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What level of rider are you?; how long have you ridden/how good ru?
Topic Started: Jan 16 2007, 04:24 PM (1,514 Views)
Painted Lady
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Shunnnnn the unbeliever. Shunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
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As I read through posts on the board I can’t help but feel we have some super smart horse men and women on here. But then again, maybe you all are just good at posting nonsense and I am dumb enough to believe it! So tell me about yourself, on a scale of 1-10 where do you sit. 10 being very competent rider, 1 being I just ride and have no skill or training what-so ever. Tell me about your riding years, and brag if your better then the rest of us ;)

I would say I am a 3. I have been hopping on horses for the last 9 years. But have never had riding lessons other then a horseman showing me how to start a horse. I started and finished this horse with him standing on the ground giving me pointers. She’ll never be a top level horse at anything, but I don’t need her to be, she is one great trail horse however. I someday hope you get my own horse, and a good coach to show me way to horsie enlightenment. But until then, I remain a horseless kid who just dreams of someday being a better rider. Am I the only one out there in this boat?!
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Fish Cheeks
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Hmmm, I think I'm a 6.5 maybe. It is hard to say because I want to be better, and no one is ever a 10 I think, but I feel like I'm competent enough to get the job done, and sometimes with finesse :lol: . I can *knock wood* sit a buck or other naughty behaviors, I can ride bareback and not fall off, I can gallop around with confidence, and I think my flatwork is pretty decent. Of course it all depends on the horse, doesn't it? I wish I were a more relaxed rider over fences and I certainly have a lot of progress to be made there! I'd say I'm a 5 over fences and a 7 on the flat. Maybe. I guess. Ack, who knows!!! :huh:
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Baileygreyhorse
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Schooling
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Gosh, this is a hard one. I guess I'd rate myself about a 5.5 or 6. Better than average, but not much better. I've not ridden a lot of different horses or with a lot of different trainers, both of which can make a more skilled rider. For now, I'm enjoying my horses' retirements.
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Trialbyfire
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Hmm...I would have to say if Bailey calls herself a 5.5/6.0 and that's her picture in her avatar, then I can't be better than a 2! :unsure:

I'm an adult beginner and took lessons from a lazy trainer with only partially trained ponies and horses for about a year. Got the basics but barely. Then found a great barn and a trainer in August and take weekly lessons. So I can competently walk, turn, trot to the correct diagonal and in circles and serpentines, pick up and sit to the canter on a well-trained horse, but run into it very sloppily on a less trained horse....probably can reasonably hold my canter position for 1-2 trips around the arena before it all goes to hell. <_< I can't sit to the trot to save my life, and have not even thought about changing leads while cantering. Someday. I'd love to do a little jumping just for fun but I know I'm not ready yet!

Any other adult beginners here? I agree that it sounds like there are some fabulous riders here!
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2hsmommy
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It'll be an adventure! We're going on an adventure!
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Hmmm, I'd have to say I'll rate myself a 3-4. I've got a pretty solid seat and decent hands and legs. Fences are my bodys nemisis. I can't seem to get them right 1 out of 4 is good :P
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Baileygreyhorse
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Schooling
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Trialbyfire
Jan 16 2007, 06:07 PM
Hmm...I would have to say if Bailey calls herself a 5.5/6.0 and that's her picture in her avatar, then I can't be better than a 2!  :unsure: 


Trialbyfire! Ha! If you could have seen the approach to that jump. It was FUGLY. Bailey was on a cross-canter down hill and I saw NO spot. I grabbed mane and closed my eyes. Turns out that is the best pic we have ever had. That horse was an XC machine. Don't even ask about our flatwork. :innocent:
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justkidding
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whoa, this one is tough.

i think it differs from barn to barn and disipline to discipline.
i may be a 7 equitation rider (hunters) but a 2 in eventing or a 1 in dressage.
i've only ridden cross country once (but i stayed on!!) and never ridden dressage.

for all around, i give myself a 5.45, nice and medium, because i haven't done it all yet.

