Different riding levels, and their breakdowns.
🐴 Rider Level Guide
Each horse on our website is marked with a colored heart to help you quickly identify the rider level we feel is the best fit for that horse.
💚 KID SAFE – Suitable for children and riders looking for a gentle, dependable horse.
💛 BEGINNER SAFE – Suitable for beginner riders looking for a quiet, forgiving horse.
🧡 ADVANCED BEGINNER – Best for riders with basic riding skills who are comfortable giving clear cues.
🩷 INTERMEDIATE – Best for confident riders with solid riding skills and good control.
❤️ ADVANCED – Best suited for experienced riders with strong horsemanship skills.
💚 Kid Safe
A Kid Safe horse is one we feel is suitable for a child based on the horse’s temperament, experience, and forgiving nature. These horses are generally patient, dependable, and tolerant of the small mistakes children may make while learning to ride.
💛 Beginner Safe
A Beginner Safe horse is suitable for riders with little riding experience. These horses are generally quiet, dependable, and forgiving of imperfect balance or mixed cues. They are the type we feel can help a new rider build confidence while learning the basics.
🧡 Advanced Beginner
An Advanced Beginner rider understands the basic cues for steering, stopping, and controlling their horse and has developed some confidence in the saddle. Horses at this level may be more responsive, forward, or require clearer cues from their rider.
These horses can be wonderful partners, but they are better suited for someone who understands how their cues affect the horse.
🩷 Intermediate
An Intermediate rider is comfortable riding independently and has good control at the walk, trot, and lope. They understand how to give clear cues and are comfortable riding a horse that may be more responsive or require more direction and confidence from its rider.
❤️ Advanced
An Advanced rider has strong horsemanship skills, balance, confidence, and experience riding a variety of horses. They are comfortable working with horses that may be more sensitive, forward, green, or require an experienced rider.
Please remember: Rider levels are intended as a guide. Every horse and rider combination is different, which is why we encourage buyers to come meet, ride, and spend time with a horse before deciding if they are the right match.
