What is your definition/idea of a 'novice rider'?

[jump?howhigh]

'Novice' is a term used a lot in the horse industry and some peoples definitions of one vary from place to place. So what is your idea of a novice rider? What should they be able to do and what shouldn't they?

 

[Cortez]

I would define a novice as someone who is still a passenger, not yet a rider, able to influence the horse.

 

[NeverSayNever]

how long is a piece of string - it means different things to different people tbh.

I do think there is a clear difference between riding school riders and those who own their own horses though You can have someone who rides a RS and thinks they are experienced or advanced, put them on a non RS horse and they are green as grass. Ive recently had a couple of people riding my mare who said they were confident and could ride and really really couldnt. Id consider myself novice in terms of the level I ride compete at - intro/prelim dressage, jump 2ft6 sj/xc in comparison to friends and peers in the same RC as me who do far greater things

 

[FfionWinnie]

I was describing a novicy young rider on another thread so with her I'd say, use the reins to balance a bit, don't know all the terms such as changing diagonal (or know but forget/struggle to see it), bit out of kilter in trot. That sort of thing. This girl has been riding for 7 years and her mother answered my advert where I stated no novices so of course they don't think she is a novice but riding school ponies are rather different and you need to ride a variety of ponies when young I think.

 

[ha903070]

Not someone who competes in open sj at riding club level but feels it is acceptable to get on their friends horse (that the friend competes at open sj), but because they havent ridden that particular before they are then novice. Rant over sorry.

Really annoys me.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I would define a novice as someone who is still a passenger, not yet a rider, able to influence the horse.

In a nut shell

 

[MrsElle]

Me!

I used to ride as a child/teenager, and have forgetten everything.

Me and Fat Lad pootle about at a walk, I have no idea how to change legs, know nothing about diagonals etc, but we are happy. I can sit a good old spook but am still rather unbalanced. I can do rising and sitting trot but haven't cantered in years - mainly because I'm happy just plodding around admiring the scenery (plus Fat Lad doesn't 'do' canter, which I was warned about when I bought him)

 

[Lintel]

I would define a novice as someone who is still a passenger, not yet a rider, able to influence the horse.

Brilliant.
All depends on the horse as well, a experienced RS rider could quite easily jump onto some of the sweethearts on here and I am quite certain they'd come off swearing they were novice- that being they got off alive.

 

[mandwhy]

Basically someone who can just about walk trot canter and wouldn't be comfortable on an ordinary sort of privately owned horse, as in it doesn't already know what you want it to do in various situations... I guess Cortez is right, being a passenger!

However when I was looking at horses to buy after having shares/loans just for fun and hacking, I felt quite novicey because if someone talked to me about diagonals and all that I remembered the terms vaguely but it had been so long ago since I had done schooling and stuff, thankfully a loan has pretty much brought me up to speed although obviously much to learn still!

 

[indie999]

I would say someone that has just learnt to ride and is green. ie walk trot canter poss gallop and thats it??

 

[Littlelegs]

Agree with cortez. Only thing I'd add is that by 'influence' the horse I don't mean someone who can make small changes with a trainer/instructor present, but never when alone, I'd still class that as novice.

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

I would consider myself novice, as I only have one horse that I ride, therefore I'm confident and competant on him, but Gawd knows what I'd be like on another horse! And I'd rather say that I'm novice, than blow my own trumpet and come unstuck. I have owned and ridden my boy for 15 years, and own youngsters too, and we backed and I rode on our home bred last year. If you wouldn't class me as novice, what is the next term up?!

 

[Rose Folly]

As Cortez, but would also add someone who is mentally always one step behind the horse, is not aware of 'situations' and can put themselves and the horse in a vulnerable position - in so many different ways - through lack of experience.

I don't think it is so much whether you can jump X height, go team-chasing or do flying changes; it's a calm confidence around horses that comes, usually, from experience, and a truthful knowlege and acceptance of what you can, and can't do.
Most of us probably drive competently, but it doesn't mean we can drive a pantechnicon. It's the same with horses.

 

[Foxhunter49]

Rose has it to a T.

People go out and buy a horse, ride few others and as Spot says never ride anything else.

Very few people have a natural instinct for riding and handling horses, many can learn it, some will never get it.

