08/13/2024
I have had a lot of questions about different levels of riding abilities lately. Hopefully this will help clear things up!! Been working on this post for quite a while now to give the best answers/information I could. Been sitting in my drafts for months now 😅
🔺This is NOT to call anyone out by any means, it is to be informative. I just ask you use your best judgement after reading this to evaluate where you think you are verses what your instructor says. I would guess your instructor would have a better understanding of your actual level.🔺
🔹 BEGINNER: A rider with little or no experience. Does not have total control over horse and over one’s body.
Example: balancing with reins verses sitting up straight and balancing with core/legs. No leaning forward, losing body control when stopping or turning. Does not ride but once in a great long while. No dedication to consistency. Everyone starts here!!
▪️ INTERMEDIATE – confident and in control on a moving horse at all paces outside an arena, but not riding regularly. Comfortable and competent using aids {you need to know what aids are} to communicate with your horse. Better balance and body control, knowing how to sit turns and stops. Rides maybe couple times a month. Dedication is there, consistency needs improvement. Achieved usually with in 4 to 5 years IF consistent on lessons.
🔹 EXPERIENCED - a rider who has had lots and lots of hours on many different horses over a period of a minimum of a few years, an experienced rider is not always an accomplished or sympathetic rider. Body control is completely dependent on core and legs, balance is naturally there. Turns and stops are smooth, soft, and well maintained. Consistent ride time, dedication and consistency are daily to every other day riding. Emotions are in check and knowing of when a break is needed for both horse and rider. Understanding what the situation is and how it is best handled. To get to this level of horsemanship, it takes the average person roughly a DECADE of consistent riding and lessons.
▪️ADVANCED - rider who rides regularly has good physical fitness, has good soft hands and has the ability to gallop for long stretches without getting tired. This takes consistency, discipline, and dedication. Riding once every 4 to 6 months does not make you a quality or quantified rider. Again this can take decades to accomplish! This is 15 plus years roughly to be achieved.
In summary:
Level 1 – Beginner: You have tried riding before. Level 2 – Intermediate: On a stable horse you can walk, trot and gallop over different terrain. Level 3 – Experienced: You can ride different types of horses independently and are in good physical condition.
Level 4 - Advanced: you can handle yourself and horse is dangerous situations while guiding/helping others. You have worked tirelessly and are physically fit and mentally aware of all things around you.
Just because you have a horse and can saddle does not mean you are an expert. There are things I still learn and every good horseman craves knowledge!! I’ve been riding since my mother was pregnant with me. I will admit when I make mistakes, am I perfect? No. But I’m not afraid to ask questions and learn.
Remember, just because you think you’re ready for a step up horse consider where you are at with your riding. If you’re a beginner and have no balance or very little, it’s not worth getting hurt on a horse that is way above your riding skill. Just because it looks fun and that’s something you want to do, remember your level of skill. Don’t want to be coming off and yanking on the horses mouth.
There’s a reason there are slower horses used for lessons and then step ups as you progress. It’s to teach you properly!!! If you can’t control or get the brokest of broke horses to do what you want, then a higher caliber horse is NOT what you need. I see too much of this happening and riders plus horses getting hurt. LISTEN to your instructors! To those with more experience! We aren’t saying it just to say it, we say it out of concern and personal experiences. I always had riders saying they want faster and quicker horses but failed to even make the broke deadheads do the bare minimum. My belief: if you can’t make the deadheads do the work you’re asking easily, then you can’t handle the ones who are overeager to do it.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk, hopefully this helped you all understand a little better the levels and where instructors come from on why they say your what level you are and you ride what you ride. I guarantee you there is a reason for it!
💙🩵🖤Be safe, be smart, open your ears, but don’t take the criticism to heart. Just out here trying to help! 🖤🩵💙
