Rules
LYDF Guidelines 2025
Competitor’s Volunteer Requirement: All competitors MUST volunteer for at least 1 hour during the show. AFTER you have: 1) arrived and stabled your horse, 2) received your packet from the Show Secretary, and 3) checked your ride times, go to the Volunteer Booth for your assignment(s). Competitors need to know their ride times and warm up requirements before coming to the volunteer booth to sign up for their volunteer hour. Parents may accompany the competitor but riders must sign-up for their own task, including communicating to the volunteer staff.
Monitoring equine health: riders are responsible for monitoring their horse's health during the event. Riders are required to immediately notify the Show Office in the event of any clinical signs of disease and/or temperature above 102F.
Bedding: Shavings only (no straw).
Tackroom Decorating: No flammable materials or lights. Attaching items to stall panels using staples, screws, or any type of permanent adhesive is strictly prohibited. If tape is used, it must be removable, leave no residue, and be secured in a manner that prevents damage to the stall panels.
Attire: Riders may wear traditional show attire. Informal attire (short or long-sleeved collared shirts (no tee-shirts) is also acceptable in the performance arena in place of traditional show attire. Teams may want to have matching shirts. All riders must wear proper attire when mounted. ASTM/SEI-approved helmets are required for ALL riders when mounted. Helmets will also be required for all Handler Class entries and those handling the demo horses for the Sport Horse Conformation Class. The wearing of an improper helmet, including an improperly fitted helmet (e.g. loose chin straps), is grounds for disqualification. Whips and blunt spurs are allowed. Judges may deduct up to two points for messy attire in the performance arena. Award recipients must be in neat competition attire (unmounted) to receive their Division awards.
Bridle Numbers: Horses must wear a bridle number at all times when out of the stall.
Tack and Bits must follow USEF dressage rules with exception to Prix Caprilli classes. Bits used in competition must be the same bits used in the warm-up immediately preceding the competition. Draw reins are not permitted at any time on the show grounds. Horse boots and/or polos are allowed in warm-up areas. The Show Management reserves the right to inspect any rider and their equipment at any time for compliance with the show rules. Non-compliance will be grounds for disqualification.
Schooling is permitted only when the Show Office is open. Please refer to the Tentative Schedule on the next page. Trainers may school competitor horses on Thursday and Friday only and must sign a Release at the Show Office prior to riding. Any violation to this rule may result in the disqualification of the competitor.
Riding is not permitted outside of designated warm-up and competition arenas (except to ride between the stables and warm-up and competition arenas).
No coaching is allowed any time while the rider is competing. Any rider receiving coaching while in the competition ring will be disqualified whether the rider requested such assistance or not. Any visual, verbal, or otherwise vocal communication with the rider is considered coaching.
Readers are not permitted for the Schooling Show on Friday or the Dressage/Equitation division classes on Saturday. Readers are permitted in the Trail, Prix Caprilli, and Quadrille classes.
Lunging is only permitted in designated areas.
Ring stewards are there to ensure the correct horse/rider is in front of the judge and the ring is running in a timely manner. The riders need to know in what ring they ride, their times, and the numbers of the riders ahead of them. Do not ask the stewards.
The responsible adult for a minor must be on the grounds any time the minor is on the grounds. In addition, an adult must supervise all young children at all times.
Golf carts or any motorized vehicle (i.e. scooters) brought to the show may be operated only by licensed drivers.
Parking Five points may be taken off the final score of any rider whose vehicle is parked in illegal parking areas. Two-horse trailers will be allowed 15 minutes to unload; larger vehicles will be allowed one-half hour to unload. After these times, all vehicles will have to be moved to parking areas. No horse trailers may be parked in camper areas unless used only for living purposes. No trailers shall un-hook or park on the black top roadway or parking lot. Vehicles not in compliance with parking rules will be towed at the owner’s expense.
Dogs must be leashed and kept quiet in stabling and riding areas. Unleashed animals will be subject to capture and/or fine and removal from showgrounds. Animals, even when leashed, are not permitted in the office building, show office, pavilion, or vendor area unless it is a service dog with proper documentation.
Infractions of any rules may be cause for elimination or up to a 5-point penalty at the discretion of management.
Horse Park of New Jersey Rules (NEW)
No swimming in ponds is permitted (humans and/or horses).
Barbeque grills may be used in the camper area only. No open fires are permitted on any part of Horse Park property.
Coffee pots (other than those contained within a camper in the camper hook-up area) and electric heaters are prohibited on Park grounds.
No flyers, sales ads or other signage may be posted on fence rails or posts, buildings, stall panels, show office, trees, etc.
Horses are not permitted on the grassy area north of the east and west show rings. This area is reserved for spectators only.
Bicycles, mopeds, ATCs, scooters, and golf carts may not be operated around the show office, pavilion, vendor area, stall aisles, or paddock area except by disabled persons, Horse Park employees, or show officials. If you ride your bicycle near the show office, please dismount from your bike in front of the walkways that are in front of the show office.
