Why Knowing How Equestrian Scoring Works is Important
Whether you’re entering your first horse show, your child is participating in their first or you’re watching the sport from the sidelines, knowing how the scoring system works will help you determine how well you or the person you’re watching is doing. If you don’t understand what’s happening or why penalties are adding up, you may be frustrated and confused. With scoring knowledge in your mind, you’ll be better able to stay calm and see where the judges are taking points. Here are a few common events and the scoring parameters for each.
Show Jumping
Jumping is an event that shows how well a horse and rider can navigate a course filled with various jumping obstacles. Each course has a time it should be finished by, with riders being penalized for going over the time allotted. Faults are given based on obstacles that are knocked down from horse jump cups, wet feet in water obstacles and horse disobedience. Eliminations may occur if a rider falls off the horse, if a horse falls or if a horse continues to be disobedient. For first offenses, the loss is typically four faults. Later offenses add upwards of eight faults.
Dressage
Dressage competitions are meant to showcase the athletic ability of each horse. They will be asked to perform a prescribed set of movements that show flexibility, agility, fluidity and confidence. Using a zero to 10-point scale, five judges are tasked with awarding points for each movement and some transitions. The judges also work together to score four marks, which look at the position and form of the rider, freedom in the pacing of the horse, horse submission and horse impulsivity. Errors are deducted according to first, second or third times, with the third time being elimination. A final score is calculated by adding up each judges individual scores and dividing by five.
Eventing
Eventing competitions include jumping, dressage and cross-country. Judges look at the same abilities as in individual dressage and jumping events, but also look at cross-country. Cross-country is based on speed, with riders losing points by going over time. They can also lose points if the rider or horse falls or if the horse is disobedient and how often they are.
Now that you know some scoring basics, you can head to your next horse show event with the ability to look for what the judges see. The more you watch, the more you’ll be able to catch the mistakes and penalties that the judges notice.
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