When would I no longer be considered a novice rider?

[iaej]

Thanks guys for the feedback. I am 23 by the way.

I probably should have clarified that I do not intend nor expect to be competing affiliated in the near future if ever. When I refer to having a go at competing, I mean local competitions to begin with and then hopefully BE80(T), BE(90). If I then have the skills to progress further that would be great, it is nice to have goals after all. At the moment I am loving all aspects of riding hence why I am interested in having a go at eventing but of course this might change in the next 18 months.

I would consider cross-breeds, I rode a lovely ID x Thoroughbred gelding (friend's horse) recently who was a bit spooky when riding but had the most lovely temperament on the ground. I definitely plan to ask my riding instructor to help me out when looking to buy and would not even consider buying if she did not think I was ready. I understand your points that it should be about temperament rather than breeding and guess that it may take a while to find the right horse for me. I also have the same questions when it comes to loaning though as most of the loans I have seen advertised are also not for the novice rider but if I could find a loan horse that was suitable then I would consider this for sure. Regarding the livery at the RS whilst DIY, the grooms will provide morning hay as well as any hard feed/supplements that are required so I would have additional help in terms of this.

I feel I should also assure you that I would not consider loaning or buying unless I was sure I could afford it. One of the reasons I am trying to get a realistic idea so far in advance is because I will need to save up for the initial purchase cost if I were to buy and believe I will need in the region of £2000-4000 if I want to find the right horse that is suited to me as a rider as well as well-schooled. Regarding taking the BHS Stage 1, how much riding in terms of hours do you think I should do before undertaking the exam? I can take a Stage 1 course at a local college which includes riding practice on their horses but would like to be of a good standard before I undertake it.

 

[lottiepony]

I agree with others who have said about forgetting the terms. My suggestion would be to ride non RS horses. They really are completely different. I would look to find a share horse before you take the plunge and buy one yourself. When I was a lot younger I had fortnightly riding lessons and then was fortunate enough to help look after and ride 3 different horses and honestly feel that is what really help step up my ability.
Also when it comes to buying your own take the right person with you to view it. It can be the difference between years of pleasure or disaster!

 

[Julia0803]

I would really say, when you get to that stage, under horse yourself! As a PP mentioned, what you are happy dealing with/riding with the reassurance of your instructor, is absolutely not the same when you're on your own.

When I went to try out our pony I wasn't 100% sure that he would be enough- he was very well behaved when we tried him but a bit of a lazy ****** in the school. He will do as you ask him but with the minimal effort possible... best decision I ever made. He is so well behaved I know I can take him anywhere and all I need to stress about is myself, not his behaviour. I have taken him hunting- first time for both of us, sponsored rides, competing SJ, and dressage. Despite his lazy ****** tendencies he has never been unplaced at unaff dressage so far! But more than any of that, i feel confident and safe handling and riding him. I share him with my 11 year old son who does all the above and PC on him. I know he will look after him. I was able to drop them off at my son's first ever camp last year and know there wouldn't be a drama. One woman at my yard recently referred to him as "boring"... I would wildly disagree- I can do all sorts of exciting things with him at the drop of a hat because I know he isn't quirky or sharp (ironically this was mid discussion about how she had wildly over horsed herself with a youngster... who she then had to sell within a month if this conversation! )

We previously had a pony on loan who was lovely, but a bit too much for my son- two years later we still sometimes see the confident knocks resurface from the issues that we had with that pony.

I would also say, make sure you have a very supportive instructor who you see at least once a week when you do get your own, and make sure you keep him/her on a yard where you have support and knowledgable staff on hand to help when needs be.

Good luck

Forgot to say- I am now 30. I rode from 5-13 at a RS. Own pony from 13-18. Then a big break. Loaned and part loaned for a few years between 22-27. We have had pony for 19 months now and he is just a dude. I would say I am a competent novice if asked... I have my BHS stage 1, I would have liked to do my stage 2 but couldn't afford it. I am happy competing at prelim level, jumping about 2'6. But I will be 100% honest and say that a lot of my confidence comes from knowing that pony won't ever do anything nasty/silly/sharp. He is an 8year old 14.2 cob.

