The sport of show-jumping is a true test for horse and rider. The aim of the horse and rider is to make it around a course of fences without dropping any rails. A show jumping course will typically have between 10 and 15 fences of varying levels of difficulty. Riders who clear their first round clear will be able to continue to the final “jump off.” For the jump off the course is shorter and the competition becomes more about speed and completing the course with the least number of penalties. If you are new to Show Jumping and struggling with the terminology in the bar, here are a few names you should be familiar with.
Verticals: An upright jump.
Triple bars: Three verticals placed together gradually increasing in height.
Liverpools: A a pool of water on the ground normally placed under a fence.
Combinations: A group of fences that are placed in close sequence to one another, usually one to two strides apart.
Walls: Walls are upright and solid, but are constructed so that they break if hit, preventing injury to the horse.