Eventing
This particular branch of equestrianism refers to a competition that comprises of three disciplines (like an equestrian triathlon!) – dressage, cross country and show jumping. Typically, this would take place over three days, known as ‘three day eventing’, but ‘two day events’ and ‘one day events’ are also common. Eventing is also commonly known as ‘horse trials’. There is also branch of eventing known as ‘combined training/test’ that is more common at lower level competitions (such as those organised by the pony club) and training events – this discipline encompasses dressage and show jumping only, choosing to leave out the cross country phase due to its specific nature and difficult training/practice.  

The Events
Dressage– this is always the first event. The point of including it in eventing is to prove that a supremely fit horse, capable of completing a cross country course, also has the training to perform a complicated test in a graceful and relaxed way. It is a challenge for both horse and rider and requires skill and knowledge from both parties. At their highest level, these tests may reach complicated movements such as direct transitions (canter to halt) defined lateral work (half pass and shoulder ins) and extended and collected paces. The tests will not reach Grand Prix Levels.
The rules of dressage eventing are as follows:

• Once the bell rings the rider is allowed 45 seconds to enter the ring/begin the test, otherwise they are eliminated.
• If all four feet exit the marked arena at any point during the test after this 45 seconds then the horse and rider are eliminated.
• Any movement that takes more than 20 seconds to induce due to resistance from the horse results in elimination
• The first error on the test results in 2 marks being taken away from the final score. The 2nd error accounts for a further 4 and if a 3rd error occurs the horse is eliminated.

For more information on dressage, please click here.

Cross Country – depending on the level of competition this phase consists of between 12 and 30 fences on an outdoor circuit. Fences are large and made from natural materials. Both riders and horses have to be supremely fit to complete a cross country course, as at eventing level, they are at their most complex and exhausting, with large, solid fences and long gallops in between. Riders and horses are required to cross the finish line within an ‘optimum time’ or else risk time penalties.
As of 2008 after major injuries at several high status events, a new rule specified that failure to ride with a medical armband resulted in elimination and a $250 fine.
For more information on cross country and the rules, please click here.

Show Jumping – This element tests the technical ability of horse and rider as it includes enormous fences, difficult combinations and tight turns. In addition to the already high level of skill required, horses and riders are also being tested on their fitness, endurance and strength as the jumping section is always the last event, occurring after the tiring days of dressage and cross country. In 2 day events however, the dressage and show jumping will take place on the same day.
For more information on show jumping and rules, please click here.

Some current high-status Horse Trials:
Rolex Kentucky
Badminton Horse Trials
Burghley Horse Trials

The Penalty Point System weighs in favor of cross country, with it being said that this is the heart of eventing. This is followed by dressage, then by jumping, with the ratio being approximately 12:3:1. Therefore, any mistakes made on the cross country course are especially costly, hence why there are so many withdrawals at the refusal of a fence etc. This system converts the dressage score and all jump penalties on cross-country and show jumping into penalty points, with the horse and rider with the fewest number of points winning the event. The point of this system is to prevent horses that are simply good at show jumping or dressage (which many horses are bred to do) from winning the event when they have a poor cross country round. It is argued that cross country presents a much bigger challenge and requires far more skill to be ridden successfully.
Dressage is weighted more favorably owing to its relationship to the new style of cross country course. Until around the year 2000, there were no such things as combinations. When these were introduced, a horse had to be more than just brave and athletic, but have a good deal of technical dressage training to be able to negotiate odd distances, sharp corners and odd strides. Furthermore, as the jumps began to go up to even bigger a height, more pressure was exerted on the horse’s hindquarters so that it may jump more fluently in a better shape. The development of muscles in the hindquarters to make this possible comes from extensive dressage training.