Whats the most you could ride?

R2R

R2R

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 August 2009
Messages
1,455
Visit site
As in, what can you get a tune out of?

I am fine with most horses, I can school Hhorses young and old. I won’t sit on anything that is known to buck or bronk though owing to last time I did I had a week in hospital on a spinal board. I also wont sit on my friends Welsh section D because we don’t get on!!

I am confident riding most horses including horses with issues. I like riding tbs and sharp warmbloods so long as they are not stupid bronkers. I have a thing about bronking I just hate it!!!

I can school to a good level SJ and XC, but I need help with lateral movements (I can school leg yield/shoulder in etc and teach horses changes but like someone on the ground telling me I am doing it right) and I think I have a good feel for a horse.

So – what is your riding capability?
 
I honestly wouldn't know now! In the olden days when I was in my prime :D I would get on anything, if a tiger had been brought out of the box with a saddle I'd have ridden it! I used to school/start horses regularly and ridden point to pointers as well as driving ponies and common or garden horses. I also enjoyed dressage and teaching as an AI. I had one problem horse that was a terrible bucker, and I must admit it made me dislike getting on things that properly bronc.

With age though I've become much more discriminating in what I'll ride, and to be perfectly honest am quite happy plodding around the countryside (I'm not that old really!) My days of wanting to fly round 4' jumps are long gone, and providing my horse is basically well schooled and well mannered then I'm not bothered, I get more pleasure from a good hack out with a horse that will go past any obstacles without fuss as I do from riding the perfect half pass.
 
I am reasonably brave but pretty inexperienced when it comes to the more 'polished' aspects of riding. I did PC as a child then had the odd lesson now and then, becoming an occasional happy hacker (end of the buckle type) for a year or two. Then horse had to be retired and I had 4 or 5 years without much at all.

Since about March I have been riding 2 - 3 times a week, 2 of those times being lessons, and have improved dramatically. However, this is on my own horse who is pretty green herself so we are not achieving anything particularly impressive. We are just starting to jump now and then and are learning to work in an outline (something I have never done). I can manage a leg yield and that's about it on the dressage stuff.

I guess I can happily ride your average horse to a basic standard but am not capable of schooling one myself or competing to any decent level. I can sit to a few bucks and the like but could not deal with a problem horse.
 
I won't ride anything that naps, bolts or rears.

Shying I can deal with, bucks I can deal with.

In my younger years I rode a lot of big strong (hot headed) horses, from hunters to eventers. I worked for an international eventer and it was drummed into me it doesn't matter what it does so long as it goes forward and has brakes. Many-a-time I was plonked on a napper and chased out of the yard with a lungeing whip :D (I don't advocate this... it's highly dangerous!). I've ridden some fruitloops over the years which was partly the reason behind me losing my confidence.

I can walk, trot, canter, gallop, pop a small jump, and work from my seat and legs alone.

More recently (since losing my confidence) I've managed to hack out alone (on a quiet stallion), and 'school' a couple of youngsters.

I'm currently looking for something for myself. Something quiet, not too ploddy (but safe) and good natured. I'm confident that with the right horse I could attempt some local shows and a bit of xc... (with some practice!!)
 
I'll give anything a go :)
Not that it always goes right, I hasten to add! As far as ability goes, I can walk, trot, canter, gallop, jump, ride from my seat, and without reins or without stirrups (hopefully decently! :D)
My first pony was a broncer, and my mum's cob was a broncer and I hate it until I can get their head from between their knees :(

Got to admit, I am less confident on getting on other horses' since I stopped riding lessons and got Kelly - probably because I am used to her now!
I have got a jumping lesson booked with my YO's horse next week....and I can't say I'm not nervous! Haven't jumped in a while and she said that Kerry can take the p*ss a bit and is a broncer if the mood takes her..! :p

Takes me a while to become comfortable with a horse who has a naturally high head carriage - I always feel like they're gonna go! I don't have much confidence in myself sometimes.
 
I'm 6'1" 12.5 stone and my confidence far outstrips my ability.

I usually ride a pony, but recently got the chance to ride a 7 year old 17.2hh shire, which was both an honour and a lot of fun.

