Have I learned enough in two years

[Orimi]

Hello,
I'm really unsure if I'm good at horse riding. I have one lesson a week for half an hour. I have been riding for a year since I broke my arm(horse decided to mump THROUGH the hand sized gate smashed it but she's still my bae) 16 weeks no riding then moving equestrians 10 weeks.

I can pretty easily canter 50 jumps trot and walk well. I know the responsibilities of a horse and how to look after it. I can go over polls I cx an trot without stirrups. I wasted at least half of that years at the worst equestrian ever... 6 months wasn't allowed of lead rein!! The horses were to tame since they were all meant for little kiddies wasn't pony club approved and you weren't allowed to jump without a body protector, and we just trotted aroud due to the inactivity of the horse they wouldent get into canter... help... am I a good horse rider

 

[selside]

Hi. I'm not sure what you expect us to say when we know nothing about you and haven't seen you ride.
A riding centre may keep you on the lead rein because you are not good enough to go off it.
Or maybe because they mainly do simple children's rides as you say.
Wearing a body protector jumping is for your safety. You often have to wear one to compete anyway.
Horses and ponies for beginners are often quiet and slow. Or it could be that you can't get them going properly!

I'm glad you have found a better place to ride now. If you want some help about something specific then please ask. Why not tell us a bit more about yourself - how old you are, what you want to do with your riding in the future?

Just don't expect us to be able to tell how good a rider you from a s few sentences you've written. It sounds like you are making a good start though.

 

[tikkitti]

It's almost impossible to give a opinion on your riding ability without seeing you ride. What I will say is I'm 38, got my 1st pony to ride on lead rein at 2 and have been around horses since birth, I've had some proud moments and not so proud ones I've rode naughty horses and gorgeous polite and well mannered ones. Ultimately with horses you never stop learning and when you think you've learnt it all there's always a horse that pops up that happily takes you down a few pegs or a issue arises that you realise you need a vet as it beyond your knowledge. Horsemanship is a life long journey and the more time you spend around horses the more you will learn and improve, read lots, listen lots ask lots of questions and most of all enjoy yourself x

 

[Skib]

When you ask if is enough , are you asking for us to comment on the riding school?

 

[Hope Price]

Saying if you are a good horse rider or not isn't about what you can do honestly. Sure someone can jump 3ft but they can still be a bad rider, It is much more complicated then that, Do you understand what the horse is telling you? Can you communicate to your horse clearly? There is so many more questions I could ask but until I see you ride and am able to watch how you are around your companion I won't know

 

[Trewsers]

Echo everyone else, we need to know a bit more.....

 

[chunky monkey]

It all depends. I have been riding approximately 15 years and owned a horse for 11. I'm afraid Im still a novice. It is only in the last 18 months since having a second horse that I realise how little I really know.
My first horse is an easy going chilled lad. Get on and ride. I've done lots of hacks, been to funrides jumping him but it doesn't make me a good rider. Sure I can ride.
However, I have only just started understanding about leg yielding, bending, contact. Theses are basic things to riding but even after this many years riding I'm only just starting to learn them.

 

[Taffie]

I read your post as: if you were wondering whether your experience of learning to ride in the last year has been enough to make you a competent rider?
I can't answer that, as I'm a learner, but I can give you my experience in a similar timescale, and perhaps an idea of how I feel I have progressed as a comparison?
I started riding after a 30+year absence around 16 months ago, having an hour most weeks one to one lessons. I have never been put on a lead rein. From the start I was taught about aids; how pressure makes a horse move, we did leg yield, shoulder/haunches in, bending, circles etc very early on and I was taught to control the horse with seat and legs rather than reins. I can walk, trot, canter and school lots of shapes and transitions - and am just learning to pop over low poles. My main reason for riding is to get out into the countryside and enjoy the view and the wind in my hair, I'm not really into competing, but have just done a dressage comp with my daughter (to encourage her really). I now have the mare I learnt on, on loan from my RI and I hack and trail ride regularly, up to 12 miles, on my own and in groups, and canter in open country (hence learning low jumps in case of obstacles).
But I still have lessons and do schooling and I think confidence comes from that. It helps also that I've been encouraged to just spend time grooming and faffing about with my horse and learning about her needs really. So I wouldn't say "I am good at horse riding", but I would say I am competent enough to be safe and have fun, whilst still learning. Does that make sense?

 

[Skib]

The lead rein is a problem - Negative. But lunge line and lunge lessons are good. It is all in the vocabulary.