 

[Draconia]

I must say I am surprised, 9 lessons and jumping already. My riding instructeurs always have taken it slow and make sure the rider is comfident in what they are doing before progressing, one of them actually did not like jumping lessons till all the flatwork was established in both horse and rider. In my opinion you need to be confident in all three gaits before progressing to jumping, but that is my opinion.

I used to ride my own pony, never had lessons on a riding school, but lots of friends did. They always told me how good they were and how high they had jumped and what kind of competition they did. I did used to look up the results and they indeed won a few jumping courses and did reasonable well in dressage. I felt like a beginner compared to them. I hacked out on my own, had jumped about 60 to 70 cm once or twice, did lots of flatwork but was still struggling to get her into a proper outline. That was till they came over to ride my pony and they could not even get her in trot or canter without someone standing in the middle with a lunging whip driving the horse forwards. Yes it was that bad. Than pony went to riding school for 2 weeks on working livery till she came in season so the stallion could be used to cover her. She was there a week, riding in two or three lessons a day before I rode her in a lesson. My mum (I was only 11 at the time) said that everyone was surprised she cantered through the school, in the week no one had seen her canter under the saddle and they had given up on it. She had been used for beginner lessons, novice lessons and advanced.

What I am trying to say is that riding at a riding school and your level of riding at a riding school is not at all a gauge for how well you are doing. You need experience on different horses in different circumstances. Keep going though, just keep in mind that a horse on a riding school is completely different than riding on a private horse. Even after years of riding I had a period where I was over horsed and as hard as it was to admit that, it was such a relief when he went away and we got something more sane and safe.

On a sidenote: at the moment I help with a TBx warmblood and she is the sweetest horse and so easy going, however I also help on occasion with a new forest mare which is a complete disaster unless you know how to deal with her on the ground, whilst during riding she is lovely. I would class the first ok for novice to be around and work around, whilst the other I would say need an experienced competent person to deal with her, otherwise her behaviour only gets worse. So you need to look at the individual horse rather than type or breed.

 

[chestnut cob]

OP - I would ask your RI if your RS does part-loan type arrangements on the school horses. A lot of RS do. You pay a fee and have the horse as "yours" on a couple of days a week which means you'd do stable duties, get to spend more time with the horse than if you were just turning up for a lesson and leaving again. I did that when I'd be riding for a couple of years and wanted to think about moving on to more. It's a great way to get more involved under supervision and with support, without the commitment of having sole responsibility. It's also a good step between a "proper" share and just having lessons. The horse will still get plenty of work on other days so shouldn't get sharp or difficult.

To those saying they would never buy a horse labelled as "not novice ride"... that's absolutely how I would label mine. He isn't suitable for a novice but he certainly isn't a fruitloop. He's sweet, genuine, tries his heart out but he is clever and quick, can be sharp and opinionated. While he's in full work with me riding he's a darling but he simply wouldn't get on with a novice as he'd take advantage eventually. He can also be very sensitive so someone very unbalanced or nervous would upset him. There's nothing nasty or naughty about him though - he would never dream of bucking, rearing, biting, being bargy, running off of anything like that. he just needs a confident rider. So OP, when you see a horse advertised as "not novice ride" it really doesn't mean it's nasty or naughty. It can just mean it needs a sensitive and confident rider, that's all. Not a first horse but not something to rule out for later

 

[nonny]

Hi !
My advice would be -coming from someone who came from non horsey family and had to work up [albeit a bit younger] is :
* do the short course/as much stable management as you can. I worked at a stable Sundays for about 2 years and although that's obviously hard when you're working, knowing you know about managment and feed, and shoes and rugs makes you much more secure.
* start on full livery/5 day livery. I did 5 day full livery then did everything at the weekends, this was a really good deal and helped loads; meant I got to learn about it all at the weekend, but wasn't alone/forced to come up everyday.

