What makes an "experienced rider"?

LadyGascoyne

LadyGascoyne

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Purely out of interest.

The term "experienced rider" is one that I see quite a lot here; some people describing their own ability, some people recommending the use of one. I'm sure we all have different perspectives on the qualifications.

I've been riding horses for over 20 years, I've grown up learning to look after them. However, I'd describe myself as 'competent' rather than 'experienced'.

I'm not yet 30 so I don't really feel I have enough time behind me to have earned the title, and whilst I am confident in stable management and horse care, my riding isn't exactly fabulous. I can deal with nappy, young, silly, ghastly horses but I can't get a good horse to go in the same elegant and effortless way that I've seen so truly- in my mind- 'experienced' riders achieve.

What about you? Are you an 'experienced rider' or what would you deem an 'experienced rider' to be?
 
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I rather think that if you can deal with 'nappy, young, silly. ghastly horses' have a balanced seat and understand that the reins are not a braking device; can ride safely and competently in all paces; pop small jumps etc, then you qualify as 'experienced' The elegant, truly effortless work we see is down to professional riders, which I believe is a whole other category
 
An experienced rider will be able to ride a variety of horses in an effective way and improve their way of going.

They will also, due to being experienced, know that they need eyes on the ground on a regular basis to improve their riding.

They will also know when to quit with a horse that's beyond their abilities and recognise when a horse is dangerous, probably because when they were less experienced they didn't quit and fell off ;)
 
"Experienced" means having years having different experience, as opposed to doing the same thing year after year. So riding one or two horses for 20 years would not an experienced rider make. Nor riding 102 horses round and round the same block.

Experienced would have ridden a variety of horses (including 'nappy, young, silly. ghastly horses' as Ladyinred says above), in a variety of situations.
 
I think it also depends on how you define your scale!

For example compared to your average rider I would consider myself experienced, I've got nearly 30 years riding and ridden all sorts of horses from first sit to advanced dressage horses!
However Compared to the likes of mark Todd etc I'm firmly in the novice category!
 
To me an experienced rider has had experience of a variety of horses, can deal with challenging behaviour, give sound and solid advice, have experience over multiple disciplines (in that I'm sure certain problems only arise within a certain discipline so one would have had to come across it to know how to deal with it). I'd also expect a pretty encloypedic knowledge of horses and horse care.
Time spent in the saddle certainly has something to do with it, but it's not a given. For example I've ridden for 20 years and I'd class myself as a novice, possibly intermediate rider, at best.
 
I am a competent rider, I have had horses for forty years, I am happy riding my horses but as I don't bounce like I used to I am not interested in riding more "interesting" characters. I understand the theory behind what needs to be done on a more challenging horse and could no doubt do it if I had the inclination but no. For anything I don't want to do I hire a professional , experienced rider. Someone who was worked all her life with challenging horses and rides them on a day to day basis, it is the difference I think, between someone who rides a few times a week and someone who rides mulitiple, often challenging or young horses, everyday, day in and day out!
 
As Conniegirl says it depends on how you define the category. If you are completing the self assessment form for a riding holiday or a riding school the term "Experienced" tends to refer to someone who can canter and pop a jump! But for some of the fundraising BHS rides "experienced" means able to ride for 8 -10 hours a day for several days on end often without outside support. In a job advert experienced may mean having professional qualifications and the work record to back them.

But to a young teen just out of riding school experienced tends to mean a year or so and possibly the ability to tack. To a buyer "experienced" means they like the horse and possibly think it is going to win them something (I spent my daughter's junior years with competition ponies...)

To a seller "needs experienced rider" can mean "unrideable..." (But in fairness can also be an honest assessment of a horse.)

Horses for courses...?
 
This is an interesting question! I'm experienced but incompetent :D

I was in a county dressage team, evented, team chased, broke horses for work, groomed at two yards then ran two more (one hunting, one leisure), etc. Had a break from horses and although I can manage silly behaviour, I can now barely even post!

I'm breaking a horse this year. I have the experience to but I've booked a refresher course aimed at returning riders first in the hope of regaining my seat, strength and balance :)
 
Not me :D !!

I agree with the comment that one can ride. lots of different types of horses just doing the same things time and time again be them nappy, bolshy or 'ghastly' (like that term also) horses for over 20 years but be competent. Experienced to me is not necessarily number of years but dealing expertly with all genres of abilities and yes professional riders to me are experienced as they have to give 110% to their field.

But in all honesty no matter how experienced or old you are there is ALWAYS something new to learn.
 
Ladyinred said:
I rather think that if you can deal with 'nappy, young, silly. ghastly horses' have a
balanced seat and understand that the reins are not a braking device; can ride safely and competently in all paces; pop small jumps etc, then you qualify as 'experienced' The elegant, truly effortless work we see is down to professional riders, which I believe is a whole other category
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I agree with this. Was said to me last year by ernest dillon that the difference between an amateur and a professional is that a professional never adapts how they ride to suit the horse because how they ride is correct. They make it look effortless and can get any horse to look easy, damn them. But an experienced amateur can do what ladyinred said.
 
