What is a novice?

[Hedge_pig]

What do you lot think the term 'novice' with regard to a rider means?

I would consider myself a novice, I've only been riding for 2 years more off than on and used to help out at a riding school/livery yard 1 day a week although that has had to stop now due to exams. I'm happy and stable in walk, trot and canter and have just started jumping although have yet to learn about strides etc, we just jump

.

In terms of stable work I can tack up, groom, pick out feet, lead in and out, catch, feed, rug up etc, most of the things you would do with a horse most days thanks to working on the yard and can recognise when a horse has something wrong with it eg mud fever, thrush etc.

Now looking through adverts (not buying atm just noseying around) a lot of them say 'not a novice ride' after describing what sounds like a perfectly calm horse, or after saying it is forward going. Well the pony I ride is pretty forward going, particularly when jumping where if you give him too much run up on a jump he will gallop into it! He's also very strong in canter and is hard to stop but we get on very well, he runs and I stick on and when he's had enough we do it my way since he's too strong to argue with

. So should I not be riding him because I'm a novice (not that that's going to stop me, love him to bits

)?

After that ramble

my question is what would you call a novice rider? A complete beginner, someone my level orsomething else? Discuss

.

 

[Mid]

I'd describe a novice as much more of a beginner then you! I'd say a novice can walk, trot, and just about cling on in canter. I'd say you were an intermediate rider

 

[Nailed]

i consider a novice rider to be wobbly in canter and jumping tiny fences (WOBBLY) but cconfident in the trot and walk.
Lou x

 

[jesterfaerie]

I would class a complete novice as someone who has just started to ride and is unstable and not very confident in everything.
A novice as someone who could walk, trot, change direction and learning to canter or has recently learnt but is unstable and or not confident.
I don't think you are a novice, I would class you more as an intermediate rider because you can canter/jump/etc with cofidence and stability.

 

[Castlecourtdaisy]

Yes I'd say you're more intermediate than anything.

Adverts are a different matter altogether though! From experience, I'd say "forward going" usually means: "thinks he's competing in the Grand National".

And "not a novice ride" is an extremely common phrase which can mean one of two things, either the horse is clinically insane, or the owner has had to readvertise their top class show jumper because of timewasters who think they're fantastic but can't cope with anything that isn't dead from the neck down. But it's usually the former, so if you do happen to look seriously for a horse, I'd dodge adverts with "not novice ride" mentions. There are plenty of horses out there who are talented AND sane!

 

[jumpthemoon]

You sound like Intermediate to me. I think in terms of looking at adverts 'novice' is relative, though. I was discussing with a friend who was selling her horse wether she should say 'not novice ride' as the reason she was selling it was that it was too much for her. She thought she should not sell to a novice, but I rode the horse and would have said he would be fine for a novice. I think it depends on the person - wether they are nervous or not. Also, some people don't want to sell to novices because they want their horses to 'reach their true potential' and dont like to think they are suitable for plodding around on! I wouldn't rule out any horse that was NNR, but I'd defintely check it wasn't a pshyco first! Make sure you see someone else ride it first as well before you get on - you'd be amazed how many loony horses are outr there....

 

[Super_Kat]

What would everybody consider an interediate/advanced rder to be able to do?
I can do far more than what everybody is listing yet I would still consider myself a novice.

 

[darksided]

Same here.

 

[Hedge_pig]

When I used to sort out the lessons for our uni the intermediate/advanced classes do bigger jumps (3ft), basic dressage and learn to work in an outline, track up well etc, I think they mostly work on developing good feel, this is why I wouldn't class myself as an intermediate as I'm not doing anything nearly this advanced yet. Then there is the uni team which work to a more advanced level than our advanced class (some of them anyway ) so I'm really not sure.

Having said that, some of the intermediate riders have trouble tacking up their horses etc as they have always had it done for them so maybe intermediate in riding and stable management are different things.

 

[beaconhorse]

We have had this on other boards and the answer there was I am 'just' an intermediate (which I agree with) I have been riding 6 years. Have bought on my own horse but have really struggled (still am) as he is VERY strong and inteligent. I jump 3ft courses sometimes better than others, as he stops dead or runs out, I nearly always stay on although how I don't know. We have hunted too
We did win the Ridden Hunter Championship last year. I gallop regularly, like today when the git took off and would not stop!! do small XC fences but not with great confidence because he stops.

Remember there is also a difference between novice rider and novice owner.

Personally I would not think you would be wise to go for anything that says not a novice ride, I know from experience it is one thing to do things on a horse you have been riding a while and another to do it on an unknown horse!!!!!!

Sorry but I think you are an experienced novice and not an intermediate

 

[Hedge_pig]

Oh I'm not buying, got waaaaaaay too much to learn before I do that, just interested to know peoples opinions. I would definatley describe myself as a novice, much worse to say you are experienced and not be than be a little modest IMO

.

 

[Jellicle]

Forward going in a riding school environment, where there is an instructor with you, and forward going in a horse advert do mean different things.

Riding school horses normally work up to three hours a day, and they are in a situation where they know exactly what happens. It is very different from having your own horse, probably nice and fresh, going to unknown situations such as shows.

