The difference between riding and knowing how to ride

Despite the many disciplines and wacko ways people have discovered they can make a name, living or horse work there are actually only two types of riders.

Those who can ride and those who know how to ride.

Those who can ride. They are dictated to quite strictly and learn from another accomplished rider. They never take the horse out by themselves without first learning how to do the task on hand. If they never jumped they take lessons on jumping. If they never chased a cow they go in pursuit of a western saddle and a cowboy. Basically before they do it they must learn how.
You see a lot of them at shows. Even though I've never taken many lessons I realized this year I don't feel so bad about it. The judge does not know who has what trainer and who's horse is better bred because it's about how you ride and your horse moves. I didn't go to as many shows this year as I usually do but I sure as hell got a lot of ribbons. It kind of makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Knowing how to ride is something totally different. Maybe you started out with lessons, but either way this is something that is rarely ever taught to someone, if ever.
You are born with it. A sense inside of your very being. Even if you don't know it right from birth it is inside of you waiting to get a knock on the door of horsemanship. Some people get that knock when they get on their first horse to others it may come late in life.

A lot of us who know how to ride never even had riding lessons. We got on the back of a horse and they taught us what we needed to know. In a bad situation we can answer our own questions, solve the problem and get on with our day. If we never jumped before we try it. If we like it we take lessons. I want to see more people like this in the world.

Those who know how to ride rarely know what to do in a scary, new or difficult situation. They look for help and ask other people. Even though they may not know what to do now, someday they may get that proverbial knock on horsemanships door and open their eyes to a whole new way of riding.