# What IS a novice rider?



## dressager (26 June 2008)

What do you consider the definition of a novice rider? This terms seems to encompass everything from someone who is slightly more advanced than a complete beginner, to someone who has ridden for 20 years but happily competes at prelim dressage and enjoys hacking. Does that mean about 90% of amateur horse owners are classed as novices??!

Just curious, as when listening to converstions between trainers, they refer to lots of good riders I know as being of novice standard. I mean, I appreciate the art of riding is continually improved over a lifetime and never perfected, but when does one ever leave the realms of a novice? 

(From an eternal novice)


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## Lvrees (26 June 2008)

Depends in which context, in the worlds of eventing a novice rider is capable of jumping a 1.20 track, whilst BSJA Novice classes are 3ft! But then In the terms of selling horses a novice rider would be someone who could not handle a slightly fresh horse, someone who was not experienced or had not been riding for long. Someone who was may be nervous, or did not have any feel. 

In my opinion a novice rider is someone who is unable to improve a horses way of going, they are capable of riding a well mannered and trained horse. But not experienced or capable of bringing on a youngster or riding a sharp or difficult horse!


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## YorkshireLass (26 June 2008)

I would say that it refers to experience rather than ability.  I know old boys who hunt, they have 50 plus years of experience but have lost the ability they had.  There are kids who have been riding a couple of years who have massive ability compared to the old boys...  but little experience!  The kids are the novices and they could learn a thing or two from the old boys!


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## cosmo_sam (26 June 2008)

[ QUOTE ]

In my opinion a novice rider is someone who is unable to improve a horses way of going, they are capable of riding a well mannered and trained horse. But not experienced or capable of bringing on a youngster or riding a sharp or difficult horse! 

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I couldn't find the words...

who needs to on here, somebody else always sums things up perfectly


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## YorkshireLass (26 June 2008)

So, do you think someone could.. start off as a novice, progress, become advanced/experienced... then due to injury/old age revert to being a novice again?  This is where is all falls down IMHO.


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## cosmo_sam (26 June 2008)

Hmmm?  that's a bit of a brain burner 
	
	
		
		
	


	





I know time served/experienced riders and they are confident and balanced etc BUT they can look very novicey on some horses/tricky/unfamiliar ones etc.

Maybe thats just the difference between good and bad riders though???


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## SpottedCat (26 June 2008)

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Depends in which context, in the worlds of eventing a novice rider is capable of jumping a 1.20 track... 

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Agree on your definition of training etc....but novice eventing you only have to jump a 1.10 track, with two fences at 1.15, and TBH it is far smaller and less technical than a newcomers track BSJA which is purportedly the same size!! (Just didn't want you giving us eventers more credit than we deserve  
	
	
		
		
	


	




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## Lvrees (26 June 2008)

Sorry, you know what I mean though... I'm not an eventer so that was a bit of a guess!!


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## Shilasdair (26 June 2008)

I find myself screaming 'I'm a novice' whenever anyone has some sh1tty beast they want ridden.
My days of being a crash test dummy breaking and schooling are well and truly over.
S


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## SpottedCat (26 June 2008)

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Sorry, you know what I mean though... I'm not an eventer so that was a bit of a guess!! 

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I wasn't criticising, just commenting - I'd probably kill myself if I tried to jump round a 1.20 track, but am BE novicing quite happily!


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## SillyMare (26 June 2008)

I think about 90% of us amateurs probably are novices to be honest. 

Very few of us have the depth of experience brought by years as a professional and the fences we jump / dressage tests we do are generally at the simple end of the scale.

We may be able to produce nice young horses, but very few of us would profess to have the time or experience to take on a tricky one.

There are a number of notable exceptions of course.


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## *hic* (26 June 2008)

I concur wholeheartedly - besides my daughter is now experienced enough to be the crash test dummy to look after poor old mum! Up until four years ago I was the mug who got on first or sorted out the problems. Now she does it.

Mind you I'm probably more nervous now than ever - but for her and not me.


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## BeckyD (26 June 2008)

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In my opinion a novice rider is someone who is unable to improve a horses way of going, they are capable of riding a well mannered and trained horse. But not experienced or capable of bringing on a youngster or riding a sharp or difficult horse! 

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But then there's grades within that - I would class myself squarely as a novice rider - been riding for 22 years (with 5 yr gap in the middle) but am perfectly capable of riding sharp/fresh and stupid horses (and always have been).  However, I couldn't bring a horse on beyond a certain point without help.  And I have never really competed much (no transport until this year) so am a total novice at shows etc,

So I always refer to myself as a novice!  

I think the phrase cannot be descriptive unless you know the context.  "Not suitable for novice riders" for instance can cover such a wide range of (mis)behaviours in horses that you couldn't predict the extent.

Ramble waffle waffle...


