# What level rider am I



## sbe77 (Apr 8, 2013)

I have been riding for 4 years and need to know so as I can put it on an Application form,

I can:

walk- extended and medium
trot- extended and working, I know how to check diaganols.
canter- extended and medium and out on tracks
jump up to 70cm


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Beginner intermediate.

The fact that you can do the above on one horse does not mean you can do it on all.

For me the level of a rider is not when they can do a particular thing on one horse but when they can get it on all they ride and, riding different horses adds to experience.

At your age I had probably ridden over 50 different horses and ponies, mainly ponies. 
This was because I rode at a good riding school and always wanted to try something different. 
At 13 I was in the Pony Club Horse Trial team, at 14 had my PC 'B' test and the 'A' and BHSAI at 17.
My experience came from riding so many different horses.


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## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

Impossible to tell.

People have different standards of "skill level," there is no way to tell you that you will be an intermediate rider under the eyes of every single trainer you meet. Three trainers will tell you three different things.

That said, based on what you've stated, I would just write Intermediate on your form. They'll expect you to be able to ride, but won't be expecting too much of you.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

IME, if you're asking the question and you can make a list of all the things you can do then you're a beginner.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

verona1016 said:


> IME, if you're asking the question and you can make a list of all the things you can do then you're a beginner.


I don't even get this ^^ response. Was it supposed to be funny? Didn't come across that way to me. :shock:

Can you ride equally well with and without stirrups?
Have you ridden several different horses to the same level?
Do you ride well in those gaits bareback?
Have you done any groundwork?

Answers to these questions could move you up or down on the scale. Maybe if you took some videos of yourself doing these various things, people could give you a more accurate response.

Also, like someone already noted, different people will rate you differently just based on their own internal scale. So if you're submitting a resumé or CV, list your skills individually (but in a short paragraph, not long-winded). That will help them assign an accurate level to you they can appreciate.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I assume you can also catch, halter, tack a horse, groom it, load into a float/trailer, discipline it if it leads poorly, stop it if it spooks, get it to not balk, help it to stretch out and move a bit better. stop it reasonably well, get a canter depart from a walk, do serpentines with a fair change of bend, sit a trot and a canter. 

that would make a full intermediate rider, to me.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

What a person can get done on a 'compliant', obedient well-trained horse does not tell me anything about a person's riding ability. What a rider can get done on a horse that does NOT want to comply tells me how well they actually ride. 

*It takes a LOT more skill for a rider to make a poorly trained horse look good than it take for a well-trained horse to make a poor rider look good.

*Think about this for a while and you will be able to answer your own question.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

It really depends on what it is you're applying for - if its a job where the horses are all well trained and co-operative then your ability level should be OK - if its one where you're going to be expected to get on whatever comes on the yard and make it look good then that would change things a lot - unless that's what you're used too


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Oh heck...why over complicate things?

You've been riding 4 years....you're at................wait for it........level 4!

I've been riding 5 years....so I'm at level 5:wink:

See how easy that was?


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## TrailTraveler (Jan 4, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> I assume you can also catch, halter, tack a horse, groom it, load into a float/trailer, discipline it if it leads poorly, stop it if it spooks, get it to not balk, help it to stretch out and move a bit better. stop it reasonably well, get a canter depart from a walk, do serpentines with a fair change of bend, sit a trot and a canter.
> 
> that would make a full intermediate rider, to me.


^^ I can do all of this, but I still consider myself a beginner, primarily because I don't feel like I'm proficient with cues. My horse is very well trained, and I think sometimes she almost reads my mind. Truth told, she's probably reading my seat; but as a result, I don't _have to be_ proficient at cues to look half decent because my mare is so darned competent.

