The goal of competition is to cover a course with no faults within the time allowed; style is not a criterion. In general, it’s better to take a little too long and ride clean than to beat the clock but make a misstep along the way.

When any part of a fence is knocked down, the horse and rider receive 4 faults. If a horse steps in the water or on the water’s edge (called the “lathe”) of a water jump, the pair will receive 4 faults. The first time a refusal to jump occurs, the penalty is 3 faults. The second refusal is 6 faults and the third refusal will result in elimination. If horse or rider falls, the pair will be eliminated. There is also a penalty for exceeding the time allowed to complete the course. 1/4 of a time-fault is given for each second beyond the allowed time.

Infractions that result in disqualification include taking more than 60 seconds to jump an obstacle; missing a compulsory turning point; bypassing an obstacle; jumping an obstacle in the wrong order or from the wrong direction; or receiving unauthorized assistance.

Types of jumps
Jumps used in competition are either straight (vertical) fences and spread (wide) fences. The degree of difficulty depends on a jump’s height, width, construction and placement relative to other jumps.

Vertical: As the name implies, this is a straight up-and-down fence that has no spread or width to it. Although it may appear relatively simple to negotiate, it is actually one of the most difficult.

The Wall: Although this type of jump is constructed using lightweight materials, it’s designed to look like actual brick or stone walls. The top section of the wall features blocks that can be dislodged to result in a fault.

Spread: A spread is a general variety of jump that consists of fences with two or more vertical obstacles several feet apart, including triple bars and “oxers.” Of these, parallel oxers present the greatest difficulty.

Oxer: This jump consists of two elements in one jump to produce a spread. The parallel oxer, in which the front and back rails are of equal height, is considered the most difficult to jump.

Triple bar: This jump is another variety of spread fence that uses three elements of increasing heights. It is a fairly easy jump, although it can be rather wide.

Combination: This is a series of fences spaced one or two strides apart. There may be two or three fences involved and they can be of any type. Combinations are intended to pose one of the most demanding tests of the horse and rider’s athletic ability.

Water Jump: This consists of a low hedge on the leading edge of the jump, followed by a shallow pool of water. There is a white tape on the far side of the water that the horse must clear. The jump’s width, which spans 12 to 16 feet, makes it especially challenging.

Gate: This fence is a vertical made to appear solid through the use of planks, balustrades, gates or brush.