Editing Show jumping (section)

==Types of show jumps==
{{Main|Horse jumping obstacles}}
Show jumping fences are often colorful and sometimes very elaborate and artistic in design, particularly at the highest levels of competition. Fences are designed to break away if stuck by the horse, to simplify scoring and also for safety, particularly to prevent falls by the horse. Types of jumps used include the following:
[[Image:Surrey county show 20040531.jpg|thumb|An oxer – England, 2004]]
[[Image:Roulett1.jpg|thumb|A Liverpool – California, USA, 2005]]

* Vertical (or upright) – a jump that consists of poles or planks placed one directly above another with no spread, or width, to jump.
* [[Oxer]] – two verticals close together, to make the jump wider; also called a spread.
** Square oxer (sometimes known as a Box Oxer) — an oxer whose top poles are the same height.
** Ascending oxer (usually called a Ramped Oxer) – an oxer whose furthest pole is higher than the first.
** Descending oxer (usually called an Offset Oxer) – an oxer whose furthest pole is lower than the first. Descending oxers are not used in competitions and competitors are forbidden from jumping them, because the horse may not be able to see the furthest pole before making the jump. 
** Swedish oxer – an oxer whose poles slant in opposite directions, so they appear to form an "X" shape when seen head on.
* Triple bar – a spread fence using three elements of graduated heights.
* Cross rail (sometimes called a "cross-pole") – two poles crossed with one end of each pole on the ground and the other on jump standards, so the center is lower than the sides. Used at small shows and for schooling purposes to help teach the rider how to properly aim the horse jump in the center of the fence; not commonly used in sanctioned shows.
* Wall – A jump that resembles a wall (usually a brick wall), but is composed of "bricks" that are made of a lightweight material and fall easily when knocked.
* Hogsback – a type of spread fence with three rails, of which the highest is in the center.
* Filler –  not a type of fence, but rather a solid part below the poles, such as flower boxes or a rolltop; it also may be a gate or other filling decorative pieces.
* [[Combination (jump)|Combination]] – usually two or three jumps in a row, with no more than two strides between each. Two jumps in a row are called a double combination; three jumps in a row, a triple combination. If a horse refuses the second or third element in a combination it must jump the entire combination again, not just any obstacle missed.
* Fan – a fence the rails on one side of which are spread out by standards, making the fence take the shape of a fan when viewed from above.
* [[Water (obstacle)|Open water]] – a wide ditch of water.
* [[Water (obstacle)|Liverpool]] – a ditch or large tray of water under a vertical or oxer.
* Joker – a fence comprising only a rustic (or unpainted) rail and two wings, wherein the lack of filler makes it difficult for a horse to judge its proximity to the fence as well as the fence's height. This tricky obstacle is usually found only in the upper divisions and is illegal in some competitions.
[[Image:Blenheim Horse Trials 3.jpg|thumb]]
* Brush jump – a jump that has brush or faux grass on the top of it. Normally the horse is able to see over the top of it, and most of the time the horse's belly will hit the grass on top. These jumps have a cut out in the middle and brush on the side. There may be a fence or log on the bottom of the jump. The jump can be anywhere from 2–5&nbsp;ft tall. The jump also may be wide, causing the horse to stretch out its legs and chest.

At international level competitions  governed by FEI rules, fence heights begin at {{convert|1.50|m}}.<!--need to source to FEI rules here, sooner or later... -->  Other competition levels are given different names in different nations, but are based primarily on the height and spread of fences

In the United States, jumping levels range from 0–9 as follows:

'''USEF jumper levels'''
* Level 0. Fences 2′6″ to 2′9″ in height and 2′9″ to 3′0″ in spread, triple bars/liverpools to 3′9″
* Level 1. Fences 2′9″ to 3′0″ in height and 3′0″ to 3′6″ in spread, triple bars/liverpools to 4′0″
* Level 2. Fences 3′0″ to 3′3″ in height and 3′3″ to 3′9″ in spread, triple bars/liverpools to 4′3″
* Level 3. Fences 3′3″ to 3′6″ in height and 3′6″ to 4′0″ in spread, triple bars/liverpools to 4′6″
* Level 4. Fences 3′6″ to 3′9″ in height and 3′9″ to 4′3″ in spread, triple bars to 4′9″, water to 8′
* Level 5. Fences 3′9″ to 4′0″ in height and 4′0″ to 4′6″ in spread, triple bars to 5′0″, water to 9′
* Level 6. Fences 4′0″ to 4′3″ in height and 4′3″ to 4′9″ in spread, triple bars to 5′3″, water to 10′
* Level 7. Fences 4′3″ to 4′6″ in height and 4′6″ to 5′0″ in spread, triple bars to 5′6″, water to 12′
* Level 8. Fences 4′6″ to 4′9″ in height and 4′9″ to 5′3″ in spread, triple bars to 5′9″, water to 12′6″
* Level 9. Fences 4′9″ to 5′0″ in height and 5′0″ to 5′6″ in spread, triple bars to 6′0″, water to 13′

In Germany, competition levels are denoted by the letters E, A, L, M, S, and correspond to heights ranging from 0.80 to 1.55 meters.