Combination: the first obstacle in a course that requires two or more leaps to complete.

• Combination: the first obstacle in a course that requires two or more leaps to complete.
• The first part of the combination is often vertical, which means you’ll have to jump over it and then immediately turn around before landing on an oxer (a pole with crossbars at each end). This is typically followed by a triple bar, which is just three fences standing side-by-side.

Derby: a jumping course that contains natural obstacles, such as water jumps and brush.

Derby: a jumping course that contains natural obstacles, such as water jumps and brush. The obstacles are usually more difficult than in other types of jumping. The course is designed to test the horse’s ability to jump without much time to prepare. It tests the horse’s ability to adapt quickly.

Direct Line: the shortest route between two points on a jumping course.

This is the most important part of the course. You should always try to take the direct line, which is the shortest route between two points on a jumping course. The horse will be able to jump higher and faster if you keep them moving in a straight line.

Distances: the space between fences

As you advance in the sport, you will notice that distances are measured differently. At lower levels, they are measured by the length of a horse’s stride (about 18 inches). However, at higher levels they are measured by meters or feet.

The rider with the fewest number of faults is awarded the distance cup and has his name engraved on it for life. Faults include:

• Time faults – exceeding time limit for each jump
• Fault-and-out rule – riding three consecutive jumps incorrectly (1st fence = 1 fault point; 2nd fence = 2 fault points; 3rd fence = disqualification)
• Lead change – jumping from one take-off side to another without changing leads (for example: over an oxer on both sides)
• Knockdowns – touching any part of a pole or bar with your mount’s body or saddle cloth while jumping

Distance Cup: a cup awarded to rider completing the course with the fewest number of faults.

The Distance Cup, which is awarded to the competitor with the fewest number of faults, is one of the most important prizes at show jumping competitions. This award is given after each rider has completed their course and it can mean a lot for riders looking to gain points for their team. The Distance Cup is also known as “the winning spot” because it shows you how well your horse did on that particular day.

The Distance Cup can be won in either two ways: by having a clean round or by having fewer faults than other competitors who also have clean rounds. To win the Distance Cup means that both you and your horse performed well in all areas of competition—jumping, course management and showing off!

Fence Judge: an official who is assigned to judge a particular fence in the course.

Fence judges are positioned near each obstacle, and they determine whether a horse has knocked down a rail, missed an obstacle or run through a gate. They also determine whether a horse has exceeded its maximum allowed time for the course.

Faults and Time Faults

Faults and Time Faults

The judge will be watching for you to make sure you don’t commit any faults. If you do, it will ruin your chances of winning. Here are some of the most common faults that can happen:

• Your horse goes out of control and jumps around without making any jumps (called “going out”). This is called a “fault” and could result in a 30 second penalty from the time keeper.
• Your horse knocks down an obstacle or knocks over another rider’s horse, which would also be considered a fault and could cost you valuable points if it happens too often during the course.

If there are multiple faults at once (like knocking down three fences), then this usually results in disqualification from competition—you’re done!

Fault-and-Out Rule

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Lead Change

Lead change is when the horse changes the lead leg he uses to land in show jumping. A horse can be quite comfortable if they have a pattern of landing with their right front foot first, but it may be more difficult for them to change this pattern. Lead changes can be dangerous if not done correctly.

Knockdown

Knockdown, or KD, is the most common fault a horse can make in jumping. In essence, it means that the top rail of an obstacle hits the ground and knocks over.

A KD can happen when:

• The horse hits the fence. If you are riding at a speed that is too fast for your horse to clear an obstacle safely, they will most likely hit it instead of clearing it (and thus incur a KD).
• The rider doesn’t have enough control over their horse to keep them from striking too hard into an obstacle. This may occur if you haven’t had time to get used to riding with your new animal yet; if you don’t know how much pressure he needs before takeoff; or if he suddenly changes direction midair thanks to his spookiness or skittishness.

Open Water Jump also called Canal or Ditch Jump. A trench filled with water and lined with flags used as a jump obstacle.

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Out of Stride

Another common jumping fault is “out of stride,” which occurs when a horse takes an extra stride or a shortened stride between two obstacles.

In show jumping, the rider has to be careful not to do any of these things that could cost him or her points in competition.