What would you class as "novice"?

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Coffee_Bean

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I'm unsure after looking through adverts as what exactly is classed as novice. I don't consider myself novice but I don't consider myself experienced either.

I've been riding for 4 years, which doesn't seem that long, but I've ridden a lot of different horses and had my own for 2.5 years. She's not a plod either, she needs a decent rider to bring out the best in her. I ride for other people and ride anything from 13hh ponies to 17.2hh warmbloods. Now I'm pretty confident I'm not a novice, I have decent stickability and have sat through bucking, rearing, bolting, napping etc... but in some ways its always down to luck with that no matter how well you ride. A few photos of me riding, though obv photos are only snapshots, but these are a few of the most recent.
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So what would you class as novice? And what would you class as experienced?
 
When i read in an advert as not suitable for a novice i do take that as not suitable for someone who hasn't ridden very much - perhaps just experienced "riding school ponies" (I use the term loosely as all the ones I used to ride were buggers who taught me a LOT) and not got a feel for how horses can be out hacking spooking at a carrier bag or dodging out at a water jump on an xc course or whatever.
 
Well I think of myself as a novice. I have ridden for 15 years but had very few lessons and have a fairly crap position. However, I have good stickability and have ridden a variety of horses.

I always think that I am a real beginner, however there are only 2 owners out of 15 at my field that I would let ride Zoom. You have to sit so quietly and sympathetically otherwise she explodes.

In terms of 'not a novice ride' this could mean so many things.

Ps I wish my jumping position was as good as yours!!!!!
 
I would describe my mum as a novice. She learn't to ride a few years ago (6 or 7 years) on some fairly ok schooled riding school ponies, with a very good teacher. She learn't purely to pass the time watching me have lessons and so that one day we could go out hacking together. I know have my own horse and luckily a friend has a nice 16.2hh warmblood mare, now this mare can be very relaxed and not at all mareish and will happily canter slowly behind whilst I zoom off on my TB, and my mum will come out with me for a few hours and we'll hack out with no problems. The mare does have a tendancy to spin round a bugger off if she see's a tractor or something big, however this can be avoided if rider dosen't tense up and let mare get away with this. With my support and encouragement my mum will ride mare through the problem and not let her be naughty and we'll carry on our ride with no problems. My mum can be a bit whimpy but if I tell her to do something for the better she will generally get on with it and then realise that I wasn't trying to kill her! My mum has had a few flatwork lessons with the mare, and can jump the mare up to 2'6ft around a course of only 3 or 4 fences, yes she did fall off twice in one session but she got back on and did it again and well! The more I write the more I begin to think she's not what I would describe as a true novice. However my mum hasn't yet ridden my TB, however she will be this summer when I start riding out my youngster as will need the company. My tb is a totally different kettle of fish and I can see us walking about for a while whilst she gets the feel for him and his quirky ways! My horse is definately not a novice ride but I would be happy for my my mum to hack him out with me, not sure how she'd cope jumping or schooling but I trust her to get on with what I tell her to do lol! x
 
yeah I'm the same - I've ridden on and off for most of my life (23 years - having being plonked on horse for first time when i was two) and I would still consider myself a novice. Although i would ride and have owned horses that are said to be"not a novice ride".
 
I would consider myself a novice as i had a massive break (6 years) before last year when i started riding again. Although i have been riding since i was 7 and am now 22 and have owned my own who was definately not a novice ride. However, he got too much for me in the end and had to sell him as his bucking was out of control. I also haven't competed properly in years, so that's another reason why i would say i was a novice. However not a complete novice as i have been riding since i was 7 and have rode some pretty 'non novice safe' horses and ponies and can sit a good buck/tank off or two!
 
Beginner - everything from first lesson up to able to canter on a school horse, pop a small jump or two, establishes balance, including without stirrups before moving up a level. Generally needs to be told basic school movements (change the rein A-C, ride a 20m circle etc)
Novice - able to ride WTC on a variety of horses, with and without stirrups, able to sit a small buck / rear, able to jump a small course, including some combinations, starting lateral work, able to work a horse correctly, able to ride in an outline on experienced horses, understands the purpose of school exercises, and can, with guidance, work on improving the horse without constant direction.
Intermediate - able to jump a reasonable sized course, including harder combinationations and BSJA distances, able to XC, able to ride a wide variety of horses, including youngsters, able to work independently, assess a horse and work on improving it, able to perform lateral work well, and teach lateral work to younger horses, able to ride with 2 reins, able to ride difficult and problem horses and improve them, etc.
Advanced / experienced - more than above!
 
