Opinion on riding levels?

Do you think someone has to be able to work with dangerous or difficult horses to be accepted as a good rider? Or even a trainer?

Absolutely not. They're two totally different sides of training. Simply because a person is great with training a horse doesn't mean they'll be able to ride to the tops. Riding the horse and training it are very different. Riding is the application of learned cues, but training is the art of being able to teach those cues to the horse, so that any one that rides them will be able to illicit the same response.

Does experience with a certain type of horse make you a better horseman than someone without that experience?

And again, not at all. It can definitely improve a person's understanding and ability to communicate if they've had the chance to work with real problems, but it wouldn't make them any less a horseman if they are a *good* horseman to begin with. They simply lack the experience, or maybe even the ability, to work with horses who have training and behavioral issues. Because they haven't doesn't mean that they couldn't if presented with the opportunity.

On the other side, a person who works only -- or maybe just predominantly -- with problem horses isn't going to guarantee that person is a great rider, or that they could school a well-behaved horse in different arts.

It's like asking someone to be a jack of all trades. Everyone has things that they're great all, things they're good at, and things they just can't do. It applies to people who work with horses too. If not, you'd see a whole lot more people who breed, raise, train, ride, show, and win the tops on their own horses. And I'm talking, national and international levels. You just don't see that.

ETA: There's a definite lack of something around here, that's for sure.

I'm not surprised at all by a situation like that though. She could be a fabulous rider but it doesn't mean she's educated in fixing behavioral problems, and vise versa. I'm not an excellent rider by any means, and I enjoy working and training far more. You don't have to be a prim and proper rider to do that, imo.

Too often, there is too much confusion relative to riding vs training (or it seems I see a lot of it on here). You do not have to be able to work with dangerous or difficult horses in order to be a good rider. Most people who give "riding lessons" have very little knowledge of training horses and I cannot understand why people expect their riding instructor to be able to train their horse or give them advice on training issues. The terms "instructor and trainer" are not interchangeable.

If you have experience with difficult horses and have what I consider to be advanced horse handling skills, it absolutely makes you a better horseman than someone without that experience. That seems elementary to me.

When I see a horse that is having issues under saddle, it is my opinion that unless the problem is academic in nature, the problem cannot be "fixed" by "riding the kinks out". Looking at 99% of the issues people describe about their horses, it is all based upon the fact that the horse does not have basic foundation training. Behavioral issues under saddle are not usually resolved by miles only. It amazes me to hear people talk about riding horses with issues and how they "ride the bucks out" or "hang on for dear life because the horse is rearing or bolting" or they "can't stop my horse". Even more ponderous is people who cannot mount their horse by themselves or people who will not muck out a stall with their horse in the stall with them. Sorry, but I just don't get it. I would never ride a horse that had to be held by five cowboys in order for me to get on. Really? Does that make sense to you? If it does, please explain it to me. If it were me, I would be on the ground with these horses looking for the holes and then trying to resolve the issues at core level. Fix the problem, not the symptom is my thought process.

Behavioral issues are usually in horses that lack confidence or have issues with fear and/or trust. The fact that you may be able to earn the trust of those horses will likely have little effect when the owner gets back on. If the owner is lacking in confidence and is fearful of her horses, her horses can smell that and feel that from her and in short order, the problems may rear their ugly head again. The lady does not know what you know and the horses know all of that information. Make sense? Good luck with your efforts. It might help if you put the lady on one horse while you ride the other with her, then exchange, etc. Just a thought. Ride safe.

Not necessarily...though I think it does give you an edge. The more experience you have with all different kinds of horses - aggressive, calm, energetic, spooky, ponies, gaited, studs, drafts etc - the better, in my opinion.

The woman I am currently working with on project horses is an excellent excellent trainer. She's ridden and worked around all types of horses, for years. Hunter, upper level dressage, some reining and speed. She can point out flaws in riders or a problem a horse is having before anyone else. I really like her because of her way of thinking - "It's not the horse, it's me" like, what can I do to better myself as a rider and help the horse? to me that makes her a great rider.

Well, yes.

I think a "good rider" should be able to handle a difficult horse. I think a good trainer should be able to handle a difficult horse, and maybe even a dangerous one.

I think the best horsemen are well rounded individuals who can work with any type of horse! Someone who says "arabs are flaky" or "TBs are nuts" automatically informs me that they are not able to handle high spirited, hot, sensitive horses.

It stems from some ought to value and quantify themselves or some form of equestrian type expertise. human beings do not decide to be novices, they don't decide to be beginner, they decide to be experienced and knowledgeable. They regrettably additionally do not decide to attend or artwork for the required time to learn each and every of the certainty. whilst some time past, I taught instructions there have been 2 type types. beginner and greater. novices undeniable and easily ought to not administration their horses. they have been passengers and had little if any direct administration over how, whilst, the place and at what speed their horse moved. yet they have been gaining expertise of. greater riders, the place purely that riders, not passengers. They have been on top of issues ninety% of the time. they might value their horses, administration speed, cadence, gait. circulate laterally besides as forward and backwards. substitute leads, diagonals and transition easily. they might mount a different horse and accomplish as sturdy a overall performance as their very own horse, or the different horses widely used rider. They have been nonetheless gaining expertise of, knew it and enjoyed each and every 2nd of it. Its continuously pushed me nuts that the 2nd you place foot in a hack good or path using enterprise there is somebody desirous to appreciate what point rider you're. My inventory answer is. i'm a rider, not a passenger. i'm able to administration maximum horses in maximum circumstances and understand sufficient to bail out whilst i can not. And unavoidably there is often some youthful chippy there who spouts off with the 5 hundred issues she will do, has performed and optimistic has purely ever analyze in some text cloth. the suitable substitute into the lady claiming she had mastered the highschool of dressage yet yet could not regulate stirrups on a english saddle. ( her coach continuously did that)...