* share if possible/loan. The security of knowing you /could/ just return a horse if it's a complete nightmare, although not ideal, is nice rather than spending £2000 + and being left with a horse you don't know.

* judge the horse in front of you on the day. If it's a sweet sane warmblood who's ideal, it's ideal. If it's a gorgeous striking flowy horse that you always dreamt about but it's too much for you, it's too much; the same goes for cobs. Don't let whatever the horse looks like too much put you off;I know a girl who rode this amazing cob, jumped huge, hacked sanely, was gentle, but it had a very hairy, beardy, bit of an ugly face +roman nose and her pride wouldn't let her. Instead she bought a delicate, gorgeous little Welsh type.. and completely lost her confidence.
* also - take an instructor with you to viewings!! 100% worth it. they will be a step backwards and can be rational where you might not be!
finally.. don't let anyone make you feel like an idiot, or like you shouldn't be there, but also, never try to 'blag' things; just ask, learn and move on.

 

[iaej]

I must say I am surprised, 9 lessons and jumping already. My riding instructeurs always have taken it slow and make sure the rider is comfident in what they are doing before progressing, one of them actually did not like jumping lessons till all the flatwork was established in both horse and rider. In my opinion you need to be confident in all three gaits before progressing to jumping, but that is my opinion.

What I am trying to say is that riding at a riding school and your level of riding at a riding school is not at all a gauge for how well you are doing. You need experience on different horses in different circumstances. Keep going though, just keep in mind that a horse on a riding school is completely different than riding on a private horse. Even after years of riding I had a period where I was over horsed and as hard as it was to admit that, it was such a relief when he went away and we got something more sane and safe.

I must admit I was surprised to start jumping so soon but I am confident riding so far; we did spend several lessons working on holding my jump position over poles, dog turns, circles etc whilst in walk and trot before having a go at jumping itself. I had assumed I would learn to canter first but when I asked about progressing on to canter, the RI said they teach the jump position first as landing from a jump helps a lot with canter.

In terms of getting experience with non-RS horses, I am interested to know what people suggest in terms of getting this experience?? Whilst I know a few people with non-RS horses they are very busy already, one is still schooling her horse as he is a little green as well as doing local comps and fun rides, and the other has four horses (three competition and one broodmare) and is competing at BE100/Novice so I would not be able to ride/handle them regularly at all.

 

[Draconia]

In terms of getting experience with non-RS horses, I am interested to know what people suggest in terms of getting this experience?? Whilst I know a few people with non-RS horses they are very busy already, one is still schooling her horse as he is a little green as well as doing local comps and fun rides, and the other has four horses (three competition and one broodmare) and is competing at BE100/Novice so I would not be able to ride/handle them regularly at all.

I came across the one I am helping out with or share as some say by placing an advert on a local facebook. You can try to find some facebook pages for local horse riders. I was honest in my abilities and what I wanted from it. Make sure you are honest though. Pre-loved can also be helpful. Or you wait a while and make sure you have some more lessons before start down the sharing or loaning route.
Someone else above suggested a horse holiday, I had a look at the link as I might be interested too as a break from the everyday, you could have a look into that. Yes it is horses specially chosen for this type of work, but it is different than a lesson in a riding school.

Just a quick warning, you are confident because everything goes well. When my dad had over-horsed me my confidence took a very big dent and I was so confident before. I actually had a longish break from riding after as I did not want to get anywhere near a horse afterwards. Everyone here is just trying to tell you not to over-horse yourself for the first few years and look for a sane and safe type. And to be honest what you want from your horse, I think almost every horse could do that sort of work. I am not saying discount warmbloods or tb's, but make sure you choose the horse to suit your abilities.

 

[Shantara]

Hi there!

Just thought I'd throw my opinion in, for what it's worth.