I'd like to say I'd throw my leg over anything, but I suspect that even I have enough sense to know a nutter when I see one :D

What wouldn't I ride? Anything under 14 hh, as I don't like to get my boots dusty, dragging them on the ground :D
 
I think my ability is better than my confidence!! I know I can ride, but there's a little voice telling me "Your seat is rubbish, you're going to fall off, what if the horse trips....."

I wouldn't ride - anything that rears, bolts or properly bucks (head between knees stuff) or anything that was massively spooky. I also wouldn't ride a horse that I hasn't seen ridden by someone else - I think that's self preservation though!

I can jump XC, and SJ, and see a good stride. BUT my confidence now means anything over 1ft looks like Mount Everest. I know I can jump up to about 3ft6 because I've done it, and I've also schooled over ditches, water, steps, drops etc
I'm usally worse before I get on, and for the first 10 mins, then I get braver
 
If someone asked me this 18months ago I would say absolutley nothing that reared, although my old mare could put in a nasty rear when she wanted to so although I have ridden a rearer I wouldn't like too again.
As for size anything between 13hh-16.3 I'm not that fussy! ;)
 
I'll give anything a go! Except most of the times, the ones I get offered, my parents refuse to let me ride, as they know I'll accept!

I don't mind bucking, as I have a pretty nifty 5 y/o with a attitude now, and rearing doesn't scare me, as my other horse can get pretty serious with it. And their both quite sharp and flighty. I've never been bolted with, hopefully never will be.

I like working with my younger and older horse alike. I LOVE XC riding, so big XC, hedges or anything I always want to do, however a big Showjump (as in 4ft+)is likely to put the heebyjeebies into me, but I'd probably still have a go. :/ This year my goal was to do a season of Novice (maybe a Intermediate), the Golden Button ride, and Open teamchasing, but Ballet's on 14 weeks rest at the moment, and they don't know if its permanent. :(

I love riding different horses, but hate someone watch me ride their horse, I always feel they must be mentally critizising me, but I think/hope thats just paranoia! It takes me a while to work out the best way forward with a new horse.

After having a hot headed, but talented TB cross and the opposite of a dozy, lazy but talented ConnieX, I'd go for the TB, keeps life more interesting. :D
 
This is a really interesting question.
Before i got current horse i would say i was an ok rider, i used to have bags of confidence but now i have a bit more self presentation.
Have ridden young ponies, both breaking and riding on (im a shortie) and used to have a very highly strung fast and fun arab.
But my current horse bucks, spins, rears, napps, leaps, plunges and rein snatches.....an none of these are by halves. We went to a fun ride a few weeks back, i still have the bruses, cuts, hoof prints, and ruptured veins! and he lept and plunged for 4 hours constantly. These were massive and i would never have invisaged myself being able to stay on that. Everyone is still talking about it now, they cant believe i survived about 50 (not joking) of these before coming off through exhaustion and horse upping its game to doing 2 back to back of the leaps and plunges. Came off, hit head hard but got back on. Carried on a bit, horse did it again, came of landed in a bramble bush on a rock, then he did it again i cam off and he trampled me.....i lead him for a bit after that.
So after that......i think i am capable of riding things that are spirited!!!!

However....for some reason...i have a thing about bigger horses....i tend to stick at the 15hh mark, my horse is 14.2!
I am in the process of selling him.....whilst i can deal with his behaviour......i dont want that every day which is what its turning into.
My instructor has told me that she is going to refuse to let me buy something under the 15.2/15.3 hh mark as i have stupidly long legs despite being under 5 ft 4, i have 36 inch legs!!!!
Possibly about to try out a horse thats 16.1hh to loan.....thats going to be more scary than the bucking bronco i think!!!

although answering the question, i think i can ride something spirited if i have to but these days.....im happy to take the easy life and have something forward....but sensible!
 
I had lessons regularly between the ages of about 9 and 13, then again from 16 to 21 - during university with an ex dressage rider on her rather more 'quality' horses, so i know the theory behind lateral movement and so on. Since then (last 8 years) I've not really bothered having regular lessons as I tend to think that I won't really improve much more until I'm riding more than once a week, due to fitness and practice.

However, I always think I'm a rubbish rider, and have got it into my head that I've no idea how to school - mainly because my mind goes blank as soon as I enter a school by myself and I just can't think of anything to do / work on.

