ABOUT SOCTA

Created in 2009, with originally just three Combined Training competitions, SOCTA has steadily grown into a popular introductory series expanding to include Combined Training and Cross Country schooling, all at venues easily accessible off the 401 corridor in Southwestern Ontario.

The goal is to provide a safe, fun and affordable introduction to Eventing.  This is a perfect environment for developing riders and horses with inviting courses in a positive atmosphere right from cross rails and up.

Come join us for the fun!

ABOUT EVENTING

The Olympic Sport of Eventing orginated in 1912 for the Military to test the ridablity, endurance, willingness of the horses.  Though the sport has evolved a fair amount since it began, it still revolves around having a great partnership with your horse.  
Eventing also known as Horse Trials include Dressage, Show Jumping and Cross Country. 
A Combined Training Test is just the two phases of Dressage and Show Jumping.

DRESSAGE is held first, consists of a sequence of movements ridden in an enclosed arena  20×40 m. The test is judged looking for balance, rhythm, suppleness, and most importantly, obedience of the horse and its harmony with the ride.
Each movement in the test is scored on a scale from 0 to 10, with a score of "10" being the highest possible mark and with the total maximum score for the test varying depending on the level of competition and the number of movements. Therefore, if one movement is poorly executed, it is still possible for the rider to get a good overall score if the remaining movements are very well executed. The marks are added together and any errors of course deducted. To convert this score to penalty points, the average marks of all judges are converted to a percentage of the maximum possible score, subtracted from 100.

• Once the bell rings the rider is allowed 45 seconds to enter the ring or is eliminated.
• If the horse resists more than 20 seconds during the test, this results in elimination.
• If the rider falls off of the horse during the test, this results in elimination.
• Errors on course:
  • 1st: minus 2 marks
  • 2nd: minus 4 marks
  • 3rd: elimination

SHOW JUMPING  tests the technical jumping skills of the horse and rider, including suppleness, obedience, fitness and athleticism. In this phase, 9-15 fences are set up in a ring. These fences are typically brightly colored and consist of elements that can be knocked down, unlike cross country obstacles. This phase is also timed, with penalties being given for every second over the required time.
Scoring

• Knocking down an obstacle: 4 penalties
• Disobedience (refusal, run-out, circle, moving backwards) over the whole round:
  • First: 4 penalties
  • Second: 4
  • Third: Elimination
• Fall of rider: Elimination
• Fall of horse: Elimination
• Exceeding the time allowed: 0.4 penalty per second
• Jumping an obstacle in the wrong order: Elimination
• Error of course not rectified: Elimination

An obstacle is defined as having been knocked down if any part of its height is lowered. It is therefore possible to knock out a pole below the top pole and receive no penalties, as long as the highest pole stays in place, so that the jump retains the same height. It does count as a knockdown if the highest pole falls out of one jump cup but remains in the other; although part of the pole remains at the original height, the other part is lowered.

CROSS COUNTRY phase consists of approximately 10–20 fences (lower levels), placed on a long outdoor circuit. These fences consist of very solidly built natural objects (logs, coops etc.) as well as various obstacles such as water, ditches, drops and banks, and combinations including several jumping efforts based on objects that would commonly occur in the countryside. Sometimes, particularly at higher levels, fences are designed that would not normally occur in nature. However, these are still designed to be as solid as more natural obstacles. Speed is also a factor, with the rider required to cross the finish line within a certain time frame (optimum time). Crossing the finish line after the optimum time results in penalties for each second over. At lower levels, there is also a speed fault time, where penalties are incurred for horse and rider pairs completing the course too quickly. For every "disobedience" (refusal or run-out of a jump) a horse and rider incur on course, penalties will be added to their dressage score  . A horse and rider pair can also be eliminated for going off course, for example missing a fence.

• Refusal, run-out, or circle:
  • At the same obstacle:
    • First: 20 penalties
    • Second: 40 penalties
    • 20 penalties at each question
• Exceeding the time:
  • Optimum: 0.4 penalties per second
  • Limit (twice the optimum): elimination (E)