Faults shall cause elimination or be severely penalized at the discretion of the judge:
- If the rider works an obstacle on the way to the finish line that they were not committed to, they will receive no points for it.
- Whether they were committed or not is left to the judges’ discretion.
- Disqualification if using both hands on the reins or changing hands, unless showing green mule in a snaffle or bosal, or a donkey in a snaffle, bosal or two handed in a bit or if the class calls for change of hand as in trail to negotiate an obstacle.
- Being on the wrong lead for more than five strides
- Disqualification- more than one finger between the reins, or any finger between romal reins or split reins being used like romal reins. May only have index or first finger between split reins that fall on the reining hand side of mule or donkey.
- Break of any gait or failure to perform any gait.
- Head carried excessively below the withers more than five strides.
- Over flexing at the poll so that nose is behind the vertical for more than five strides.