What level rider is she?

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horseluver4eva

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me and my cousin were having a discussion on the level rider she is.I think she is a advanced beginner but she thinks shes more advanced intermediate.She has been riding for 3 years but has been involved with horses for longer.She knows all stable management how to tack up and everything.she can walk trot,canter her riding teacher doesnt teach her to jump we asked her about it but she said she doesnt teach jumping so she wouldnt of went there in the first place if she knew that.Anyway she can do poles and knows her half seat and everything.She has been to a variety of riding schools and rode many different horses,one was very green as was just backed after being a broodmare and it took off with the students,luckily she controlled it.She has fell off once when she was learning to canter.she has just bought a new horse too and has had lots of experience hacking out.she doesnt like competing in shows.also she knows how to change leads and diagonals.This may sound like a lot but if you watch her it isnt really i mean she has a perfect seat and everything.Is she just a advanced beginner,she hasnt even jumped.Please settle this argument...thanks:confused:
 
You can't judge and label really.... Where do you benchmark those that jump round Badminton???

From your description she sounds like she is BHS stage 1 level....

Does it really matter though? Can't she just be happy doing what she is doing?
 
Not wanting to jump doesn't make you a lesser rider than someone who can. I think by your description that those skill are usually that off an advanced beginner but then I don't know her and haven't seen her ride, but then who am I or you to judge. If she's happy with what she can do then whats the problem?
 
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without seeing her its hard to know. however experience dosent always mean everything, i know people who are 'horsey' and have ridden for 40years and would class them as beginners. i also know an 10year old girl who has been around horses 6 months, but i think she knows enough to be concidered at least intermediate.
 
To be honest with you I don't think you will be able to settle this one... every person/riding school/qualification issuing body (e.g. pony club/BHS/etc) will have their own ideas as to what each level is and what to call it. And that doesn't even take into account all the international variations (e.g. think of the different skills for Western riding).

The important thing is that you and your cousin are both trying to improve your riding and are caring properly for your horses.
 
I dont think it matters what she calls herself, so long as she doesnt risk her safety. I would say for the sake of the question- yes probably advanced beginner- It depends what you use as the average.

Also depends what you decide a 'good rider' is, quite often many people think that the person who can haul the most difficult horse round without falling off is a 'good rider', however i'd personally think that the person who walks the horse calmly and keeps it happy is the much better rider (unless you are at the local rodeo).

There is a huge line of divide between the 'hands and legs' riders which simply kick and turn; and the riders which can fine tune their horse to perform complex aids- although there is rarely an opportunity for this in riding schools.

BUT she might just make the best advanced hacking / Trec rider...

Far too many things to consider, it really does just depend on circumstanes in my opinion.
 
highlandponygirl said:
Not wanting to jump doesn't make you a lesser rider than someone who can. I think by your description that those skill are usually that off an advanced beginner but then I don't know her and haven't seen her ride, but then who am I or you to judge. If she's happy with what she can do then whats the problem?
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this with bells on :) i no longer jump after an accident 7 years ago which terrified me, but i enjoy teaching it instead and switched over to dressage on my own horses
 
i consider myself a novice rider after 3 years - very much a happy hacker coming into riding in my 40s - im now 45.
I never dreamed of jumping in my lessons - just wasnt on, but my horse decided otherwise in the past few months whilst out - once over some logs he cba walking round and then over a stretch of shallow river i had hoped we would walk through -he had other ideas and jumped - I stayed on!
Definiteley not my skill -pure fear and sticking power lol, but it did make me giggle - my confidence is not the best but i think my cob decided its time we moved on a level
Tbh i dont care what "level" im at - to be able to take my fab boy out and survive such little surprises in wonderful countryside is all i want x
 
Our university club levels were as follows:

level 1 - beginner. Ridden a few times, mastering rising trot and basic aids

level 2 - intermediate. Established seat, able to confidently trot and control a basic school horse. Able to change diagonals, starting to canter.

Level 3 - can canter confidently, take a light seat, ride over poles and maybe small jumps. Learning to work the horse from behind and an understanding about how to work a school master in an outline.

Level 4 - confident on a range of difficult / green / sharp horses. Can jump (although not essential!), happy to control horse at all paces.

not sure if that helps. But as the others say - whats in a level? Unless you need to place yourself when you go to a new riding school, but most now have assessment lessons now anyway.
 
Like others say what does it matter what level she is? Aslong as safety is not compromised. All you both need to do is have fun and keep learning. You cannot know everything there is to know about horses, just make sure you have fun and stay safe while you learn!
 
Thankyou,her safety is paramount but it was just out of curiosity as well really as when looking at horses for sale and they say would suit novice rider what type of novice rider do they mean,what exactly is a novice rider? thanks everyone:D
 
horseluver4eva said:
Thankyou,her safety is paramount but it was just out of curiosity as well really as when looking at horses for sale and they say would suit novice rider what type of novice rider do they mean,what exactly is a novice rider? thanks everyone:D
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That question has been debated round on HHO lots. To be on the safe side, if there's a question of level and the rider has only been riding for three years, I would suggest goinjg to see horses pointed toward NOVICE riders.

I had to fill out a questionnaire for my RC when I joined, and they wanted to know what level I was riding at. I asked my RI to answer this, because I wouldn't know how to guage. She said "intermediate flat work, novice over fences". I've ridden consistently for the past 7 years or so, had taken it back up after a ten year gap, before that I rode for about ten years. I had hunted and jumped occasionally as a youth, and my last horse I did some jumping (did some workers max height of 2'9") but I'm not hugely confident or even wanting to jump. I compete Elem dressage and school and hack several times a week.

My last horse was definitely not a novice ride. I had advertised for a sharer and said specifically novice riders need not apply. I got three or four people come to try and I woudnl't even let them off the lunge line! Don't let you cousin waste people's time by over estimating her riding ability.
 
horseluver4eva said:
Thankyou,her safety is paramount but it was just out of curiosity as well really as when looking at horses for sale and they say would suit novice rider what type of novice rider do they mean,what exactly is a novice rider? thanks everyone:D
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The old age debate always used to be that if you cannot improve a horses way of going then you would be deemed novice.

After owning my horse for 7 years and riding for 8 or 9 I would say I was a novice.

I can jump and pootle a dressage test and have had plenty of lessons.....however always with my horse. I will happily get on another horse and ride but I dont expect I will get a better tune out of it than anyone else and in all honesty as a happyhacker this is where I am perfectly happy to stay.
 
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