Beginner? Intermediate? Advanced?

[CarrieB]

I was trying to firgure out what kind of rider I would be considered. I would ask my riding instructor but I won't be taking lessons again until spring break. So what do you have to know to be a beginner? Be intermediate? Advanced?
PLEASE HELP!! Thanks!

[Miss Z]

What can you do so far? I think that this would be how to split the groups, but i've added in an extra one:

Beginner: Someone who has little or no experience in riding. A beginner probably knows how to walk and trot, turn on circles, change the rein etc. Just basically everything simple that you are taught when you begin to ride.

Novice: Someone who has been riding for a little longer than a beginner. A novice can walk, trot and canter and perform basic school movements, and maybe also a very small jump. A novice will know how to ride a little more cleverly than a beginner would, for example, they can keep a better contact with the reins and keep in a good position in the three gaits.

Intermediate: A good rider who can probably master all four gaits and jump higher and longer jumps than a novice could. They probably know how to ride a basic dressage test, and whilst riding will be thinking about a forward movement, softening the hands and striving for absolute concentration from the horse.

Advanced: Someone who has mastered all the gaits, can jump a course of fences whether solid or moveable, knows some more advanced dressage moves such as rein back and is very confident in riding any horse that they are presented with.

I hope this helps. Do you ride western? If so, then this might not help as I've based it on English. But if there's anything you don't understand then don't hesitate to ask

[lute]

dang! i'm a Novice! i need to contact some ridding places. i know they have them around here. i love riding!

[Suki Wingy]

wow, I have been riding for 4.5 years and I'd be considered just into the intermediate level I worked a lot more with the green/young horses than working on my own riding until recently. I'm still jumping 1 foot cross rails or verticles, just starting to put them together and do lines again.
2 years ago I was cantering into courses at about 15 inches. Those were the good old Player/Boy days, then I stopped riding as frequently

[Miss Z]

wow, I have been riding for 4.5 years and I'd be considered just into the intermediate level

Don't be surprised! I've been riding for 10 years and i reckon that i only just make it into the advanced category

[buttercup132]

I dont know what I am. I would like to say advanced in some stuff. I dont jump and dont do dressage. I used to but now I just ride. I know how to control a horse when they freak out. And I mean totally freak out. Like bucking and rearing and taking offf galloping. I did jump and know how and used to compete but they werent overly large jumps. I've had a bit of dressage training but not much at all. So I dont know what I would be considered.

[Toby's my baby]

That's good advice, if you ride dressage and jump. Any advice for Western riders?? I have been riding western for....9 years, and I really couldn't tell you what I am, so Miss Z, could you post some stuff for western??

[Miss Z]

Any advice for Western riders?? I have been riding western for....9 years, and I really couldn't tell you what I am, so Miss Z, could you post some stuff for western??

Well, I have a very limited knowledge of Western as I've only ridden Western once but I'll have a go! Most of this is from reading books, so here goes...

Beginner: Basically the same as an English beginner, just someone who can control a quiet horse in walk and possibly trot, and knows how to turn the horse.

Novice: A rider who can walk, trot and canter whilst maintaining a still,
comfortable and balanced seat in the saddle. The rider should look as if he/she is doing very little to make the horse move.

Intermediate: All four gaits should be confidently mastered, and the rider should know the forward seat adopted in galloping. The rider will probably have to be fit and healthy, and will be good at lengthening and collecting paces. They will be striving for smooth movement from the horse.

Advanced: All four gaits are mastered. The rider will ride any horse with confidence, can maintain a strong and confident position and will know about how to ride in certain showing classes, eg: western pleasure and trail classes. As buttercup132 said, they can usually sit out bucks, rears and spooks. They can make a horse so responsive that it can turn, as you might say, 'on a dime' and may know some different paces such as the jog or the lope.

Hope that helps But as I said, don't rely on everything I say about western, as I haven't really had much experience with that riding style

[Toby's my baby]

Thank you!! I guess I would be considered an advanced then yay!

[CarrieB]

Thanks everybody!! You guys were a lot of help!