Actually forgot to add, i saw in a magazine they were asking a top rider (cant remember who) what he classed a 'novice' 'experienced' and 'proffessional' etc and he said that anyone who hadn't broke a horse and backed it etc was a novice so.....
 
ive no idea what i am, im 19 been riding since i was 7, had 4 horse, my highland was a kinda rescue who i reschooled myself ennded up doing all the common ridings up here and she was amazing then she turned nasty lol!!! i've worked at riding schools etc, i think i have a decent knowledge of horses.

however i have not competed in show jumping cross country or dressage, i wanna do dressage with abby
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but because of this im sure everyone will think of me as a novice
 
I'm a novice and probably always will be. I have ridden on and off for years but am now a total whimp with terrible nerves and a horrendous position. i intellectually know how to do a whole host of things on horseback but actualy doing it - different story!
I have jumped hovis over xc jumps, done a bit of dressage and competed sj at a little level but i am a novice
 
I have no idea what I am! I'm nervous, and wouldn't ride anything that reared. I can work on improving a horse, work a horse in lateral work and an outline and have an ok position. My jumping has gone to pot (or so I think) as I am terrified, however my approach and position is fine and I can see a stride!
 
I would say I'm a novice despite the fact I've ridden for 23 years and have hunted, gone xc, helped with backing horses and had any number of "Well sat"s when horses have been trying to test out how stickable I am. I would say novice because I know my limitations, I ride a fairly shocking dressage test and am never going to get above RC level for competing.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm a novice and probably always will be. I have ridden on and off for years but am now a total whimp with terrible nerves and a horrendous position. i intellectually know how to do a whole host of things on horseback but actualy doing it - different story!
I have jumped hovis over xc jumps, done a bit of dressage and competed sj at a little level but i am a novice

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats me too, perhaps we should make up a new name for it, perhaps wimpermediate
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Blimey seems everyone has very different terms for it then. Having looked at the mudchute website, I would probably class myself as intermediate 1/2 and from emma69's definitions I'd say I was between novice and intermediate. The only thing I'm not sure about would be teaching a youngster lateral work, I might need a little help with that though I did teach my mare the basics of travers and shoulder in, so who knows?!
I'm quite ambitious in a way that I'm always looking to improve, and ride more difficult horses, I enjoy the challenge. But when it says "not a novice ride" it can mean so many different things, from a total loony to a bit spooky. Very confusing
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Well I work at a Riding school, we have forms that clients have to fill in before they ride. They are BHS forms and the basic classifications are.

Complete Beginner- Able to ride at walk

Beginner - Able to ride at walk, Trot with Stirrups

Novice,- Able to ride at walk, trot with/without stirrups and has started to canter, able to hack

Intermediate- Able to rode at walk, trot with/without stirrups, can canter well, can hack in walk/trot/canter and go over small jumps (less than 0.5m)

Advanced -Able to rode at walk, trot with/without stirrups, can canter well, can hack in walk/trot/canter and go over larger jumps, and able to do some XC jumps.
 
WEll i seem to be between novice and intermediate but only because i hate jumping! I have done dressage up to medium level, shown at county level, I hunt every week leading a 5 year old child on her pony, break youngsters, ride stallions, help people with problem horses and am an open endurance rider. I can also ride my pony in the school walk trot canter and tiny jumps without any tack! (i only trust lucy to jump) I think you just have to know what you are capable of. defining a novice is very hard as you can be a novice in one way but not another.
 
I count myself as a novice. But an experienced one, if that makes any sense. However i mainly count myself as a novice as i hate to jump and most of your definitions include jumping! Although i have jumped a course of 3'3-3'6 happily in the past, i now enjoy my dressage more and never really jump!
 
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