How They Compete
Hunter
Horses in the hunter division are judged on both performance and conformation. When being shown over fences, hunters should maintain an even hunting pace, or a speed that would keep them up with the hounds and other horses in a foxhunt. Hunters should have a smooth, even style over the jumps. The jumps, or fences, used in the hunter classes simulate the types of obstacles that would be encountered in the hunting field, such as posts and rails and brush and stone walls. A horse is said to have jumped "clean" if no faults are scored against him. A fault is an error , such as knocking a jump down. In hunter classes, light touches by the horse are not counted except when elimination is difficult.