What level am I?

[Arecircte]

Hey there,

(I'm new to this site so forgive me if I'm using it completely incorrectly!)

I've been looking into loaning a horse however I'm struggling to identify what level of rider I am. I have only been riding for 6 months but I'd say I was confident, I can walk, trot, canter and gallop and I have jumped up up to 3.5 feet (in vertical and ascending oxer). I have hacked out regularly on country lanes and on the beach. Up until recently I rode two horses (each once a week), unfortunately now (bad breakup!) I only ride one once a week during an hours lesson (he is feisty but absolutely gorgeous, he has bucked me off a few times but each time I have been able to get back on and 'fight it out' with him).
I can tack up and I know a bit of stable management (side note: does anyone know anywhere I could volunteer to learn more stable management in south Devon?).
I am currently working on improving my jumping around small courses and switching between different speeds in canter and trot.

 

[Trewsers]

Hello and welcomehope someone can point you on the right direction in Devon.

 

[KP nut]

People are looking for different things from loaners so the best bet is to go along and let them see you ride.
Personally I would be far more interested in the style of rider than what they can 'do' on a horse. Eg I would want a soft, quiet rider with good hands for all of mine. Someone else might be keen for someone to hack out to give their horse more variety and are happy for a confident rider who will have a bit of a blast along a beach.

Levels mean totally different things to different people. My kids can do all the things you describe but I would still classify them as fairly novice...... But in the RS they are seen as intermediate/experienced.

 

[joosie]

Like KP I judge ability not on what someone can do but how well they can do it and on what type of horse. Without meaning to be negative (and obviously I have not seen you ride) confident riders can tick a lot of things off a list after 6 months but that doesn't mean they do them very well! Being able to gallop and jump and ride on the beach doesn't really say anything about your ability other than that you know how to stay on I wouldn't use the height you jump as an indicator of your jumping ability either. 3'6'' is over 1.05m - that's pretty high to be jumping after riding for just 6 months - certainly not impossible, and especially if you're a confident rider on a capable horse, but I'm not sure how WELL you can be doing it at this stage. I've been competing in 1.05m classes for about 4 years but would only say I've done it particularly well in the last 9 months or so, and I was already a fairly experienced rider before that. Being able to get over the jumps doesn't necessarily mean you are riding correctly, I have learned that the hard way!

When you're contacting people about loaning their horses, be as honest as possible (and that means being honest with yourself too). I feel it's safer to be modest at the beginning, and then ride the horse and show you're more capable than you said you were, than to overstate your ability and then find out the horse is too much for you. Don't assume that because you can do XYZ on a familiar horse that you will be capable of doing it on ANY horse - it doesn't work like that. It tends to take more than 6 months of lessons to be capable of riding different kinds of horses and adapting your style to suit them.

It's hard to put labels on someone's ability but from what you've said I would suggest you describe yourself as a confident novice and then go into a bit of detail about what you've done. If the owner thinks you don't sound experienced enough for their horse they will probably let you know straight away. I suspect if they are looking for someone capable of schooling the horse they will think 6 months of lessons is not enough and indeed a lot of people who want their horse schooled for them will want a rider who's more experienced than they are. You do need to be quite a capable rider before you're able to start educating / improving the horse so I would try to avoid adverts for young, green or difficult horses. A lot of confident riders can "fight it out" with a horse but many owners will not want their horses ridden in that way. In the case of your bucking horse the greatest display of skill would be being able to stay on in the first place

 

[Jessey]

I agree it can mean different things to different people and the style of rider can play into any decision by the owner as much as what you have done on paper so to speak. In the grand scheme of things 6 months of being around horses twice a week isn't a great deal of experience in care, management and dealing with difficult situations and a variety of horses, though you sound confident in your riding and are working to develop your basic skills. I guess from your description, if I had to label I would say competent novice/intermediate rider but lacking experience in husbandry so novice in that area (though obviously willing to learn).
I know the transition from RS/lessons and led rides to independantly schooling and hacking can be quite a shock for people first transitioning to a loan, developing a structured and progressive plan can be more difficult than you might expect, especially if you can't afford to have lessons on your loan horse to keep you on the right track. I don't know what structure your riding has been on up until now or your personal situation obviously, just an observation.

