What is "dangerous riding" in eventing, and what is the penalty?
A · Advanced · Cross-country · 4 of 5Riding that puts the rider, the horse or anyone else at more risk than the sport already carries, whether on purpose or through incompetence. It always brings a recorded warning, and the officials may add 25 penalties or eliminate the pair. Any member of the ground jury can stop a rider on the course for it.
How it works
- The definition: exposing "themselves, their Horse or any third party to a higher risk than what is strictly inherent to the nature of the Competition", deliberately or "unintentionally by incompetence".
- Always: an Eventing Recorded Warning.
- In addition: 25 penalties or elimination, depending on the case.
- Out of control: a horse that is not answering the rider's aids.
- Speed: riding fences too fast or too slow.
- Bad jumps: a series of dangerous jumps, or repeatedly taking off too far away or too close.
- Tired horse: "Pressing a tired Horse."
- Not stopping: continuing after three clear refusals, a fall or any elimination.
- The public: endangering spectators, for example by jumping out of the roped track.
- Other riders: wilfully obstructing a rider who is overtaking.
- Who watches: the ground jury, the technical delegate and the course designer, with extra observers if the president appoints them.
- Any test: the 25 penalties can be given at any time in the competition and are recorded against the test concerned.
- On the record: the sanction is reported to the FEI and added to the rider's list.
The glossary has cross-country, elimination, the penalty points entry, the judges and the fall.
Tricky cases
A rider jumps clear inside the time but frightened everyone doing it. Can they be penalised?
Yes. Dangerous riding does not need a fault at a fence. It can bring 25 penalties or elimination on a clear round.
Is riding too slowly ever dangerous?
Yes. Riding fences too fast or too slow is on the list.
A horse is exhausted near the end and the rider keeps pushing. What can the officials do?
Stop and eliminate the pair. Pressing a tired horse is named as dangerous riding.
Does a recorded warning cost penalties?
No, not by itself. It goes on the rider's record. The 25 penalties or elimination are separate measures that may be added.
Why the rule exists
Most rules punish a result: a stop, a fall, a second over the time. This one lets officials act before the result, on a round that is going to end badly. Including incompetence as well as recklessness matters, because the horse is at the same risk either way.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous riding | Recorded warning, with 25 penalties or elimination possible | FEI Eventing 525.1 |
| Abuse of the horse | A separate offence, with elimination at the ground jury's discretion | FEI Eventing 548.3.2 |
| Show jumping | No equivalent penalty. The jury may eliminate for welfare or safety | ../jumping/ set |
From the rule book
Fédération Équestre Internationale, Eventing Rules 2026, articles 525.1, 525.1.1 and 548.3.2. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: FEI Eventing Rules 2026 (PDF).