 

[Como]

I've been riding since I was five and have loaned and owned horses from the age of 14 (now 34), but as I only compete unaffiliated I would consider myself a novice in that respect. To me an intermediate rider is one that competes at low level affiliated, although it is all subjective I guess! I am experienced enough to buy a 'not novice ride' and I do own one but I would consider someone with 2 years on off experience in a riding school environment as unable to do the same and is still a beginner/novice. The class names at a riding school/club are misleading, with novice/intermediate/advanced not translating into the same level in competing/ownership terms. It's better to underestimate your competence, as overhorsing inevitably has disasterous consequences and it's a real shame for that horse.

 

[Super_Kat]

Yes but those uni lesson levels were purely for riders of a certain ability. What about the riders who go aorund badminton, ride GP dressage and just 1.60m tracks? Those in my eyes are advanced riders.

 

[Hedge_pig]

Totally agree which is why I have no intention of buying for a long time and when I do it certainly won't be a NNR.

You're right about it being relative too, our advanced class are brilliant riders to me but I'm sure compared to affliated dressage and sj riders they look like novices.

 

[Hedge_pig]

Oh I know, was just using that as an example to say why I'm not an intermediate rider in any way!

 

[Rachel_M]

I would say that a novice rider is one who can competently walk, trot and canter in company or solo lesson. Who can pop around a small jumping course but lacks the experience it takes to be able to tackle more technical movements or fences without losing position and to be able to confidently ride a horse out on your own without instruction.

 

[Sal_E]

I'd class you as a 'competant' novice - as opposed to a complete novice who would still not be ready to jump.

The horse you ride may well be forward going, but that does not mean it's not suitable for a novice.

 

[MagicMelon]

I think of a novice as someone who can ride a schoolmaster type ok but wouldn't know what to do if a horse began misbehaving etc.

I class a "non-novice ride" horse as one which may have the odd little strop (a buck here and there etc.) or one who is simply sensitive to the aids. Was very funny last year when I was selling an anglo arab - some girl came to ride her and was absolutely gushing because she MOVED! She'd only ever ridden ploddy things you had to kick the whole time whereas she only had to *think* move up a gear and the pony did it. I would say she was a novice but at the same time she was very confident so I knew she'd cope.

 

[CASP3R]

[ QUOTE ]
much worse to say you are experienced and not be than be a little modest IMO

.

[/ QUOTE ]

Too true Hedge_pig!

I don't think i could define Novice rider, but i think a lot of people put Not Novice ride on adverts to protect themselves in this letigious (sp?) society that we now live in.

I have been riding for over 20 years, but have learnt more in the last 4 of horse ownership than in most of the previous 20.

Whilst i would not consider myself a novice, i would not buy a horse advertised as NNR as i would be concerned about what was wrong with it!!

 

[bex1984]

I am definitely a novice, I can walk, trot, canter and have just done my first few tiny jumps. I would say one of the main things is that I don't know enough to be able to confidently teach my pony anything new. Also, I think there's a huge difference between a confident novice and a nervous one...I am a nervous one! I've been part loaning, and then owning, for the past year and a half.

 

[summertoots]

I think I have a sound basis of horse knowledge and experiance. I have a very old AI and at the moment Im doing my NVQ level 3. I ride fit event horses as part of my work. I own a TB who I an schooling on myself, at the moment teaching him simple lateral work, and baby cross country jumps. In my daily horse enviroment I am one of the advanced riders.
However in the grand scale of the horse world I feel I am very much a novice. After all put me and my lad next to Carl Hester and it wouldnt be hard to play spot the plonker!!!

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

I don't think you sound like a novice but I think people put 'not a novice ride' on an advert when they mean stuff like.... 'can put the odd buck in if excited' or 'bit strong in company' or 'might get spooky from time to time'.

so you are basically talking about something that whilst it wouldn't ever be described as a nuttter has got a bit of life to it and wouldn't suit someone looking for a quiet hack to enjoy the countryside with... that has alway been my interpretation anyway.

for me as an instructor, a novice is someone who can do the rising trot, control their pony independantly of the ride in walk and trot and can stay on in canter but not really steer or control the horse in canter.

 

[Rambo]

I don't think there' a simple answer to this one.

All terms are relative to your experiences and your peer group. If you are the best rider/horseperson in your peer group, then to those around you you are experienced. If you are significantly less competent then they may view as a novice.

As to the adverts stating NNR, I would take that to mean many things, but in your case I would probably avoid. Bo is an absolute gentleman 95% of the time and you could probably get on him and ride him tomorrow with few problems....BUT....he can be sharp. He will suss you out quietly. You probably wouldn't even realise he was doing it! And over a period of time he will start to work out what he can get away with, then one day he'll throw it all at you...and so quickly you'll be on the floor before you know it. I'm not exaggerating...he's done it to my OH who had just ridden riding school horses before we had him, and he's done it to more experienced (instructors) who have underestimated him. He's tried it on with me, and still does sometimes, but he knows he can't win that one. Now, I don't consider myself to be an 'advanced' rider for want of a better word. I have ridden on and off for 33 years, and I compete to a reasonable standard, but i'm not a pro and I don't ride dozens and dozens of horses BUT I am a confident rider and to me that counts for a huge amount when we're talking about NNR horses. It's what you do when the horse isn't going well that really matters...