I got my first horse just over 2 years ago! He(was) a difficult, opinionated, stubborn, nappy horse, that liked to get his front two feet off the ground. But for some reason I loved him. Thankfully, I was able to spend 4 years before I actually owned him, getting to know him! That was a life saver, honestly! I wasn't thrown in at the deep end with a difficult horse that I was scared of. If he got too much, he could stay out in the field and I could ride something a little safer, not that I did that much - I was determined to make him into a good horse!
He came 3rd in a 2ft class at a local show yesterday and I feel like all my hard work is paying off! He's finally a horse I can relax and have fun on!! We go for 12 mile hacks and I recently clocked him at 28mph! I would never have dreamed that I could have even hacked him alone, let alone have adventures and things!


Anyway, the point that I am making is that knowing a horse before you make that commitment is SO valuable for first time horse owners like us. Is there any chance you can get a loan with view to buy? I think that's what I'm going to do after Ned!
Good luck in your next 18 months or so! I believe with the right instructor, you can progress very quickly I was stuck in the wrong places for far too long - It took me YEARS to canter confidently. But, I know of people who were cantering after a few lessons because of the fantastic teacher!

 

[Merrymoles]

How novice you are depends on how well you can ride the horse you are on so I would bear this in mind when the time comes to choose.

I have been riding for more than 40 years but still consider myself a novice compared to many riders. I am great on stroppy cobs, ID's, most TB's but might struggle with a big-moving WB. I think the thing I love most about horses is that you never, ever stop learning!

I have a nervy nellie of a cob who is continuing his education and improving nicely. I bought him because I knew I had the experience to overcome his "issues" and because I wanted a smallish (15.1) horse who was up to my then heavier weight.

I have worked with TBs and agree that they are beautiful, beautiful creatures. However, despite the fact that I am not a fan of feathers and hair, that's what I bought because I knew my limitations, both in terms of my own physique, the amount of time I wanted to spend schooling, the fact that I wanted a "good doer", my confidence level etc etc.

To sum it up, don't go horse shopping with a "picture" in your head - go horse shopping with a check list of where you are at in terms of your riding and what you want to be able to achieve with your purchase.

In the meantime, keep on learning everything you can and riding as many different horses as possible. There is some great advice on here about making sure you have adequate advice and support. Good luck!

 

[3OldPonies]

Being totally honest, which I always am. I would say that you need to get a lot more experience of different horses, ponies, and stable management before you can be declared not a novice. Totally second the messages where people say that you need experience outside the RS environment. I know I found it a shock the first time I rode a pony out in the open that wasn't a RS pony. They behave totally differently since they are not used to beginner or novice riders and proved the point that ponies and horses very much have their own characters and personalities. It is a very different kettle of fish when you are the one person with the final decision making responsibility. You also need to be prepared for an awful lot of worrying as a horse owner

None of this by the way is meant to in any way be negative, I'm not trying to put you off. But I think anyone on here would agree with horses you never, ever stop learning so to an extent we are all novices as there will always be something that we don't know or someone to learn from. I think there is also a tendency for people to want to rush to not be a novice and this can sometimes be to the detriment of our equine friends - we probably all know someone with all the gear and no idea because these days it is so easy to just go and buy stuff - even a horse, without the necessary knowledge.

Anyway, I will stop know as this is turning into a much longer message than intended - well done if you've got this far!!!!

 

[criso]

In terms of getting experience with non-RS horses, I am interested to know what people suggest in terms of getting this experience??

When you are closer to thinking about getting your own, try sharing for a year or so. You would get to experience what it is like without the safety net of a riding school. Being completely on your own whether it's hacking on schooling can be a wake up call. I've would even consciously look for ones where you have to do some of the horsecare yourself so you get as much experience as possible.

It's not just non riding school horses but horses in a non riding school environment. There are many great schoolmaster types at riding schools who are kept like that because of regular work and schooling by the staff and working pupils. Take them out of that environment and you would have a very different horse on your hands.

