How a hunter class is judged: pace, manners and style, and the 28 faults USEF's rulebook lists

A hunter round looks quiet from the rail: a horse canters a course of fences at an even pace, and the best-looking, smoothest round wins. Behind that sits a short, specific piece of rulebook. This guide walks through what the US Equestrian (USEF) Hunter Division chapter, HU actually tells a judge to score. We read the 2026 edition (copyright 2026, with amendments approved by the USEF board on June 17, 2025 and effective December 1, 2025).

What the judge is told to look for

Rule HU123 defines performance in one line: "An even hunting pace, manners, jumping style together with faults and way of moving over the course." The same rule adds that manners are to be emphasized in Ladies and Amateur classes, and brilliance in Corinthian and Formal Hunting Attire classes. A general rule, HU128, says hunter classes are judged on performance, way of moving and soundness.

So the score rests on a few things you can watch for yourself:

• Pace: an even hunting pace, meaning the horse is not rushing or dropping away between fences.
• Manners: a horse that goes obediently, without spooking, bucking or playing.
• Jumping style: form over the fence, and whether the horse stays on the center of the jump.
• Way of moving: the quality of the gaits across the whole course.

When the class is held in a ring, HU123 says performance starts when the competitor enters and ends when they leave, so circling in and out of the ring counts as part of the round. Rule HU118 allows circling once on entering and once on leaving. In classics and classes on an outside course, HU118 says brilliance should be emphasized.

The fault list, by weight

Rule HU124 sorts faults into three tiers. We counted the lettered items in the 2026 text:

Tier	Items	Examples named in the rule
Scored by the judge's opinion, minor or major depending on severity or division	11	Rubbing the jump, swapping leads in a line, late lead changes, spooking, kicking up or out, jumping out of form, adding or eliminating a stride in a line
Always major faults	9	Knockdown, refusal, crossing the track, dangerous jumping, completely missing a lead change, breaking stride or trotting on course
Elimination	8	Three refusals, off course, bolting from the ring, fall of horse or rider, stopping for loss of shoe or broken equipment

Two details trip up spectators. First, the rule says "when a horse makes two faults at one obstacle only the major fault will be counted," although refusals count in addition (HU118). Second, a horse that trots on course is penalized as a major fault, except where the course diagram posts a trot jump or where a wrong lead is struck off on the courtesy circle, which may be corrected with a simple or flying change (HU124).

The rulebook also tells judges to penalize unsafe jumping and bad form over fences "whether touched or untouched" (HU118). A clean round with an awkward, flat jump can lose to a rail-free round with better form.

What "crossing the track" means

This one is often misunderstood. Under HU124, a track begins once the horse has landed from a fence and runs until the next fence is jumped. Crossing it between obstacles is a disobedience and a major fault. Exceptions are a course diagram that requires it, and snake or multiple-panel jumps taken consecutively. In practice it is why riders plan their turns so carefully.

Under saddle and hack classes

There are no fences in an Under Saddle class. HU129 says horses are shown at a walk, trot and canter both ways of the ring. Light contact with the mouth is required, and "horses should be obedient, alert, responsive and move freely." They should not be eliminated for slight errors. Judges may ask horses to hand gallop together, one way of the ring, with no more than eight at a time (green classes and the Hunter National Championships are treated differently in the rule).

The 2026 text also sets a limit on group size: judges must work competitors in groups of 20 or fewer, or, with a larger group, work them in one direction, line up their selected competitors, and excuse the rest before judging the selected ones in the second direction. This is part of the language the USEF amended effective December 1, 2025.

Soundness and conformation

Every horse considered for an award must be serviceably sound, and in most over-fences classes it must jog for soundness (HU121, HU118). Show management has to state in the prize list which of two jog methods it will use. In Option A the horse trots a circle on a loose rein at the end of its round, and in Option B horses are jogged together in the judge's order of preference. An unsound horse is ineligible for an award, and "the judge's decision regarding soundness is final." Some sections do not require a jog, such as Young Hunter, Small Hunter and Thoroughbred Hunter sections. Check the section's specifications in the rulebook.

Conformation classes are different. HU122 describes the criteria as "quality, substance and soundness," and judges must penalize, though not necessarily eliminate, structural faults and defects that might impair a horse's activity and durability.

How to watch your first class

1. Pick one horse and follow only its rhythm. Does it keep the same canter stride on both sides of each line?
2. Watch the lead changes. A late change is a minor-to-major judgment call, while a missed one is always major.
3. Look at the jump itself. Does the horse use its body evenly and land on the center line?
4. Note whether the rider stays quiet. Manners are scored through the horse, so a calm, even round is the point.

FAQ

Is a hunter round scored with a number?

The chapter text we read does not set out a score scale for ordinary hunter rounds. Check the specifications and the show's prize list for how the class you are watching is scored and reported.

Does a knockdown always eliminate a horse?

No. Under HU124 a knockdown is a major fault, not an elimination. Elimination offenses include three refusals, going off course, bolting, or a fall.

What is the difference between a hunter and a jumper class?

This chapter covers hunters, where style and manners are judged. We have not covered jumper scoring here, which is a separate USEF chapter.

Sources: USEF Chapter HU, Hunter Division, 2026 edition, rules HU118, HU121 to HU124, HU128 and HU129. Rule numbers and wording can change each December 1; check the current rulebook before relying on this guide. See our equestrian calendar for upcoming shows.