I have this conversation with myself every time I have a lesson! haha

The more immature part of me does like to think of myself as a lot more slick than I actually am (mainly because I'm finally getting to a level where I get to do all the fun dressage lateral work), but I had a fairly humbling fall almost 2 years ago and since then I've been learning things from scratch again to get my confidence back. I definitely wouldn't qualify myself as 'experienced', at 17 years of riding I'm a baby, I'm only just starting to convince myself that I would be able to care for my own horse rather than just school horses.

In my opinion I look at my senior riding instructor as experienced, she studies for high levels of riding exams, has done eventing enough to know that if she hits the ground it definitely will hurt and really knows her lateral work, to the point that she is able to explain it while a bouncy octopus with at least 3 tentacles amputated tries to tell a grumpy horse to do the step. She's also ridden enough horses good and bad to have a good sense of humour about their little foibles (she has some amazingly funny stories that I would find horrifying if I had to deal with it) and makes a point to always tell me 'don't listen to the young instructors. There is nothing wrong with being scared after a big fall, and there is never a problem with saying "I'm not comfortable riding that horse because I don't feel safe. You don't have anything to prove."

I think a big part of getting to an 'experienced' level on top of solid technique is putting ego to the side and using your knowledge to decide whether you'd put yourself or your horse in danger doing something. Mainly because you're very aware of your abilities. As for me personally, I think if I'm still riding at 70 I STILL won't see myself as experienced.
 
According to any form for a riding establishment ever, I count as an experienced rider. Whether I actually agree with this assessment is an entirely different kettle of fish.

On the one hand, I've been riding about 18 years; have tried jousting, stunt-riding, western, and side-saddle, as well as the more usual disciplines (though not a lot of XC, unfortunately); and have had regular lessons at several different riding schools on a total of probably 45-50 different horses over the years, plus 11 years of owning Mr H.

On the other hand, I know several people who are very definitely much more experienced than I am, and I certainly wouldn't presume to say I could ride anything. I mean, I'll happily get on most things once, but I sometimes struggle with horses that get strong, and my dodgy right knee really doesn't help in terms of lateral work etc (I usually carry a schooling whip in my right hand to try to counteract the lack of right leg, but some horses just don't like it).

I don't know. Give it another ten or fifteen years and maybe I'll think I'm somewhere close to being truly experienced, but I think at twenty-going-on-twenty-one I'd prefer to label myself as 'reasonably effective and unlikely to make a horse worse'.
 
I think some people see 'experienced' as you are some kind of advanced competitor horse trainer guru who can fix a dangerous horse! Where as i personally would consider that 'professional /or specialist'. To me experienced is you know how to ride have had some experience with different types of horse and clocked up some good time in the saddle and around horses. I would feel comfortable leaving an experienced person unsupervised with my horse and expect they could handle minor problems, like a bit of napping,jogging/prancing about or something without it turning into a disaster
 
Looking at a friend of mine, I'd say she's an experienced rider. She will happily get on anything, will be able to improve the way it goes. Thinking of another thread, she continually strives to improve, has lessons frequently, even tho to look at her ride, you wouldn't think she needed them. I would love to be as confident and skilled as her.
 
Heh. That's an interesting question. There's a phenomenon called the Dunning-Krueger effect that might be working here. I'll quote the first paragraph from wikipedia:

"The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which relatively unskilled persons suffer illusory superiority, mistakenly assessing their ability to be much higher than it really is. Dunning and Kruger attributed this bias to a metacognitive inability of the unskilled to recognize their own ineptitude and evaluate their own ability accurately. Their research also suggests corollaries: highly skilled individuals may underestimate their relative competence and may erroneously assume that tasks which are easy for them are also easy for others."

So I'd say that a person who has years of experience and can enumerate a goodly list of things they can do but still feel that they aren't by no means an experienced rider, probably actually are one. Conversely, a person who has no qualms about declaring themselves an experienced rider probably isn't one. (Or they are so good that they have no doubts or false modesty, but those people are rare and you'd probably recognise their name anyway. ;D )
 
Very tricky question!

I have seen very inexperienced riders deal with situations impressively well. I've seen more experienced deal with the same scenario in a much less satisfactory fashion and seen highly experienced riders inappropriately take things out on the horse they are on.

I have also seen the above in the mirror image.

The term 'experienced' to me means that the rider has hacked, performed flatwork, jumped poles (coloured/rustic/trays/fillers) and XC and/or more on numerous horses of varying ages.

A 'competent' rider is one that can do the above while educating the horse they are on to a certain degree.

In reality these terms often mean little. Talent is Talent.
 
I'd assess myself as middle of the road really. I'm fairly competent but these days lack confidence. To me an experienced rider would be someone who has ridden for a long time, on a variety of horse in a variety of situations.
 
an experienced rider means a rider who has had lots and lots of hrs on many different horses over a period of a minimum of a few years, an experienced rider is not always an accomplished or sympathetic rider though.
 