I've been riding since I was about 8 and owned horses on and off since 10. I love tbs and have 2 ex racers. Despite all that when I rode at riding schools when I didn't have my own, there were horses that I was perfectly happy to ride and jump in the school but you couldn't pay me enough to go out for a solo hack on a windy day on them so would never have considered them as a potential purchase.

As someone said, don't go looking for a specific type or breed, deliberately underhorse yourself and look for ones advertised as suitable for a first horse. You'll have more fun if you have a horse you can trust than if you're the person who has bought a horse on the edge of their abilities and can't hack out unless everything is perfect or ride in the school if someone else comes in case it upsets them.

 

[NativePonyLover]

OP, can I just say - I think your attitude is great I see literally no reason why you wouldn't be ready to own your own horse in 18 months time with that attitude.

I came from a non-horsey family & initially I told my riding instructor I wanted to learn more about stable management so they helped arrange for me to start grooming & tacking up before lessons, which eventually turned into helping to muck out etc.

Then, through word of mouth I found a share horse & eventually.

I took stable management courses too - it's worth seeing if you have any equine colleges or stables offering part-time courses.

As well as the NVQ stable management course, I went to as many lecture-demo's & things as I could. Plus, I read as much as I could.

Nothing prepares you for having your own - no matter how much learning or studying you do before hand, but the right horse & the right people around you (which it sounds like you will have) definitely help.

For what it's worth - I've had my boy 4 years (and he was SO far from what I thought I was buying - but that's a story for another day!) even though he's sensitive & can be quirky, I'd still say I'm fairly novicey in the grand scheme of things .. There's nothing wrong with that either!

Good luck & enjoy your journey

 

[Crugeran Celt]

I class myself as a novice, I have never competed at any level, I hate schooling or jumping unless it us out on a hack but I have been riding for 44 years and have owned my own horses for 30 years. I ride ok but my days of getting on anything are long gone and like a nice safe horse these days.

 

[Steorra]

Remember that a horse you enjoy riding under instruction might not be suitable for you to ride alone, and a horse you can ride at home might be too hot for you at a competition.

When you think about buying a horse, don’t look for one where you think “I’d love to have a lesson on this horse with my instructor.” You need to be thinking: “I can see myself on this horse in a busy warm-up ring/ enjoying a sponsored ride with other horses galloping around us/ cantering boldly into the first fence on that BE90 xc course.”

My first horse was a 5 year-old (when we bought him) Warmblood. He was beautiful, powerful, athletic, and riding him made me feel on top of the world. However, he had travelling issues and was overall a bit too much for me outside of his home environment, so I missed out on many opportunities for the sake of having a horse I loved to ride at home. I don’t regret it – 15 years later he still makes me beam when I ride him - but for someone with competitive ambitions this would have been a nightmare.

Later, my parents took on a second horse. I thought he was dull as dish water. BUT I underestimated the joys of having a horse you can gallop bareback round the fields in his headcollar, leave on the lorry at a show, jump without psyching yourself up, swap with friends for a ride, etc. The first horse has more ability in his left ear than the second does in his whole body, but it’s so much easier to get out and play with the straightforward one.

The first horse wasn’t the disaster he could have been, all things considered, but I do look back and think how much more I might have achieved with him if I’d gained experience on the second horse first.

 

[smja]

Everyone means something different when they say novice. When you look for a horse, pick one that you would feel happy to ride out the next day without any instruction. Keep it on a yard with experienced horse owners around to help if needed. Ask for advice, and hunt down information like it's going out of style. You'll be fine.

As for breeds, I'm another who says that the typical TB or WB is probably a bit much as a first horse. I'd still advocate treating them all as individuals rather than breeds, but as a starting point for someone who likes that kind of look, go Irish. A decent ISH is still what jumps to my mind if someone wants an allrounder who's also a nice person to live with!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

IME, 'not for novice' in an advert usually means that the horse is tricky in some way to ride and not at all suitable as a first horse. Just as you would school a horse at a higher level at home than you compete it, when you are looking for a first horse, it should be one which you feel very confident that you can ride and handle alone. Leave yourself some wriggle room, rather than risk being over-horsed. Horses which are suitable as first horses are usually advertised as such or as confidence givers and often command high prices, even though they are getting on in years.

