how to avoid elimination
at our horse trials

EQUIPMENT
Be sure you know what equipment is acceptable for you and your horse for each phase. We follow USEA rules, so borrow a rule book if you don't have one and make sure everything you are using is allowed. For example, correct bitting for the dressage phase is a common snafu, so check it all out.

SOUNDNESS
Your horse must be sound to compete.  Judges and Technical Delegates must act on unsoundnesses (lamenesses) that they see that day and eliminate you.  If your horse has come up lame (oh no!) prior to the event, please call and scratch.  We can usually give you a refund or a credit towards another event and you can come and play in the future when your horse is 100%.

UNAUTHORIZED ASSISTANCE
This means no one else can ride your horse in a warm-up, your friends cannot point the way for you on the cross-country course, nor can your trainer whisper suggestions as you do your dressage test. This is your day...show us what YOU can do! Remember to remind your family, friends and trainer before you ride NOT to talk to you when you are being judged. Don't let them disqualify you!

ABUSE
While there is a certain amount of subjectivity to this topic, be smart and thoughtful, and don't go anywhere near it. Improper or excessive use of the whip will rightly get you eliminated, so take a deep breath and handle a disobedience calmly. There is always another day.

SAFETY
ASTM-approved helmets with harnesses are required in all phases and by everyone riding anywhere on the grounds. Protective vests are required for the cross-country phase and are allowed in the stadium phase as well. We also require the use of the identification armbands sold by the USEA and we want you to have your identifcation and any medical information on you at all times.

Here are some common reasons for elimination in each of the phases:

DRESSAGE

• All four feet stepping out of the chain ring.
• Having your test called. Be sure to memorize the correct test thoroughly.
• Horse wearing illegal items such as leg wraps of any kind or martingales.

CROSS-COUNTRY

• Jumping a warm-up fence (or any fence) in the wrong direction. Remember, keep the red marker to the right for everyone's safety! This also applies to stadium.
• Jumping the wrong fence or the wrong part of a fence, jumping the fences in the wrong order or jumping a fence twice. These are the most common reasons for unnecessary elimination. If there is a difference between the course map and how the fences are flagged, be sure to know what is correct (generally, it is the way it is flagged). In the excitement of the day, riders have been known to jump the wrong side of our multi-height fences and not even know it!
• Three refusals at any one fence or four refusals (new for 2007) on the whole course.
• First fall of horse OR rider (new for 2008). You will be eliminated and must walk off the course.  At the discretion of the TD or ground jury ONLY, you may be allowed to ride in the Stadium phase provided there are no safety, injury and/or lameness issues for the horse or rider.
• Not crossing the finish line. You've done great, so be sure to go between those last markers!
• Lack of good manners, such as not allowing another horse to pass, failure to stop when signalled, or cutting through the course before starting or after finishing.

STADIUM JUMPING

• Beginning before the starting signal is given. Listen for that whistle!
• Three disobediences in the whole test.  You may be allowed to take ONE courtesy fence ONLY with permission of the judge after being eliminated.
• Fall of rider (new for 2007).  NO courtesy fence is allowed and rider must walk off course, whether on foot or re-mounted. 
• Jumping an obstacle in the wrong order or direction, or missing a jump. Be sure to know your course solidly and ask if you have any questions.
• Failure to retake an entire combination (fences listed as A and B of the same number) if you have a refusal at one part of it.
• Not crossing the start and finish lines.

Now, don't be overwhelmed, you can avoid many of these problems just by being prepared and calm. Remember, you are competing for the fun and pleasure of time with your horse, and to test your skills as a team on any given day. Should the unfortunate "E" word enter into your day, we will allow you to continue in the other phases (other than for soundness or abuse reasons) for the experience. So, head on out there and have a great time!