AMERICAN HORSE SHOW ASSOCIATION (AHSA) - The US national federation, which regulates national competitions, and prepares and tests American judges. The AHSA formulates all the dressage tests used in the US at the four national levels.

AHSA JUMPER SEAT EQUITATION MEDAL - A year-long horsemanship competition for junior riders which culminates at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA, each October. Riders must qualify for the Finals by winning a specified number of AHSA Medal classes throughout the year.

AMATEUR-OWNED - Divisions which are restricted to non-professional adult riders who ride horses owned by themselves or family members.

ASPCA MACLAY CLASS - A year-long horsemanship competition which culminates at the National Horse Show each November. Riders must qualify for the Maclay Finals by winning a specified number of ASPCA Maclay classes throughout the year.

CLEAN ROUND - when a horse completes the prescribed course within the time allowed, without incurring jumping faults. When more than one horse has a "clean round" a jump-off occurs.

COMBINATION - Two or three jumps set up so they must be one or two strides. A combination is considered to be a single obstacle. If a horse stops or runs out at any element of the combination (elements are lettered A, B, C), the entire obstacle much be re-jumped.

COURSE - In each jumping class, competitors must negotiate the jumps in a prescribed order. Courses for each class are posted in advance.

EQUITATION - Classes in which the rider, not the horse, is judged. The rider must demonstrate a good seat and hands, and sufficient required tests, either over fences or on the flat, in a smooth, controlled and accurate manner. Riders are classified according to their age and previous winning in equitation classes. Many of today's top riders were national equitation champions while juniors.

FAULT - Penalty assessed in jumper classes for mistakes such as knockdowns, refusals, and exceeding the time allowed.

GREEN - An inexperienced or unschooled horse. Term may be applied to rider as well.

HUNTER - Unlike jumpers, hunters are judged not only on their ability to negotiate obstacles but on the style in which they do so. They should display jumping ability, manners, style, and even pace and quality. They are generally thoroughbreds and should be representative of the type of horse that provides a safe and pleasant mount on a foxhound. Both working and conformation hunters are judged on their ability and performance. However, the confirmation hunter is also judged on its physical attributes and beauty. Green Hunters are inexperienced horses in their first or second year of showing. Pony hunters are 14.2 hands or smaller in size, and are judged by the same criteria as other hunters, junior hunters and children's hunters are judged in the same way but with particular restrictions depending on class specifications.

INTERMEDIATE - A second level jumper between the Preliminary (beginning) and Open (advanced) stages of development in Jumper competition.

JUMPERS - Jumpers are judged solely on their ability to jump obstacles. They need not be any special breed or size, nor do they need to be beautiful, well-mannered or stylish. They are required to complete a course or approximately 16 obstacles ranging in height from 3'6" to 5' or more with spreads of up to 6' depending on the division in which they compete. Preliminary, Intermediate and Open jumpers are classified according to the amount of prize money they have won; they may be ridden by amateurs and juniors as well as professionals. Amateur-Owner jumpers must be ridden by amateur riders only. Junior jumpers must be ridden by riders under 18 year old.

JUMP-OFF - Competitors tied for first place after the first round of a jumper class "jump off" in a subsequent timed round. The winner of the class is the one with the fewest faults and the fastest time over this shortened course.

JUNIOR - a rider under 18 year of age.

KNOCKDOWN - An obstacle is considered knocked down when a horse or rider, by contact, lowers any element which establishes the height of an obstacle. Interestingly, should the horse dislodge an element of the jump, as a result, does not lower the height of the jump, no jumping faults will be incurred.

LIVERPOOL - An obstacle containing a water element at its base.

OFF COURSE - A horse is considered "off course" if it deviates from the course as outlined on the posted diagram.

OPEN - Advanced division in which competitors are not restricted by previous winnings.

OXER - A single fence composed of two or three elements to product a spread. A square oxer is one in which the front and back rails are equal height making it much more difficult to jump.

PONY - Equine 14.2 hands or under.

PRELIMINARY - A jumper at the first level of development who has won less than $3,000

RAILS - The horizontal wooden poles used to create an obstacle. The upright section that holds the rail is called "standard."

REFUSAL - When a horse stops before an obstacle or runs out to the side ("run-out") to avoid negotiating the obstacle. Although considered a disobedience of the horse, refusals are considered the fault of the rider. Like a knockdown, a refusal incurs faults.

ROUND - Or "go." A rider's turn in each class or event, usually used in a jumping class.

SCHOOLING - The warm-up session prior to each rider's round in which they jump practice fences in schooling area.

SPREAD FENCE - A jumping obstacle with width. A horse must jump out as well as up to clear the fence. Also called "oxer." See "vertical."

STRIDE - The amount of ground the horse covers in one "step" is called the horse's stride. At the canter, the average single stride of the horse is 12 feet. Jumper riders will often walk the distance between obstacles on a course to determine how many strides their horses will take to cover that distance.

STANDARDS - The various types of supports which hold up the rails of jump.

TRAINER - The trainer is the person responsible for overall picture. They are the ones who decide the training program for each horse and each rider as well as matching the right rider. It is the trainer's job to know how the farrier is shoeing the horse, what health program the horse maintains, if the groom is spending enough time with each horse - and of course, to know each horse and rider and what works best for all concerned.

USET - United States Equestrian Team. The organization they fields teams to represent the United States in international competition for show jumping, evening, dressage, and driving.

VERTICAL - A fence with no spread element. It requires the horse to make a steep arc in its effort to clear the obstacle.

WALKING THE COURSE - Riders and horses may not practice on a course prior to actual competition, but they are permitted to walk out the route pacing off the number of strides between jumps and examining the obstacles closely. it is a course designer's job to set up problems. Riders and trainers must determine where these are in a course and plan their strategy accordingly.

WATER JUMP - In three day eventing, an obstacle that includes a large pool, about 18" deep, into which the horse jumps and gallops out of, usually in landing from an initial obstacle of the jumping effort. In show jumping, an obstacle, usually a shallow water-filled ditch approximately 10-14 feet in length, over which the horse jumps.