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## RedVendetta (26 June 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
I think about 90% of us amateurs probably are novices to be honest. 

Very few of us have the depth of experience brought by years as a professional and the fences we jump / dressage tests we do are generally at the simple end of the scale.

We may be able to produce nice young horses, but very few of us would profess to have the time or experience to take on a tricky one.

There are a number of notable exceptions of course. 

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with this!
Ive been riding 20 years and still consider myself a novice. Not an absolute novice, but riding has never been natural to me. I dont take on youngsters, I ride older horses although I ride a friends 5 year old in very small jumping classes to keeo him ticking over, but hes so easy and straight for a 5 year old, most confident riders could do this.


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## arwenplusone (26 June 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
I think about 90% of us amateurs probably are novices to be honest. 

Very few of us have the depth of experience brought by years as a professional and the fences we jump / dressage tests we do are generally at the simple end of the scale.

We may be able to produce nice young horses, but very few of us would profess to have the time or experience to take on a tricky one.
There are a number of notable exceptions of course. 

[/ QUOTE ]


Interesting.  I agree with this - I thought I was 'experienced' having jumped 1m30 tracks &amp; ridden a whole range of tricky and young horses

However, I have a horse at present who is really a professional's ride (and probably a man's ride at that) and occasionally she makes me feel like an utter novice.  

I think she has taught me that we all have something to learn and we can all feel like novices at times, regardless of experience!


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## dressager (26 June 2008)

I'm glad its not just me who has found this term rather grey!
Yes, I think it gets very confusing when you think of riders natural ability (now how much does natural ability play a part??) as well as experience. A novice rider with natural feel might cope better with unfamiliar horses than a more experienced one perhaps? Or is feel learnt? Gosh I am confused.

In dressage terms, it really does seem that every amateur is in the novice bracket as everyone compares each other to the cream of the crop (fabulous seat, position etc), yet they are not necessarily all novice riders. Some horses at the lower levels do enjoy standing on 2 legs etc yet their riders stay on and manage quite well!

(just ordered 3 riding books off Amazon in a bid to improve...!)


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## Lvrees (26 June 2008)

But its difficult, because there are many "proffesionals" Who I know well, and they are doing well because they can afford incredibly good horses. One in particular, has a yard full of grade A's yet, that person does not know what leg yield is. 

Yet, there are many amatuers who I know are brilliant riders, will happily sit on anything, jump anything, and know the correct aids for many school movements, yet arn't out competing at a high level, who most certainly are not Novice. 

I personally dont think that competition experience has a great deal to do with it.


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## ajn1610 (26 June 2008)

IME the more you know the more you realise you don't. Working at trekking centre we'd have people turn up saying they were experienced (translation - had a few lessons could just about post and had cantered once), or saying they were novice (translation I'm perfectly capable but I know enough to realise I've a long way to go). It is a weird one, I would say someone riding at a stage 1/2 level or below was a novice. However there are plenty of people who ride beautifully but couldn't muck out or bandage or whatever. If someone asks me I say I'm a competent novice, that covers a multitude of sins!


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## niagaraduval (26 June 2008)

I would say a novice rider is someone who is nervous and doesn't know a lot about horses. Or someone who sits on a horse like a sac of potatoes!  
	
	
		
		
	


	




But i would say a novice is someone who's nervous, can't canter comfortably/ doesn't know even the basic horse care/ can't jump a small jump.


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## PeanutButterDragon (26 June 2008)

I think I am definitely a novice too 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Though I'm hoping to become 'intermediate' at some point! Can do flying changes, leg yields, shoulder in etc, comfortably jump a 1m course and get on a slightly naughty horse at my current riding school who throws in a few bucks, jogs on the spot and the occasional roll in lessons without panicking. Going to carry on having lessons and work towards eventing once I get my own horse this time next year 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Definitely want to learn LOADS more about stable management and horse care before I get said horse - it has been a wee while since I had my ponies in secondary school


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## Kenzo (26 June 2008)

What a brilliant question/post, and an interesting read.

Does that mean you can get really really novice novice riders then? can ride, rise to the trot, canter and pop a small jump...are they really novice's with L plates on, but then you get the same that can do it more confidently even on a difficult horse....but they are still classed as novices ...I'm baffled, I'd say someone wth years of experience, riding different horses including the ones that test you...plus in a variety of disciplines are not novices...gosh I've confused  
	
	
		
		
	


	




myself now. 
	
	
		
		
	


	





I'll shut up.


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## sallypops (26 June 2008)

me = super novice lol!!


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## jellyshake (26 June 2008)

Well a novice according to the dictionary is " one new to anything" "beginner". I think thats how I tend to think of a novice, someone with little experience, so you could be a very experienced rider of many years but still be a novice if it was your first attempts at a certain discipline. Therefore i am an Experienced hacker and faller off but a Novice in all disciplines


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