 

[sarahann1]

Me, I'm a novice, I've ridden for 23 years on well over 150 different horses. However this has mainly been riding school horses and a few forgiving privately owned horses and while I can ride a leg yield and rein back, don't rely on my reins for balance and can sit a decent spook, I've never been cross country, I fear jumps over 2'6" and find sharper horses can outwit me more easily than they should. Oh and my confidence has all but vanished because I'm barely riding these days.

 

[Wagtail]

It is all relative. Me for example, though I have competed to decent levels in dressage and show jumping, run a livery yard and am an instructor, I have never evented. Therefore, should I take it up, I would class myself as 'novice'. I make the distinction between 'novice, and 'beginner'. A beginner to me is someone who Cortez describes as a passenger, where as a novice can be quite accomplished in some areas. I like the term 'experienced novice' to describe this.

 

[showpony]

That exactly !

I would define a novice as someone who is still a passenger, not yet a rider, able to influence the horse.

 

[Epona78]

I consider myself a novice. I have been having lessons for a year. I don't rely on my reins because I was taught on the lunge without them, so when I eventually was given the reins I was already starting to develop my core and didn't need them for balance, I was told to hold my hands like I was holding two cups of tea and not to spill them! I have a seen a video of myself riding and I don't look very elegant at all, I have a problem with sticking my elbows out when moving up a transition. I know diagonals, but I don't understand what it means when people say "get his back legs underneathe him" (where else would his bloody legs be haha?). Still have a long way to go in understanding why a horse moves and behaves the way he does, I devour magazines and forums for tips and advice, I want to learn, but I wish I had a glossary of terms sometimes! I can trot with and without stirrups and have cantered but don't yet feel in control in the canter. I have hacked out in company, but only walking through the forest. I have always ridden riding school horses, but in the summer I rode a privately owned horse and it was so different, he was so light and responsive to my slightest touch, it was brilliant, I cantered uphill with him, it was such a buzz! I'm not sure where I'm supposed to go from here, as riding for half an hour a week isn't enough, and obviously I haven't got any chance to practise at home! I would like my own horse in a year's time, to continue having lessons on him and hopefully get to the stage where I can canter with confidence. I just want to have fun and muck about with my own horse. Someone has made quite a mean comment about my riding, and while I do not claim to be a good rider (I consider myself a "learner") I wish people would remember that everyone has to start at the beginning. "Novice" does not mean "complete idiot"!

 

[TrasaM]

Agree with Wagtail. I can trot canter and even gallop. I can manage small jumps and I don't rely on the reins to balance. I hack out a lot on various horses and i can influence how they go and As far as I know I'm a novice and would not claim to be anything else. But the more I learn the more I know I don't understand

 

[FreddiesGal]

Epona78 - I can't quote but your post made me chuckle! If you have a look at some of my previous posts you'll see where the back legs COULD be!

 

[Epona78]

Epona78 - I can't quote but your post made me chuckle! If you have a look at some of my previous posts you'll see where the back legs COULD be!

I *think* I understand what it means - all his power comes from his back legs/hindquarters, so you have to get the movement to begin there????? (I am probably very wrong!). But the first time she shouted that at me, I admit I did ask her, "where else would his legs be???"

 

[FreddiesGal]

Nope you are spot on To put it simply think of his hindquarters as the engine or the driving end!

 

[Epona78]

Ah, so some of what she shouts at me is actually sinking in then! Miracle!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Mmmm difficult one this.

I think my definition would be someone is a "novice" if they wouldn't be capable of riding out on the public highway (or anywhere else for that matter) - on their own basically. Coz I think to ride out solo you have to have a measure of confidence plus ability, plus be an assertive rider rather than a passenger to get any horse out on its own away from its herd and to be able to be a herd leader the horse can trust rather than a passenger.

And with this, would be the definition that a "novice" is someone who hasn't yet attained an independent seat, i.e. again about being "passenger" rather than a rider who can influence the horse's behaviour and doesn't need to use the reins as a balancing aid but can use seat, hands & legs independently.

Alternative definition: a novice is someone who could ride my boy on a good day but NOT on a bad one!!!

 

[YasandCrystal]

I would define a novice as someone who is still a passenger, not yet a rider, able to influence the horse.