 

[Arecircte]

Like KP I judge ability not on what someone can do but how well they can do it and on what type of horse. Without meaning to be negative (and obviously I have not seen you ride) confident riders can tick a lot of things off a list after 6 months but that doesn't mean they do them very well! Being able to gallop and jump and ride on the beach doesn't really say anything about your ability other than that you know how to stay on I wouldn't use the height you jump as an indicator of your jumping ability either. 3'6'' is over 1.05m - that's pretty high to be jumping after riding for just 6 months - certainly not impossible, and especially if you're a confident rider on a capable horse, but I'm not sure how WELL you can be doing it at this stage. I've been competing in 1.05m classes for about 4 years but would only say I've done it particularly well in the last 9 months or so, and I was already a fairly experienced rider before that. Being able to get over the jumps doesn't necessarily mean you are riding correctly, I have learned that the hard way!

When you're contacting people about loaning their horses, be as honest as possible (and that means being honest with yourself too). I feel it's safer to be modest at the beginning, and then ride the horse and show you're more capable than you said you were, than to overstate your ability and then find out the horse is too much for you. Don't assume that because you can do XYZ on a familiar horse that you will be capable of doing it on ANY horse - it doesn't work like that. It tends to take more than 6 months of lessons to be capable of riding different kinds of horses and adapting your style to suit them.

It's hard to put labels on someone's ability but from what you've said I would suggest you describe yourself as a confident novice and then go into a bit of detail about what you've done. If the owner thinks you don't sound experienced enough for their horse they will probably let you know straight away. I suspect if they are looking for someone capable of schooling the horse they will think 6 months of lessons is not enough and indeed a lot of people who want their horse schooled for them will want a rider who's more experienced than they are. You do need to be quite a capable rider before you're able to start educating / improving the horse so I would try to avoid adverts for young, green or difficult horses. A lot of confident riders can "fight it out" with a horse but many owners will not want their horses ridden in that way. In the case of your bucking horse the greatest display of skill would be being able to stay on in the first place

Thanks! I completely agree with you, measurements and ticking boxes certainly doesn't seem like a good way of measuring ability, I've just never seen it done in any other way in the past! I suppose I find it quite hard to judge the line between realistic and optimistic or arrogant. I certainly do not have a perfect position over every jump and its something I'm trying very hard to work on to get better at at the moment. I also understand that 6 months is nothing which is why I'm a bit stuck, as you said being confident and ticking the boxes is one thing but doing it well is different. I know that having used the term confident it probably makes me sound rather arrogant (and believe me I know that I'm not the best rider out there by far!) all I meant was that I don't think that I let fear hold me back (again that sounds like a rather ridiculous way of phrasing it).
In terms of fighting it out I wouldn't go about it in that way with any horse, Leo whom I am currently riding takes quite a bit to get him going as he's still rather green and stubborn. He usually bucks about three or four times per lesson (for each rider so I'm told) and I've fallen off him about three times, I definitely need to improve my seat but I can stay on most of the time

 

[Arecircte]

I agree it can mean different things to different people and the style of rider can play into any decision by the owner as much as what you have done on paper so to speak. In the grand scheme of things 6 months of being around horses twice a week isn't a great deal of experience in care, management and dealing with difficult situations and a variety of horses, though you sound confident in your riding and are working to develop your basic skills. I guess from your description, if I had to label I would say competent novice/intermediate rider but lacking experience in husbandry so novice in that area (though obviously willing to learn).
I know the transition from RS/lessons and led rides to independantly schooling and hacking can be quite a shock for people first transitioning to a loan, developing a structured and progressive plan can be more difficult than you might expect, especially if you can't afford to have lessons on your loan horse to keep you on the right track. I don't know what structure your riding has been on up until now or your personal situation obviously, just an observation.

Yes I completely understand. When I used to ride out with a friend he never did any grooming post or pre ride (rather worrying) so I am certainly lacking in that area. I'd really like to learn more about stable management but I can't seem to find anywhere that is able to let me help out. Thank you very much

 

[Arecircte]

Hello and welcomehope someone can point you on the right direction in Devon.