That all said, last year I was out hacking with some friends, and, as we went to canter (more like gallop!), the horse I was on sort of lept forward so I lost a stirrup. Of course, because we were in a group she refused to pull up so we went haring all the way up the hill, me with only one stirrup, on quite a rutted track. As I got to the top and we slowed up, it suddenly occured to me that i was still on board. If you had asked me before-hand, I would have sworn blind that that sort of thing would have had me off.

So I suspect I'm not as bad as I think I am. Can pop little jumps, but have never done a course.

Truth be told, this question has really been bothering me lately as I've just bought a very nice warmblood mare who is currently being very nicely schooled by the dealer and I'm terrified I'm not going to do her justice and ruin her. She arrives next week. I've already booked a lesson for a few days after she arrives, so that I can get some pointers about what we need to be working on and how. I'm going to ask our instructor to set us homework, and have found a yard with lots of experts so that I can try to do a semi decent job, and work towards some small local competitions. I did ride her last week and found that I'm VERY stiff and VERY unfit, so it's not possible for me to ride quite as I know I should, but I expect that will improve over the summer if I'm getting on every day. That said, I did manage to get her into quite a nice outline (snaffle bit and no gadgets, too!), so again, maybe I'm not as bad as I think I am.

Poor thing doesn't know what's about to hit her :(

I don't much like riding anything that bolts or really bucks, but I don't mind slightly spooky. That's just horses being horses, isn't it?
 
Last edited:
I'm happy on youngsters from backing onwards, or older horses, reschooling etc. I'll sit a buck but prefer to school it out/find the cause etc than have a horse do that longer term (although don't mind the 'yeehah' type as everyone's allowed a bit of fun now and again!). Don't like anything that would want to bin me, and wouldn't stay on - prefer to outwit than try to outbattle! Tend to buy babies with calm, safe temperaments as I prefer a slightly easier life that way!
 
Whatever anyone puts me on, really.

Can school all lateral work, changes - ride to approx Advanced level
have jumped BE Intermediate/2* tracks - altho not for a bit, so would need a bit of practice!
Never felt any need to BS to any great degree as I was an event rider (!)

Hunt a big hedge country, jump Open Workers

Not really phased by anything that a horse throws at me - would rather it didn't obviously, but I am quite sticky.

Not overly keen on riding under 15hh as I'm 5'8 and I feel I unbalance them...... (and squash them too!)
 
im known as the girl who'd get on anything. and often its ''can your get on ..... and see if she bucks you off because she just wont stop with me''. i dont mind :) im young, so i bounce when i fall off haha. id give anything a go TBH.

ETA riding wise, im confident jumping anything, any height. have done newcomers/foxhunters. i can do dressage up to advanced med. can ride most of the lateral movements. broken several babies and brought them on. including 2 at a well know stud. im lacking in experience (not confidence) at eventing as ive never been interested in it but id love to give it a go!!!
 
Last edited:
I can't.

Useless, just a happy hacker these days, and quite content with that.:)

I like my riding horses already made and any breakers I have get sent away to school to be started properly. I am totally spoiled at the moment by having two push button mares, 'click' and we jog, 'kiss' and we lope, shift weight back fractionally and we stop, move leg away and we go sideways.
 
Anything under 15.2hh i dont do big horses, not fussed old/young fast/slow naughty/good easy/difficult etc i don't mind and will jump on and see what i can do with them :D
 
I can get a bad tune out of just about anything :D I was never very musical though......

I'll ride anything from a chunky 9hh shetland to about 17hh (when I was 10 - and tiny - I used to hack my instructors 17.1 showjumper O.o)
Not fussed about horses that buck/rear/kick/spook/'bolt', wouldn't ride a -true- bolter as 99% of them are utter fruit loops, but horses that take off in the school or when pushed don't really phase me as I'm used to it :o Not keen on horses that do really bizarre things jumping as I've never had 100% confidence jumping but generally stopping/running out doesn't bother me.
I much prefer schooling young/naughty horses than riding horses schooled/trained by other people as I tend not to like how they ride/react (or don't react!) to aids. That and I'm better at staying on and sitting through things than really 'riding' things it seems... :/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top