Yup I like this definition

 

[TrasaM]

I consider myself a novice. I have been having lessons for a year. Still have a long way to go in understanding why a horse moves and behaves the way he does, I devour magazines and forums for tips and advice, I want to learn, but I wish I had a glossary of terms sometimes! I can trot with and without stirrups and have cantered but don't yet feel in control in the canter.

Someone has made quite a mean comment about my riding, and while I do not claim to be a good rider (I consider myself a "learner") I wish people would remember that everyone has to start at the beginning. "Novice" does not mean "complete idiot"!

Hi..I've been learning for about the same time as you and i recognise the frustration behind your post. Confidence in canter for me took some time and lots of practice. I was put on a horse who just liked going fast and was a real struggle to stop or slow down. However his whizzing about gave me time to learn to balance without having to put any effort into keeping him moving and it cured my anxiety about cantering too.
It's important to know and recognise the feel of when a horse is working correctly as telling you to get it into this or that position, when you've no idea what they are asking of you, is very difficult. I so know what you mean about the back legs comment
I was having two lessons a week and they were pretty intensive. I do think it took some time to get her to take me seriously..I suspect a case of ' another bored housewife wanting to ride' attitude. At some point there was a shift in attitude and I think she started to take my wanting to ride more seriously.
If you can manage it I'd advise that you have more frequent lessons. I started at one per week but upped it to two when my canter block set in. I've made a lot of progress once I did this.
I almost stopped riding after a few months because of a comment made by someone but then decided to fight back as I was doing this for me. Best of luck and pm me if you wish as I think we are very much on the same path and can offer each other some encouragement.

 

[benson21]

I would say a novice is someone who is happy to ride what they are used to, but not confident to ride anything that they dont know, or trust. I always classed myself as novice when I had Benson, we would hack, sj to around 2ft3, xc, and dressage, but put me on a different horse, and I would be as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike!

 

[Onyxia]

It is all relative. Me for example, though I have competed to decent levels in dressage and show jumping, run a livery yard and am an instructor, I have never evented. Therefore, should I take it up, I would class myself as 'novice'. I make the distinction between 'novice, and 'beginner'. A beginner to me is someone who Cortez describes as a passenger, where as a novice can be quite accomplished in some areas. I like the term 'experienced novice' to describe this.

I think your description is the best here.
It is very difficult to put into terms, but to me below stage 1 is a beginner.
Stage 1 is a novice(basics are here and solid) stage 2 is a competent novice(able to do most things well but not great at them yet) and sage 3 is an intermediate rider(can handle most things but still lots of room to grow and develop as a rider).

I would also like to voice annoyance at the idea that RS horses are all thicko plods.
I have me many private horses that would be perfect beginner RS horses and also many RS horses that can and do challenge riders.
If your RS does not have a wide variety of horses that will help you progress, stop funding them and find one that does!

 

[skint1]

I would define a novice as someone who is still a passenger, not yet a rider, able to influence the horse.

Perfect description of me!

If I were to break it down further, maybe there are levels of novice-ness On a scale of 1 (complete) to 5 (competent novice) I would put myself as a 2. I wouldn't even bother going to see a younger horse, no matter what the ad said, and wouldn't waste anyone's time looking at anything that specified it was not a novice ride.

I'm fortunate in that over the last 5 months I've been learning to ride as an adult outside of the traditional riding school environment, mostly on hacks, 4-5 times a week with kind and experienced people who help and advise me all the time and who own angelic horses that they don't mind sacrificing to the cause . I have also owned and cared for horses on a daily basis over the last 12 years and observed countless riders, riding lessons and clinics. I think this has helped me, but only to a point.

I am only now beginning to tackle learning about contact and influencing the pace and really it is going to take me a very long time I think to be effective with it, it all goes out the window at anything faster than a slow canter, dangerously so, I feel.

eta- funnily enough I hardly ever touch the reins, I started off with a fear of hanging on them and now I've developed a bad habit of not using them when I really should be, which is why I am now trying to learn about how to feel a contact.

 

[The_snoopster]

I think confidence makes a huge difference too, some people can ride for years and years and always be novices simply due to a lack of confidence and panicking if things go wrong.