RIDER LEVELS
Which are you (or inbetween eg. beginner+)
ABSOLUTE BEGINNER
- Never ridden before
- Or only ridden a few times eg on holiday, trekking
- Had a few lessons/saddle time but many years ago
- Not confident /stable in a rising trot
- Maybe ridden a few times in a school but never outside on a hack
- Ridden only on a lead rein not solo
- Need help mounting or dismounting
- Not sure how to turn, stop etc or handle a horse on the ground
BEGINNER
- Can approach a horse safely
- Mount and dismount assisted
- Have a basic understanding of aids
- Make the horse walk, stop, turn left & right
- Control a quiet school horse at a walk and trot (rising) with turns
- Can do rising trot on the correct diagonal
- We’d also like to know if you’ve ridden in a school and/or outside on hacks
NOVICE
- Mount and dismount unassisted
- Control a horse in walk, trot and canter without wobbling
- Have a relaxed and deep seat
- Able to walk and trot without stirrups and independent of the rein
- Canter on a named leg
- Understand the terms balance, rhythm and tempo
- Understand a jumping position
- Trot over poles and jump a small cross pole
- Ride a combination of schooling figures eg circles, serpentines, figure of 8
- Groom and tack up a horse unassisted
- Ride inside the school and on hacks in open countryside
- Fit enough to trot (rising) for up to 15 minutes at a time
INTERMEDIATE
- Ride on a regular basis and have regular lessons
- Ride more advanced and inexperienced horses
- Understand the importance of rhythm, relaxation, connection, impulsion and
- straightness
- Ride more advanced lateral movements in walk, trot and canter
- Jump a selection of advanced jumps
- Ride towards improving a horses way of going
- Ride independently of a group