a group of people, with an instructor.

But I wouldn't expect a novice to be riding a difficult/challenging horse or riding solo on the public highway or out hunting.
 
Really interesting thread and I do honestly believe that everyone's perception of what is a novice rider is very different. For starters I stillconsider myself a novice owner and rider and I have owned my horse for over ten years (my first one), have hunted, done unaff dressage, fun rides, have taken him on holiday and regularly hack alone, and can look after him competently - well apart from arthritis which is being treated, he is bright, fit and well so I must be doing something right. I still feel I need help and and lucky enough to be surrounded by some lovely knowledgeable and supportive horsey people and good friends.

I guess the term novice is one which is very, very subjective and means different things to different people in different situations.
 
I've ridden since childhood one and off but class myself as an 'experienced' novice. I can ride a reasonably well behaved horse (i.e. traffic proof, doesn't do anything major like bucking or spooking etc) on my own out hacking and in the arena, and I know some basic horse care and if I follow instructions, I can feed them. Riding wise at the moment I am confident in walk and trot, and I could canter but I often choose not to. I'm different from a total novice whom I would class as someone who has only sat on a horse a handful of times.
 
This is interesting. I have owned my own horses for 30 years but am not a confident rider. I am pretty knowledgeable about care and feeding, and illnesses etc. I mostly have hacked and in the past done small jumping courses. I still consider myself a novice!
 
I guess it's the million collar question isn't it? Everyone has a different idea of what a novice is....my daughter hacks alone and regularly rides along busy roads to reach another hack.

We've filled the questionnaire out but added a paragraph of what she has/hasn't done :)
 
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