# What level rider am I?



## aimeeloulou (11 December 2014)

Hey! 

I've never posted before, so hello! Basically I wanted to join my unis riding society and they wanted to know what I'd class myself as, a beginner, novice or intermediate? And what's the difference betweeen them? 

I've been riding for one year now, I took weekly lessons at a school for 4 months until I had a fall and couldn't get past a fear of cantering. After my fall I took on a share which I've been riding for around 9 months. Shes fantastic and gave me my confidence back. I'm now out hacking on my own twice a week and have placed 5th and 6th in a trec competition.  I can walk, trot and canter confidently. My position is so much better and my balance has improved. 

Thank you


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## xgemmax (11 December 2014)

Personally I would say beginner. I would class myself as novice still and have been riding 10 years, walk trot canter gallop, pop round a small course, ride a prelim dressage test, etc. I would class intermediate as riding affiliated at a lower level


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## peanut (11 December 2014)

I suspect you would be termed as novice but I'd tell the riding society what you can do and ask them to place you in the right group.


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## aimeeloulou (11 December 2014)

Thank you both. 

They said they would class me as an intermediate, but I don't feel that that's true. I can ride safely, and have rode a mixture of horses but I can't jump and Ive only been riding for a year so have little experience...


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## Art Nouveau (11 December 2014)

Riding schools tend to have a different understanding of the terms beginner-novice-advanced I have found. While I was horseless I was looking at having lessons at some local schools. I ride Prelim/Novice level dressage and rang a few schools that said they catered for all levels up to advanced, but they all said I was too advanced for them.

I'd probably suggest you're a novice/intermediate level. Perhaps start at novice level and if that feels too slow then have intermediate classes? Better than jumping in at intermediate if you feel you're not quite there yet and then feeling uncomfortable with the lesson.

Hope it goes well for you


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## Jnhuk (13 December 2014)

I would pop yourself down as Novice rider. It will sort itself out when you have lessons with your instructor so I wouldn't over think it.


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## Shay (14 December 2014)

Probably also depends on the riding society!  The BUCS series (British University's and College's Sport association) have a national series taking part on loaned horses which is actually very serious and high level.  If you are at a Uni which takes part in that series than you are likely to be beginner or possibly very low novice.  Riders in the series need to be able to compete in both dressage and SJ on a horse you have only met that day. Its actually a great preparation for competitive sport.   However if the Uni riding society is really just organizing riding lesson then you are likely to be high novice / low intermediate depending on the riding school used and possibly also the other riders.


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## Jnhuk (14 December 2014)

Shay said:



			Probably also depends on the riding society!  The BUCS series (British University's and College's Sport association) have a national series taking part on loaned horses which is actually very serious and high level.  If you are at a Uni which takes part in that series than you are likely to be beginner or possibly very low novice.  Riders in the series need to be able to compete in both dressage and SJ on a horse you have only met that day. Its actually a great preparation for competitive sport.   However if the Uni riding society is really just organizing riding lesson then you are likely to be high novice / low intermediate depending on the riding school used and possibly also the other riders.
		
Click to expand...

This is so much fun as when I did it yonks ago but think the OP was asking about the Uni RC rather than the competitions.


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## Wiz201 (14 December 2014)

Novice definitely.


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## Penny Less (14 December 2014)

Oh dear, I have been riding for 30 years, mostly happy hacking, and this means I am still a novice


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## Polar Bear9 (15 December 2014)

In the general horsey world beginner/ novice. I'd say intermediate for a rising society/ riding school though. I've had my own for years, walk/ trot/ canter/jump. Have competed extensively. Though I would say I am still a novice I was fairly top in the advanced group with my uni society, meaning I would canter happily out and jump a reasonable height (there were so few competent riders that the top lessons never went beyond 2'3). The beginner group was walk and some trot. The intermediate was learning to canter. Also depends on your uni, if they do BUCS and how many good riders they have. Mine was a very small uni with very few riders


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