The knockdown of a fence, a refusal by the horse to jump a fence, or failure to complete the course within the time limit are all penalized by faults. A hunter can be any breed of horse which might be suitable for fox hunting. A hunter is judged on style, form and way of going, over plain fences resembling those encountered on a fox hunt, and on the flat, where no jumping is involved. A hunter should appear to be a very comfortable and enjoyable horse to ride. In an equitation class, the rider's position and ability to control the horse are judged, both over fences and on the flat.
Equitation is considered essential in developing the rider's basic skills.
To ensure the gradual progression of a horse's training, jumper classes increase in difficulty from one division to the next. An inexperienced horse begins in the preliminary division, moves on to the intermediate level, and finally to the open jumper classes, which are the most difficult. The experience level of the horse is decided by the amount of prize money it has won. There are also jumper classes which depend on the rider. A junior is a rider who has not passed their 18th birthday as of January 1 of the current year, an amateur owner owns their horse and rides for pleasure, while an owner jumper class is for riders who own the horse and have not recently competed at higher level international competitions.