How is the water jump judged in show jumping?
Officials' detail · The competition · 2 of 2The horse must clear open water up to 4 metres wide. It costs four penalties if a foot lands in the water or leaves a mark on the strip at the far edge. That strip is a narrow board covered in plasticine, so a judge can see the print. Hitting the small hedge on the take-off side costs nothing.
How it works
- What it is: open water more than 2 metres wide, with no obstacle in front of it, in the middle of it or behind it.
- Maximum: 4 metres including the take-off element.
- Take-off element: a brush or small wall 40 to 50 centimetres high.
- The lath: at top events the landing side is marked by a strip 6 to 8 centimetres wide, covered with about a centimetre of contrasting plasticine.
- A fault: "the foot or shoe of the Horse touches the lath and leaves an impression", or "a Horse touches the water with one or several feet".
- Not a fault: an impression of the fetlock or of a boot. Striking or knocking down the brush.
- The penalty: four penalties under Table A.
- The water jump judge: a member of the ground jury who watches the landing. Their decision is final.
- A marked lath: the plasticine is replaced each time a horse touches it.
- Water with a fence over it: judged as an ordinary vertical, and feet in the water do not count.
- Liverpool: water under, in front of or behind a fence, where the whole obstacle is no more than 2 metres wide.
- At championships: the water jump must be used at least twice.
The glossary has the water jump, the fault, the obstacle, the judges and the clear round.
Tricky cases
The horse's hind foot splashes the edge of the water. Is that a fault?
Yes. A horse touching the water with one or several feet is a fault at the water jump.
The horse flattens the little hedge at the front and clears the water. Is that a fault?
No. Striking, knocking down or displacing the take-off element is not a fault.
There is a pole over the water and the horse puts a foot in. Is that four penalties?
No. Water with a vertical over it is judged as a vertical, so only knocking the pole down counts.
Can a rider argue that the mark on the tape was already there?
No, in effect. The plasticine is replaced after every touch, and the water jump judge's decision is final.
Why the rule exists
The water asks for length where every other fence asks for height, so it finds out horses that jump up and not out. Because nothing falls down, the rule needs another way to show a mistake, and soft plasticine that takes a hoof print settles the argument on the spot.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Open water jump | Feet in the water or on the lath are faults | FEI Jumping 236.1.3 |
| Water jump with vertical | Judged as a vertical | FEI Jumping 236.2 |
| Liverpool | Part of an ordinary fence, 2 m at most overall | FEI Jumping 236.3 |
| Championships | Used two or three times over the competitions | FEI Jumping 285.3 |
From the rule book
Fédération Équestre Internationale, Jumping Rules, 28th edition (effective 1 January 2026), articles 217.1, 233.1, 236 and 285.3. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: FEI Jumping Rules 2026 (PDF).