IMO, the key to being intermediate is that you should be able to ride a green-broke horse and make it look good. No way I could do that! Am I expecting too much of the term "intermediate?" :-|

So out of curiosity, I checked out what Pony Club says about its certifications; and I've decided that I would be working on my "B" level (because I'm afraid that I am capable of "undoing" a horse's education). If you're curious, here's their level guideline: Pony Club Certifications - US Pony Clubs


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## TrailTraveler (Jan 4, 2014)

Cherie said:


> What a person can get done on a 'compliant', obedient well-trained horse does not tell me anything about a person's riding ability. What a rider can get done on a horse that does NOT want to comply tells me how well they actually ride.
> 
> *It takes a LOT more skill for a rider to make a poorly trained horse look good than it take for a well-trained horse to make a poor rider look good.
> 
> *Think about this for a while and you will be able to answer your own question.


^^ THIS is brilliant!^^ Well said, Cherie. My sentiments exactly.


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## DanielDauphin (Mar 11, 2014)

You don't say what you are applying for, but I can say that in my experience, every single horse job that I ever tried for, the first thing they did was hand me a horse that they knew and I didn't 't. Every time! As an employer in the horse industry I'm the same way. It is an unfortunate truth, but 75% of the kids coming out of these "horse Colleges" aren't qualified to lead a horse down the barn isle and tie it up.
I will take practical, hands on experience over a piece of paper every time.

I don't say this to discourage you, but to give you a "Real World" point of view . I had an intern from William Woods for a summer. She and I got along well and still talk regularly. I went up there for her graduation and was shocked at how green most of those Seniors were at handling a horse.
Sorry if that was too long. Bottom line, they're gonna hand you a horse, and if they are any good, they'll know right away how far along you are so be blunt and honest. Nobody wants to deal with riders who have unrealistic lay inflated opinions of themselves, whereas many people will happily take on a green kids who works hard and can be molded exactly like they want.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

^^^^Its almost compulsory now to have a college certificate to get a horse job in the UK but I've had some first hand experience in the past with college students that has made me very cautious about their capability level with non-schoolmaster horses
The last horse we bought here had been at a college for a while and was sold on because the students were afraid of her and disliked her - we're still waiting for her to show us that side because we're now into year two & she's still a treasure to own


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## KnightsCopy (Apr 21, 2014)

I agree with everyone else's input, but judging just what you told us, and assuming you know a lot of the maintenance care and groundwork...intermediate.


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## Hidalgo13 (Dec 24, 2010)

Subbing, but yes sadly, unlike other sports, it's really hard to determine what level you are at because so many factors play into what you are capable of doing. 

If you've ridden horses of various ages, sizes, and difficulties without problem, then I would put intermediate. The person reading your application and judging your abilities can then assess whether you are lower or higher on the intermediate scale (in their eyes).


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## disastercupcake (Nov 24, 2012)

Personally, I don't think it matters one lick what you can do on/with a horse. 

What matters is *how well* you do it.


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## sbe77 (Apr 8, 2013)

I have done all this at a good/high standard on over 30 different ponies


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## sbe77 (Apr 8, 2013)

DanielDauphin said:


> You don't say what you are applying for, but I can say that in my experience, every single horse job that I ever tried for, the first thing they did was hand me a horse that they knew and I didn't 't. Every time! As an employer in the horse industry I'm the same way. It is an unfortunate truth, but 75% of the kids coming out of these "horse Colleges" aren't qualified to lead a horse down the barn isle and tie it up.
> I will take practical, hands on experience over a piece of paper every time.
> 
> I don't say this to discourage you, but to give you a "Real World" point of view . I had an intern from William Woods for a summer. She and I got along well and still talk regularly. I went up there for her graduation and was shocked at how green most of those Seniors were at handling a horse.
> Sorry if that was too long. Bottom line, they're gonna hand you a horse, and if they are any good, they'll know right away how far along you are so be blunt and honest. Nobody wants to deal with riders who have unrealistic lay inflated opinions of themselves, whereas many people will happily take on a green kids who works hard and can be molded exactly like they want.



No no, not for a job, it's for a horse camp, they need to know wat level I am so they can put me on a horse that suits my abilities


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## DanielDauphin (Mar 11, 2014)

Sounds like you are more competent than we were figuring! Good luck and enjoy camp. I'd doubt if a camp had anything that you'd have trouble with.


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