 

[Victoria25]

Depends on the horse you decide to buy – I have a 16.2 6 year old ex racer who everyone would tarnish as a ‘not for novice rider’ but shes anything but and would suit someone learning/improving their riding … a big lazy girl who doesn’t spook at anything! On the other hand, Ive got a 16hh arab who’s 14 and wouldn’t trust her with anyone (psyyyychooooo!!!) Good luck either way and keep going with as much experience you can!! How about helping out at the RS at weekends? x

 

[tallyho!]

All well and good people saying you need experience etc etc... but it sounds like you're trying to get a job!!!

Just get out there and ride as much and as many horses you can and do as many different things as you can... then, carry on!

And ENJOY it... this is not a job, it's a way of life.

 

[Barnacle]

OP like others have said, your attitude is fantastic. I think you have the right idea and you sound very sensible. There is no reason at all that you couldn't be in a position to own your own horse in a year... Though I do think you'll need to work on your experience a bit more first, beyond the riding school context.

Sadly, riding school horses and BHS exams will never teach you how to deal with owning a "real" horse... So I'd go out and find a challenging (but not outrageously beyond your abilities!) private (not riding school) horse share and work on that. You learn much more sharing a horse (or horses) than plodding along on a riding school horse and you also develop your riding much quicker. Just yesterday we had a girl come up to try a share with a bit more experience than you on riding school ponies and a couple of BHS exams under her belt and I gave her one of the easiest ponies and she couldn't keep him in a walk, let alone make him go where she wanted. It's a dramatically different experience. I ride mostly ex-racing Arabs at the moment and I wouldn't dream of putting someone who'd only ever ridden a school horse on one of them.

 

[Shantara]

Sadly, riding school horses and BHS exams will never teach you how to deal with owning a "real" horse...

Couldn't agree more! That said, they will teach you a LOT of good things! I learnt so much when I worked at a BHS yard.
However, in lectures, I was often left thinking "I know THAT wouldn't work with Ned!" or similar things.
I also agree with those who are saying ride as many horses as possible - but...I don't find riding the hard bit of horse ownership. Looking after them is MUCH harder!
Knowing what to feed, when to feed, what brushes to use, which rugs to put on, saddle fitters, dentists, vets, farriers, tack, bits...I could go on. I found it (and am very very much still learning, I always will be!) all very interesting and love trying to things and learning what works and what doesn't. The internet is a great tool for horse owners, but it's wise to be careful and really think about the advice you are given.

But again, good luck! When the time comes, I think you'll have great fun!!

 

[Arizahn]

Why not consider a nicely schooled Standardbred? Lovely horses; flashy looking, nice movement, beautiful heads, but without being quite so highly strung as TBs and Warmbloods. Tough enough to live out 24/7 over winter too - mine grew a coat like a woolly mammoth last year. Very kind animals, and tend to be rather people centred too. I wouldn't actually suggest a Connemara cross TB, as (in my experience) Connemaras can be too clever for their own good and will push boundaries just to see what happens. Add in TB and you get something that is overly intelligent, extremely fast, and very probably sharp. Not ideal for a first time owner!

Ideally whatever breed, you should look for one that already knows its job with regards to hacking, schooling and low level showing or riding club type stuff, and that you enjoy working with on the ground. And get it vetted.

 

[Shantara]

Why not consider a nicely schooled Standardbred?

Ah yes! Standardbreds!
My boy is a standardbred and he is a real star these days! If he hadn't had such a terrible start in life, I think he would amazing. I recently met a lady who had rescued one and she was doing so well already! She was clever, but not trying to get the better of her rider and she was listening so well. I've also talked to several people online and they adore their Standies!
They are fast, but fun and willing. I'm aiming to get another one day

 

[turnbuckle]

A couple of random thoughts...