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onthebit
Off visiting Candy Cave, be right back.
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I would put myself right in the middle at a 5. At different times in my life I have been a better rider than I am now! I have started greenies, shown in the hunters, jumpers and eq. with some success, and did some low level eventing with some success last year. I've successfully ridden hot horses, laid back horses, a stopper!, spookers, etc. My weaknesses would be in the areas of polish and finesse, and certainly I don't feel qualified to teach anyone but beginners.
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Due's Mom
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Shunnnnn the unbeliever. Shunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
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Well, I think that I used to be a 7 when the body was willing. I was a graduate B Pony Clubber and would have taken my A but aged out too soon. I showed, trained, taught, foxhunted .....all that held me back were money and health issues

I grew up riding all kinds of horses...whatever came off of the truck. I did the best with what I had available to me at the time

Now, I have back issues and "I think too much" issues but am slowly trying to get back into the swing of things....now if all of us can stay sound at the same time

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Just My Style
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We're on a bridge, Chaaaaaaaaarlie!
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I am an expert, if you are counting farting around in my own backyard. :psycho:

But really- I have been riding for 28 years and had my horses at home for 22 of those years. As a kid, I rode with an "A" h/j barn and got to train with some amazing people and ride some top pony and junior hunters. I also spent some time working at a racing farm breaking babies and exercising on the track. And I have spent my fair share of time riding greenies and OTTB's. Now I am all grown up. I haven't shown in years and I can't remember my last lesson. So, I think I still have a lot of general horse knowledge and am a decent rider most of the time. No doubt, I could stand a lesson or two to perk things up. So I would rate my horsemanship at about a 7. My equitation is probably more around a 4. :woot:
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Onelanerode
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I think if I could rate myself in different areas, it would be interesting. ;) Just general flatwork, probably a 6.5. Start adding serious dressage into that and the score drops to a 5 or so. O/F (hunters) ... a 5.5. O/F XC ... a 4 or so. I haven't quite gotten the confidence to gallop down to a fence ... being a hunter convert, that just feels so weird and out of control, even when it's not.

Horsemanship I'd say a 6 or 7. I've been riding/working around horses for 18 years, taken lots of lessons, leased horses, worked for a local BNT as a groom, taken college-level courses in equine management and breeding, and read a lot. Still -- I know enough to know there is a LOT I don't know. I wouldn't feel comfortable keeping a horse at home on my own yet.

So, I guess overall I'd give myself a 5 or 6.
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heineken
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Off visiting Candy Cave, be right back.
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Dressage: 3.5 (I can DO upper level stuff on a trained horse but can only teach my horses through 1st level really).
XC: 2. I evented thru prelim but I'm a BIG PUSSY and don't like the scary jumps
Hunters: 7. I'm pretty competent. I think if I lose the weight I want I'll be a far prettier picture and maybe even more effective.
Eq: Eeekkk! I USED to be a 6 or 7 but we'll call that a 5 on a GOOD day(see above about weight and fitness)
Trails/foxhunting etc: 5. I'm learning to be more brave since I've been trailriding with my balls to the wall foxhunting house mate!
Horsemanship: I'm probably a 7 or 8. I read a lot, listen well and try and ask my vet and farrier intelligent questions. It's my favorite part of having horses.

I started riding when I was 4 and I'm 30...with no break.
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elle T
We're on a bridge, Chaaaaaaaaarlie!
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I've ridden on and off since I was a kid. Never had my own horse. In college I rode IHSA. Then, I was a 7 for eq. on the flat. I rode everything and anything. Could ride without stirrups for insane lengths of time. Now I'm a 2 or 3 for fences and a 4 on the flat. I really don't think that I will improve until I get my own horse and can ride more than once a week in a lesson. Sigh... Someday. :sigh:
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horseless no more
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Magical Leopluridon
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wellll this is a difficult question as there are many variables to take into account.
Before marriage, kids, medical problems kicked in I would have to say in h/j probably a7 or 8 dressage probably a 5 or6....Xcountry/eventing mmm beofre chicken/OMG Im a mom now factor arrived probably a 4 at best...

Now however in all accounts physically i would probbly be a 3 if lucky a 3.5.. Mentally however probably still on the 7/8 level... as i I can stand/sit by a ring and still se take off and landing spots and know if someone is going to get over the jumps with 'style' or the horse or rider will end up crawling over it or rider ending up in dirt when the rider turns to jmp.

Eq I have not been very good at since I snapped my ankle in half just can not get that left ankle to flex to get heel to where it belongs.. so probably a 2 or 3 in eq.
But I cat explain to someone who to get their heels down...
so to many variables to factor in...


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SnackPack
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This is a hard question!

Back in the day I would've said about 7. I was very secure and could ride a lot of different types of horses.

These days I'm probably a 5. My eq is pretty decent and I can put in a polished round on a finished horse. But I fall apart a little on a difficult horse. I'm also a TERRIBLE catch rider over fences...I do okay on the flat. I have to ride a horse a few times o/f before things start clicking.

Horsemanship? A 7. My biggest holes there are wrapping/wound care. I've never really had to deal with injured horses (even soft tissue injuries), so I'm timid when it comes to that.
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