What happens when a horse refuses a fence?
B · Beginner · The round · 3 of 5A first disobedience costs four penalties and a second means elimination, wherever on the course they happen. A refusal is a stop in front of a fence, a run-out is going past it and a resistance is a horse that will not go forward. The clock keeps running while the rider turns back to try again.
How it works
- The four kinds: "a Refusal", "a Run-out", "a Resistance" and circling.
- Refusal: the horse "stops in front of an obstacle that it must jump, whether or not the Horse knocks it down or displaces it".
- Not a refusal: a horse that stops without stepping back and jumps at once from a standstill.
- Run-out: the horse "escapes the control of its Athlete and avoids an obstacle", or passes the line of an obstacle it should jump.
- Resistance: the horse refuses to go forward, stops, turns round, rears or steps back. A rider who stops the horse for no accepted reason is treated the same way.
- Circling: a circle anywhere on the course is a disobedience, except to get back into position after a refusal or run-out.
- The count: penalties for disobediences add up across the whole round, not only at one obstacle.
- First: four penalties. Second: elimination.
- The clock: not stopped, unless the bell is rung because the obstacle must be rebuilt.
- A fence demolished in a refusal: the bell is rung, the fence is rebuilt and six seconds are added to the rider's time.
- Too long: resistance for 45 seconds in a row, or more than 45 seconds to jump the next obstacle, means elimination.
- In a combination: after a refusal at any element the whole combination must be jumped again.
The glossary has the refusal, the disobedience, the combination, the time fault entry and elimination.
Tricky cases
A horse refuses fence 4 and later refuses fence 9. Is that two first refusals?
No. Disobediences are counted across the whole round, so the refusal at fence 9 is the second and means elimination.
The horse hesitates, stands for a second and then pops over from a standstill. Is that a refusal?
No, provided it did not step back or knock the fence down and jumped immediately.
A horse stops and crashes through the fence. Is that a refusal or a knock-down?
It depends on the judge with the bell, who must decide at once. If it is a refusal, the bell is rung, the fence is rebuilt and six seconds are added.
After a refusal at the second part of a double, can the rider jump only that part again?
No. All the elements of the combination must be jumped again.
Why the rule exists
A horse that will not jump is the clearest sign that the question was too hard for the pair or that the horse has had enough. One refusal is forgiven at a price. A second ends the round, which protects the horse from being driven at a fence it has said no to and keeps the competition moving.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Table A | Four penalties for the first disobedience | FEI Jumping 217.1.1 |
| Table C | No penalty for the first. The time lost is the cost, with six seconds more if the fence is knocked down | FEI Jumping 217.2.1 |
| Both tables | A second disobedience means elimination | FEI Jumping 263.4.25 |
| Eventing cross-country | A different scale of penalties for refusals | ../eventing/ set |
From the rule book
Fédération Équestre Internationale, Jumping Rules, 28th edition (effective 1 January 2026), articles 217.1, 237.3, 246, 256 and 263.4. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: FEI Jumping Rules 2026 (PDF).