Thank you!

 

[Jessey]

Have you asked about volunteering at your current riding school? Often thats a good way of getting some on the ground time

 

[squidsin]

I envy your confidence! About 75% of riding is confidence anyway, IMHO. But as others have said, it's a big leap going from riding RS horses to owning or loaning your own, and the stable management side of things will really throw you in at the deep end. My local RS does stable management lessons, which I did once a week before getting mine and found those really helpful. Otherwise maybe volunteer to help out with a friend's horses or at a local yard for a few weekends until you know what you're doing - I am sure many would welcome an extra pair of hands!

I'm originally from Exeter - have you tried Oaklands? Or that RS in Budleigh Salterton, I forget what it's called.

 

[Mary Poppins]

If I had to classify you (not that I think it would be very helpful), I would say you were a confident novice. I always think that more novice riders explain there ability in terms of simple achievements (e.g. walk, trot, canter, gallop) whereby more experienced riders will explain themselves in terms of what they have achieved (e.g. competed to novice level).

Either way it doesn't really matter. It all depends on how you actually ride and no-one can judge this until they see you ride.

 

[newforest]

I guess how someone describes themselves is a reasonable indicator of ability or lack of.
I would probably wonder what riding school has allowed you to be doing everything you describe in six months to be honest. To be jumping the height you mention sounds a bit irresponsible of the establishment in such a short time
It takes people a fair time to learn the basics and gain an independent seat.
I certainly hadn't done all the things you describe in six months, I had been bucked off, stood on and bolted with though.

It depends what you want and where you want to go with your riding.
The fact you said "I have been bucked off and got back on to fight it out with him" isn't the type of rider I would be putting on mine. You would need to be asking yourself what you did to cause them to rid themselves of you in the first place. Get into a fight with mine and you will be sitting on your arse again.

 

[eml]

Hard to tell without knowing more about what sort of tuition and expereince you have received!

Our standard pre ride questionaire starts with lead horse , mount indepedantly including girth and stirrups while mounted, walk, trot sitting and rising, basic school figures in trot) canter where instructed, ( beginner-novice) canter circles, work without stirrups in walk and trot, simple polework, canter without strirrups, jump a course of jumps up to 75cm in canter and with good style, ( novice to intermediate) show understanding of scales of training and show approriate work in open order,Jump a course of jumps up to 95 cms, jump XC course (intermediate +)

I must also add if looking for a loaner/sharer that 'your fallen off but fight it out' would to me he biggest issue as would the fact you have only ever ridden two horses!!

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Hello and welcome.
Someone mentioned volunteering - that seems like a good way to get some experience.

 

[ponylover88]

I guess how someone describes themselves is a reasonable indicator of ability or lack of.
I would probably wonder what riding school has allowed you to be doing everything you describe in six months to be honest. To be jumping the height you mention sounds a bit irresponsible of the establishment in such a short time
It takes people a fair time to learn the basics and gain an independent seat.
I certainly hadn't done all the things you describe in six months, I had been bucked off, stood on and bolted with though.

It depends what you want and where you want to go with your riding.
The fact you said "I have been bucked off and got back on to fight it out with him" isn't the type of rider I would be putting on mine. You would need to be asking yourself what you did to cause them to rid themselves of you in the first place. Get into a fight with mine and you will be sitting on your arse again.

Get back on mine with that attitude and like newforests, you'd end up sat on your arse again and probably gained 2 black eyes in the process.

Have you ever heard the phrase 'tell a gelding, ask a stallion, discuss with a mare'? I also hadn't manage to complete the things you describe in 6 months, I think if you've managed to do them well, safely and with finesse then good on you. However like others gave mentioned, as you've only ever ridden two horses, you might struggle immensely!

 

[Ellie Cowell]

Heya, I'm from the south devon area, and great places to go to try and get some experience on the ground would be, oaklands, cholwell or dittiscombe The people at Cholwell are absolutely lovely i'm sure they'd be happy to let you help out?