EVERY show jumper knows the frustration of a careful round undone by a single pole. But what actually causes faults at amateur level?

A preliminary study by J. Williams, M. Perlo and Dr David Marlin set out to investigate the issue by analysing amateur show jumping rounds from 90cm to 120cm. While much existing research focuses on elite riders, this project looked specifically at amateur competition.

The researchers analysed more than 4,000 jumping efforts recorded during a British Show jumping competition. Overall, the results were encouraging: over 91% of fences were jumped clear. However, several factors significantly increased the likelihood of faults.

Balance and preparation

One of the most striking findings was the importance of the horse’s canter lead on approach. Horses arriving at a fence on the incorrect lead were around six times more likely to incur a fault, highlighting the importance of balance and preparation before take-off.

Fence type also played a role. Uprights produced almost twice as many faults as oxers. While oxers require scope and power, uprights demand greater accuracy, leaving little margin for error if the approach is slightly off.

Fence height

As expected, faults also increased as fence height rose. Classes around 100-105cm produced significantly more faults than those below 95cm, suggesting this level represents a step up in difficulty for many amateur combinations.

The study also noted that certain fences within courses produced more faults, indicating that course design, fence placement, and fence height can influence performance.

Although based on a single competition, the findings reinforce a familiar message for riders: clear rounds often depend on the fundamentals; rhythm, balance and arriving at the fence on the correct canter lead.

In amateur show jumping, it seems, the smallest details can still make the biggest difference.