First, forget about the course - go and find a GOOD local yard and offer to put in hours for free. Yes, you'll be lucky if you do more than shovel *** but you can look and learn and ask questions....will teach you loads about management.

£2000-£4000 probably won't buy you a ready made horse to do what want you want to do. So you either have to up your budget or accept that time and lessons will be the way. And finding the right teacher is key - all depends on getting someone you and the horse really click with - and exams are no guarantee of that.

On the TB point, I think you can find very easy bombproof TBs - but they are rare indeed. On the other hand, any sort of ned can have quirks...so don't be too hung up on breed.

The share route may be a good one, worth thinking about.


Finally - you NEVER stop learning - so go and have fun.

 

[Rivendell]

Why not consider a nicely schooled Standardbred?

Yes!!!! I love SBs! They have such cool natures. They are kept in the same environments as TBs when racing yet don't get anywhere near as hot... says a lot about them. I wasn't sure how many you had in the UK, as in NZ they are a dime a dozen. In saying that not many make it out of the racing barn here, especially compared to TBs. Historically SB blood was added to jumping lines to improve hock action, so yes they can jump and do everything any other horse can do.

I'll be honest - I was also a TB/WB fan. I saved a SB from PTS as he wasn't fast enough to race. The minute he stepped off the truck I was in love and now am a convert. I will be sticking to SBs in future. I have yet to meet someone who has a bad word to say about their SBs. Definitely don't rule them out.

 

[Penumbra]

I would agree with a few of the posters who have mentioned that "not a novice ride" in an advert can mean almost anything. Some people use it for horses that a competent novice with a few years experience of a variety of horses would cope with, but would have a beginner off, some people use it for horses who are a bit green, and some people use it because they don't want to write a full description of their horse's ridden vices in an advert. Obviously you're not looking to buy yet, but when you do, I suggest getting someone more experienced to look at ads with you- often you need to read between the lines a bit! Also, take someone more experienced with you to view, and do not get on anything you haven't seen ridden- no matter what excuse they give you.

To me, someone who is not a novice is someone who can get on a safe, sensible horse who has done a few years work, and not just ride it but work with its way of going and use exercises to attempt to improve and school it without someone telling them what to do. You don't have to be perfect, just have some level of understanding of what is going on underneath you and figure out how to correct it. I would also say you would have to have ridden a range of horses, from hot, forward going types to spooky types to backwards thinking horses and be comfortable with all of them, even if you don't like them.

For example, in your post you mention one of the horses you have ridden always tries to turn right. If I were riding that horse, I wouldn't think of constantly correcting him but looking at the reasons for this- is it due to stiffness, is he napping for the gate, is there some other reason? Then I would try and work to correct this depending on the reason. I would describe myself as a competent novice in that I can sit on most things and ride them, but when working to improve a horse, I would want the advice of an instructor.

I think it's great to have ambitions and aims, but I would say the more you learn, the more you realise you don't know. For example you mention eventing- which is fine, but in some ways getting on the horse and having a go at an event is the easy part. In order to suceed and not end up with a lame/exhausted horse, you will need to think about fittening the horse and making sure they are up to the level of work asked of them. You can read about this in a book of course, but like many things with horses, there is no substitute for hands on experience of doing this.

For that reason, I'm also not sure of the value of an online course. IMO, you learn to do things with horses by, well, doing them. Knowing the theory is important, but you need to practise things on an actual, RL horse too!

Does your RS offer the BHS progressive riding tests? These involve riding, theory and stable management, and would help you get at least some of an all round idea of skills needed to look after a horse both practical and theoretical. They won't teach you everything you need to know in order to own a horse, but completing at least some will help you learn about a range of topics in a more structured way. Completing all the tests would give you the equivalent of stage one, but doing it this way helps you build up from a relative beginner into a more competent horse person.

