A good match starts with a rider understanding that knowledge is ever gathered.
A good match starts with a rider understanding that knowledge is ever gathered. Most issues encountered with horses result from an owner/rider who is not ready for the level of their selected mount.
Heart of Phoenix has his helpful guide to better understand where YOU are as a rider, and we have added numbers in each horse’s posting, so you know whether the horse can work for your level. If you’re working with a trainer, choosing a horse slightly above your level is okay. Heart of Phoenix offers some clinics and classes to help you learn, but we always recommend a path of continued education, regardless of your level. While it is true that what an exact 1 or 2 or 7 or 9 means varies person to person, this is helpful, we hope.
A GENERAL GUIDE is below.
We realize everyone had weaknesses and strengths, and opinions from professionals may vary, so this is intended as a helper for you only if you’re planning to adopt from HOP.
Level 1-2 (Pre-beginner through Beginner)
A Rider that falls in the level 1 or 2 has very limited to no equine
experience. These individuals lack proficiency in basic groundwork skills
such as catching a horse, halter, leading, grooming, or tacking a horse.
Their experience is likely limited to riding on guided trail rides or one
or two beginner lessons.
These riders have not yet learned the ability to post or how to correctly
guide the horse with their aids.
Horsemanship at a level 1 or 2 would be learning to identify correct
way of moving in a horse, the different gaits of the horse, and basic
first aid and care of the horse. Overall these riders would be
successful learning to walk and trot under the watchful eye of a
trainer on a beginner level school horse.
Levels 3-4 (Advanced Beginner to Experienced Beginner)
A Rider that falls in the level 3 or 4 category has had moderate exposure
to the equine industry. This rider is now capable of adequately performing
the basic groundwork skills haltering, leading, grooming, and tacking a
horse. This rider is now comfortable riding at the walk, trot (English
riders would be comfortable posting and identifying the correct diagonal),
and may be learning the canter.
A rider at the end of the level 4 is quite
confident cantering, and would have learned how to identify the leads.
These riders are still most comfortable on a steady, reliable, trained
horse. Horsemanship at a level 3 or 4 would have more experience and
ability to recognize simple body language of the horse, obvious lameness,
and beginning to develop an eye for correct conformation in a horse. They
will have some experience in loading horses, but not experience with green
or unpredictable horses.
Levels 5-6 (Intermediate to Strong Intermediate)
A Rider in the level 5-6 categories has graduated from the basics and
is delving deeper into the skill set necessary to enhance their horse and
partnership. They are comfortable and confident at the gaits, and are
working on developing an independent seat, quiet hands, and subtle aids.
An intermediate rider would also start to branch into the more specialized
disciplines – jumping, dressage, etc. These riders are now able to
effectively influence a horse, and can identify issues in their riding
and horses way of go, and either correct them or continue with lessons
to address them.
These riders typically have many years of experience,
lessons, and would be able to handle a horse that is considered
inexperienced. Level 5 and 6 riders have ridden multiple different
types of horses and are comfortable adapting to the horses needs.
Horsemanship at level 5 or 6 would build on the level 3 and 4 knowledge,
fine tuning their skills to understand more subtle body language, identify
lameness/illnesses before they got to be a big problem, and an
understanding of conformation and its relation to performance.
They are confident in loading horses, and they are capable of
utilizing groundwork to train horses.
Levels 7-8 (Experienced)
An experienced rider almost certainly is currently riding regularly,
possibly for quite a few hours daily. Advanced riders have ridden most
of their lives, have ridden horses of many backgrounds. They have often
had years of intense riding instruction. Generally, these riders have
competed successfully in the show world. They are able to ride most
equines. They can work with horses of any age and background.
This rider can usually offer lessons, train horses and teach on
equine issues of various types. This level of rider will typically
be very aware of unsoundness and horse conformation.
Levels 9-10 (Professional)
All of the mentioned abilities, plus an independent seat, soft hands,
and an ability to handle the green, untrained horse in open country.
Usually, level 9 will indicate a rider who is making their living in
a professional equine setting, possibility as a clinician. These are trainers, colt starting professionals, clinicians and
people competing at high levels in the equine show community. They are
able to teach both horse and rider and have themselves competed in high
level equine sport. We admit, level ten means you're a unicorn.
A Rider that falls in the level 1 or 2 has very limited to no equine experience. These individuals lack proficiency in basic groundwork skills such as catching a horse, halter, leading, grooming, or tacking a horse. Their experience is likely limited to riding on guided trail rides or one or two beginner lessons. These riders have not yet learned the ability to post or how to correctly guide the horse with their aids. Horsemanship at a level 1 or 2 would be learning to identify correct way of moving in a horse, the different gaits of the horse, and basic first aid and care of the horse. Overall these riders would be successful learning to walk and trot under the watchful eye of a trainer on a beginner level school horse.
A Rider that falls in the level 3 or 4 category has had moderate exposure to the equine industry. This rider is now capable of adequately performing the basic groundwork skills haltering, leading, grooming, and tacking a horse. This rider is now comfortable riding at the walk, trot (English riders would be comfortable posting and identifying the correct diagonal), and may be learning the canter. A rider at the end of the level 4 is quite confident cantering, and would have learned how to identify the leads. These riders are still most comfortable on a steady, reliable, trained horse. Horsemanship at a level 3 or 4 would have more experience and ability to recognize simple body language of the horse, obvious lameness, and beginning to develop an eye for correct conformation in a horse. They will have some experience in loading horses, but not experience with green or unpredictable horses.
A Rider in the level 5-6 categories has graduated from the basics and is delving deeper into the skill set necessary to enhance their horse and partnership. They are comfortable and confident at the gaits, and are working on developing an independent seat, quiet hands, and subtle aids. An intermediate rider would also start to branch into the more specialized disciplines – jumping, dressage, etc. These riders are now able to effectively influence a horse, and can identify issues in their riding and horses way of go, and either correct them or continue with lessons to address them. These riders typically have many years of experience, lessons, and would be able to handle a horse that is considered inexperienced. Level 5 and 6 riders have ridden multiple different types of horses and are comfortable adapting to the horses needs. Horsemanship at level 5 or 6 would build on the level 3 and 4 knowledge, fine tuning their skills to understand more subtle body language, identify lameness/illnesses before they got to be a big problem, and an understanding of conformation and its relation to performance. They are confident in loading horses, and they are capable of utilizing groundwork to train horses.
An experienced rider almost certainly is currently riding regularly, possibly for quite a few hours daily. Advanced riders have ridden most of their lives, have ridden horses of many backgrounds. They have often had years of intense riding instruction. Generally, these riders have competed successfully in the show world. They are able to ride most equines. They can work with horses of any age and background. This rider can usually offer lessons, train horses and teach on equine issues of various types. This level of rider will typically be very aware of unsoundness and horse conformation.
All of the mentioned abilities, plus an independent seat, soft hands, and an ability to handle the green, untrained horse in open country. Usually, level 9 will indicate a rider who is making their living in a professional equine setting, possibility as a clinician. These are trainers, colt starting professionals, clinicians and people competing at high levels in the equine show community. They are able to teach both horse and rider and have themselves competed in high level equine sport. We admit, level ten means you're a unicorn.
