Competitive Trail Riding - Common Scoring Criteria

Common Scoring Criteria

Typically, condition, soundness, "trail ability" and horsemanship are all scored.

Condition includes:

• P&R Scores
• Mucous Membrane coloration (MM), noted by Gum Color – The normal color of gums is a light pink. A whitish, dark pink, reddish-deep pink, or blue gum color is an indication of a medical issue.
• Muscle Tone (MT)
• Capillary Refill Time (CRT)
• Hydration (Hyd) – checked by a pinch test done at the base of the neck close to the shoulder
• Gut Sounds, a check for colic, overheating, and other forms of distress.
• Movement, Attitude and Willingness (MAW)

Chronic stumbling or forging may be penalized. A horse that develops thumps, colic, dehydration, or ties up is removed from competition so that immediate medical attention can be provided.

Soundness includes:

• Gait (Way of Going)
• Leg or tendon soreness – Heat and/or pain may be penalized. Blemishes are noted at check-in and are generally not penalized.
• Withers, Back, Loin or Girth (WBLG) soreness – often influenced by tack fit rider balance.
• Edema, rubs, or inflammation at cinch, mouth, chin groove, or legs

Horses in poor physical condition or who are unsound will be pulled from competition if they fail to pass veterinary inspections or show distress at any time of the event. Some symptoms of concern include:

• Excessively high respiration rate: If the horse does not recover appropriately at the P&R it may be pulled.
• Lameness
• Dehydration
• "Tying-up"
• Thumps – When a horse develops constant, rhythmic ticking in the flanks. In a severe case, the whole abdomen will have this ticking motion.
• Colic

Trail Ability and Manners includes:

• Standing quietly for examination and when a rider mounts.
• Attention to rider, attentiveness to the trail, sure-footed and well controlled at all times.
• Maneuverability on obstacles. Horses are to accomplish tasks quietly and be attentive to the rider.
• Disobedience, head tossing, buddying, or refusals are penalized.
• Exceeding time limits for obstacles is penalized.

Horsemanship criteria includes:

• Horse grooming
• In-Hand presentation
• Saddle and other tack fit
• Rider form and balance, trail safety and courtesy.