How should a judge address a rider who over- or under-accelerates during a class?

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Multiple Choice

How should a judge address a rider who over- or under-accelerates during a class?

Maintaining a consistent pace and rhythm is part of fair scoring, so a judge treats over- or under-accelerating as a pacing irregularity. When a rider speeds up or slows down outside the class guidelines, the judge notes that irregularity and applies the class-specific pacing penalties defined in the rules. This approach reinforces the expectation that horses in the class should move with a steady, appropriate tempo and that deviations are penalties rather than ignored or rewarded. Disregarding pacing would ignore the performance standard and let infractions slide. Restarting the class isn’t appropriate for a pacing issue during a ride, and awarding the rider the best score would reward the irregularity rather than the intended performance.

Maintaining a consistent pace and rhythm is part of fair scoring, so a judge treats over- or under-accelerating as a pacing irregularity. When a rider speeds up or slows down outside the class guidelines, the judge notes that irregularity and applies the class-specific pacing penalties defined in the rules. This approach reinforces the expectation that horses in the class should move with a steady, appropriate tempo and that deviations are penalties rather than ignored or rewarded.

Disregarding pacing would ignore the performance standard and let infractions slide. Restarting the class isn’t appropriate for a pacing issue during a ride, and awarding the rider the best score would reward the irregularity rather than the intended performance.

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