What does green mean to you?

[Gail&Merlin]

I know what it means to me, but if someone said the horse is a bit green what does it mean to you and to what extent? It seems to me the word green is being bandied around as an excuse for everything. To me green always meant technique and maybe level of skill.. over to you.

[chloe]

I picture a green horse as being babyish in its reactions to new situations.

[Lorraine L]

Like you, I used to hear the word Green to explain a lack of the 'level of skill'. Sadly nowadays Gail it is used to desribe a horse or pony with no schooling - in some cases, no education at all.
Over the years, i have watched many people who want a horse or pony which is a good natured, all rounder but fail to want to put the work in to achieve it.

Pony club ponies tend to attain the tag " Push button pony" due to the amount of work and education that the owners, instructors and club have put into them. I laugh when i hear about someone i know going to a dealers to look at what is described as " Just in from Ireland and a bit green " ( My advise....... don't go ) !

[joto]

green to me means uneducated often associated with young and jst backed but not necessarity, for example my 12 yr old arab is experienced with lots of things but not jumping, so if someone wanted to buy her as a x-country or jumping i would say she can jump but is green. They would then realise [ I hope] that they would need to teach her all about that particular aspect.
[ She isnt for sale BTW, its just an example].
Green broke would imply IMO that the horse was backed and ridden away but nothing else, ie it would need to be taught everything.

[bhpride]

Green = inexperienced in whichever (if all) areas stated

[jen1]

lack of handling, life ex[erience, and schooling, regardless of age

[lolamae]

To me, with regards to horses, Green, or Green Broke as it is more commonly termed here, means a horse that has been started under saddle but has very limited mileage, eg, it can walk and trot but that is about it.

Age is immaterial. I was told my mare was Green Broke when I bought her...aged 16!

Green (as grass) when referring to a person, is totally inexperienced at that particular job/skill/situation.

[specialsparkle3]

Green to me does not really mean uneducated or totally unschooled, to me it means unbalanced , and babyish and lacking in confidence, in new or strange situations. I don't see it as a term that can be used in the sense of how a horse behaves in hand, only under saddle.

[gem]

specialsparkle3 said:

Green to me does not really mean uneducated or totally unschooled, to me it means unbalanced , and babyish and lacking in confidence, in new or strange situations. I don't see it as a term that can be used in the sense of how a horse behaves in hand, only under saddle.

As usual agree entirely!!

[big e]

also another person that agrees with ss3

[jinks]

green means to me not experienced - my horse is 12 and is still green has little experience of anything really

[Cara & Jewel]

When I hear of a green horse, I don't automatically picture a young horse, I see a horse who lacks experience, confidence etc in whatever discipline/situation

[rj]

green means environmentally friendly = poos everywhere!!!
(agree with the others - not been there, done it or got the T-shirt)

[Emily+Meg]

specialsparkle3 said:

Green to me does not really mean uneducated or totally unschooled, to me it means unbalanced , and babyish and lacking in confidence, in new or strange situations. I don't see it as a term that can be used in the sense of how a horse behaves in hand, only under saddle.

same

[lindaandrascal]

Im with SS3 as well, and so nicely put!
Our horse Bramble to me is a bit green because her schooling is not what you would expect for a nearly ten year old, but thats because she wasnt backed until 8, and hasnt that many miles inder her girth. Shes inexperienced in most things.