 

[windand rain]

There will be hundreds of people snatching your hand off for your help if offered free. you can gain experience and knowledge along side their owners and can pick and chose there will be so many. Not all horse people demand money for helping out or sharing. I would say a beginner is one learning to ride in balance with a few oops moments in all paces walk trot canter and gallop with the ability to pop a pole at about 40 cm or more, A novice is the same but in good balance at all paces and jumping small jumps on a course on a well known mount beyond that they are no longer a novice if they can manage a different set of horses with different paces and ride the odd quirk as in a spook or a small nap.
Horse management wise a beiggner is one who is learning to tack up groom and care for the horse on the ground and needs help with these things. A novice is one who can competently tack up groom muck out feed and prepare the horse on the ground for riding with a sound but limited knowledge of the horses health once you are good at this level you are about ready to own your own, The care of horses and getting them ready to ride is far more important to their welfare than your ability to ride. You could be an expert rider able to do Badminton but if you cannot recognise your horse is sick or off colour you shouldn't be owning one. A nice well schooled competition horse will be very expensive but if you shop around there are great value for money horses that can do the job with a bit of care you can get there especially with a really top notch instructor to guide you. Do not go horse shopping on your own you will need a really good friend and a good judge of temperament both yours and the horses before you decide on the right one for you it is a bit like looking for a partner in life you can kiss a few frogs before you find your prince

 

[iaej]

Thank you so much for the feedback; it has been enlightening and quite interesting reading the very different views people have. I plan to speak to my instructor this weekend about regular volunteering at the RS. Hopefully this will be agreed and I will then look at a share (as well as continuing lessons) once I am competent enough with the management side of things. The online course has been great and taught me a lot more than I expected about training plans, hoof care, feed ratios, parasites and disease etc but I do agree that I would need to put this into practice with supervision in order to properly learn it and be able to manage my own horse.

SB seem to be pretty hard to come by in the UK, I have not yet seen one advertised for sale or loan. I will keep this breed in mind though when it comes to looking for my own horse.

Thanks again

 

[oldie48]

Sorry I haven't read all the posts but IMHO there's no such thing as a good breed or a bad breed for novice riders or in deed anyone else, just like us, horses are all individuals. my first horse was a 15 hh TB mare, she was the perfect first horse, fab in traffic, great to hack on her own and in company, she'd gallop in open country but she had brakes and was lovely to handle and do. I've had lots of different horses over the years and all I would say is that i wouldn't go to see a horse described as "not a novice ride" as there's usually a good reason but I wouldn't be put off by the breed as I've had lazy TBs that you could put a complete beginner on and a cob that frankly was very naughty. Try to ride horses other than RS horses, they are RS horses for a reason and it can be a bit of a shock to ride something that thinks for itself. Just get as much experience as you can and be prepared to move a horse on if you "outgrow" it or it proves unsuitable and the best advice is don't overhorse yourself as once it starts to get the better of you, everything can go down hill pretty fast and I'd avoid young horses. Have lots of fun!

 

[sasquatch]

First of all, you have no idea what your riding will be like in 18 months time!
At this stage, I would not be worried about what sort of horse you could get, if you will be a 'novice' or not and would just try and get as much horse experience as possible.

I don't know how all RS's work, but it's fair to say the RS I was at had a lot of quirky and 'not a novice ride' horses as well as those that were safe as houses - I actually bought my horse from the RS and he is in no way a plod, or beginner safe at all.

If possible, try getting the odd lesson at another RS with different horses - I personally find this beneficial as a new instructor can see things on a new horse my own may not notice on a horse I am used to. It also is more experience riding a different range and more horses.

The BHS Progressive Riding is also very beneficial, if you explain to your instructor its what you're working towards, they should be able to structure your lessons so that you are up to the standard needed and help you improve outside of the course.

Honestly, I would be trying to get as much experience at this point instead of thinking about the type of horse you want and when you're going to buy it, in 18 months you may feel you're still not ready for a horse, or that you're ready to go out competing affiliated. You also need to keep in mind it's not just riding that will determine any horse you get, but how well you can manage when it comes to looking after a horse and working on the ground.