How are penalties for rule violations typically recorded in the scoring process?

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Penalties are recorded against the horse-rider pair and affect their score according to the class rules. In scoring, faults are attributed to the performance of that specific pair, and each fault carries a listed deduction or consequence that reduces the final score for that run. This ties the outcome directly to the rider and horse combination, reflecting how well they followed the rules and performed within the class parameters. It’s not about sharing faults with other riders, and penalties cover more than just equipment issues, including gait, breaks, lead changes, and other rule violations that the class rules specify. The deductions aren’t added only after a winner is declared; they are part of the scoring process that determines final placement, with the penalties shaping the score used to determine those results.