Experienced to me means they have strong confidence and feel capable/know what to do to achieve a particular behaviour on 90% of horses, people who have the confidence in themselves and their ability backed up by their knowledge and background and aren't going to panic, not know what to do, get 'stuck' with a horse they don't have the skills to teach/handle.
I've been riding for years and years but I've always had my own horses who I've gotten used to and bonded with, so I lack "experience" because I've got that comfort zone effect of only dealing with your own. I don't even like putting other people's horses on the horse trailer lol.
 
twiggy2 said:
an experienced rider means a rider who has had lots and lots of hrs on many different horses over a period of a minimum of a few years, an experienced rider is not always an accomplished or sympathetic rider though.
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There's a lot of truth in that. Can I add that an experienced rider is also one who realises that they will never know it all and willingly asks for help/advice when needed. Often the 'less experienced' (to be polite) are the ones who cause damage by resorting to gadgets and quite possibly violence because they don't have the mental maturity to seek assistance.
 
I would term an experienced rider as someone who can "better a horse in the correct way" where that be teaching them new dressage movements, better jumping technique / rythem, introducing to cross country. Or whether it be a naughty (not dangerous) horse who needs a few issue ironing out.

Anyone that can do that I would term experienced as they have collected enough knowledge & experience to do the job :)
 
I have been told I am a good rider.....and after 35 years plus in the saddle I am happy with that......I have ridden a lot of award horses these days as I have got older I tend to decline as falling off will be bl**dy painful!!! I am a great believer in a snaffle bit can turn into a serve bit in the wrong hands.....I like people to ride with soft hands, use their seat and legs correctly. In the Summer I did hop on to a Suffolk Punch cross and ride it for my very novice friend as it decided to bunch up and nap in the corner of the school....and I thought I cannot let this become a problem as it was her first horse.....spent an hour calming it down as it clearly did not like being ridden from the seat and leg....and she begged me to get on.....I must have been mad! :(
 
An experienced rider is one who has had a variety of experience with lots of horses but experience does not make them a good rider. The good riders are the ones who learn something new easily, can teach the horse new things and can listen and learn new ideas from a variety of sources. They usually are naturally balanced and have empathy but that can be taught if they are willing to learn.
Experienced horsemen are a completely different kettle of fish and are those that recogise the health welfare and high quality of care the horse needs and learns how to implement new and continuing advances without resorting to fashion
 
I would say I'm middle off the road, been riding 35 yrs spent a long time in racing and breaking youngsters, then went on to dealing with horses with issues, I can hunt, and jump up to 1.20m and touch wood every rarely get unseated but flat work is a no for me. I can get a horse working into a nice outline but beyond the basics I can't progress their flat work as I have no interest in it but know enough to do enough flat work with them for jumping ect.

I call myself middle off the road as I could back any youngster and bring one up to jump 1.20 tracks and could race ride but put me in a dressage arena.... Forget it
 
I think interpretations differ. As someone said, experience does not necessarily make a person a good rider, or horseman. I have been riding since I was 5, I have worked with all sorts of horses, I have bred, and managed stables and livery yards.

So, on paper, I have experience of many aspects, but that doesn't make me good. I would merrily do the man from snowy river thing down the side of a mountain, but I couldn't ride a basic dressage test with any competency. I can ride hot horses but couldn't manage one side of a big warmblood, or a cob, I know my weaknesses.

I think experience is knowing that you don't, and never will, know it all.
 
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Orca said:
This is an interesting question! I'm experienced but incompetent
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This I have been riding on a near daily basis for over 40 years but I am only experienced in the sort of riding I do. I am not a very good rider either but fortunately my pony is very forgiving. She seems to quite enjoy our adventures in spite of me though and I definitely do.
 
I have been riding since I was 8 on a great variety of horses, though I would class myself on the lower side of competent, as my nerves get on top of me now & then. Yes, I have coped with Nappy Ginger Welshie who now steps out confidently on her own & Uppity Wild Bog Pony who now loves people & is coming along in leaps & bounds (literally sometimes), but I put this down to their characters, not me.
 
LadyGascoyne said:
Purely out of interest.

The term "experienced rider" is one that I see quite a lot here; some people describing their own ability, some people recommending the use of one. I'm sure we all have different perspectives on the qualifications.

I've been riding horses for over 20 years, I've grown up learning to look after them. However, I'd describe myself as 'competent' rather than 'experienced'.

I'm not yet 30 so I don't really feel I have enough time behind me to have earned the title, and whilst I am confident in stable management and horse care, my riding isn't exactly fabulous. I can deal with nappy, young, silly, ghastly horses but I can't get a good horse to go in the same elegant and effortless way that I've seen so truly- in my mind- 'experienced' riders achieve.

What about you? Are you an 'experienced rider' or what would you deem an 'experienced rider' to be?
Click to expand...

I think the more experienced you are, the more you realise there is so much more to learn.
 
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I've been handling horses on a daily basis for about 17 years now, but only riding regularly since June 2012 (mostly hacking) there is an awful lot I don't know both in the care and riding of horses. I try my best to serve my horses well as handler and rider, and I am always learning, I would say I feel like a competent novice handler and a (mostly) competent novice rider. My biggest challenge remains my general lack of confidence in my own judgment or ability, there's no room for that in the saddle, so I try to keep a lid on it.
 
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