The competition
When your horse is 3 years old competitions can begin! In order for your horse to compete, you have to specialise it into one type of competition and give it a saddle blanket, a saddle and a bridle that match its specialisation.
The competitions will enable you to earn money according to your success but also to improve the skills of your horses. As their potential is not unlimited, there will come a time when your horse's skills will no longer be improved by competitions.
Every competition has a difficulty rating that determines the minimum and the maximum skill level for the horses who have access, regardless of which discipline is selected. Each equestrian center sets the desired difficulty rating for its competitions.
At the beginning, your horse only has access to competitions for horses with fewer than 20 wins. Once it reaches 20 wins, any pending registrations for competitions are cancelled. It will then have access to more high-prestige competitions.
You cannot enter more than 2 horses from your stables in a competition.
On every horse's profile page, among other information, you'll find a summary of the horse's victories and results in competitions.
Classical Riding Competitions
Classical Riding competitions are for horses specialising in Classical Riding that have a Classical bridle and saddle. There are 4 kinds of competitions:
Gallop and trot speed races are restricted to horses based on their gallop level for gallop races and trot level for trot races. Horses also need good speed and dressage skills if you want them to become champions.
Cross-country, a very physical discipline that requires high stamina, as well as good jumping skills and high docility. Registration is restricted based on stamina level.
Show-jumping, a discipline requiring extraordinary jumping skills and great flexibility. Since these competitions are timed, a show-jumping horse is also required to clear obstacles as fast as it can. Registration is restricted based on jumping level. In show-jumping competitions, horses can make mistakes that add one second to their final score.
Dressage competitions take into account the horse's gait, i.e. gallop and trot, but above all, its dressage skills. Registration is restricted based on dressage level. Every now and then, a horse will perform exceptionally well, increasing your score and granting you a bonus of 100 Equus.
Western Riding Competitions
Western Riding competitions are for horses specialising in Western Riding that have a Western bridle and saddle. There are 5 kinds of competitions:
Barrel racing, a timed race that requires speed, stamina and galloping skills. The goal is to zigzag around three barrels as fast as you can without knocking them down. Registration is restricted based on speed.
Cutting, a discipline requiring high stamina and speed to keep a calf under control. Cutting also requires a high level of dressage. Registration is restricted based on stamina level.
Reining, a dressage discipline that takes place at a gallop. High stamina is also a requirement. Registration is restricted based on gallop level.
Western Pleasure, a discipline that requires excellent trotting skills, as well as docility and stamina. Registration is restricted based on trot level. Horses may incur penalties that add one second to their final score.
Trail class, the Western equivalent of dressage in Classical Riding. Trail class horses need excellent dressage skills. They also need good trot and jumping skills. Registration is restricted based on dressage level.
Morale
Please note, from 60 days of seniority in the game onwards, your horse may lose some morale when they do not finish first in a competition. Don't worry, this loss of morale can easily be restored with a little rest and some treats!
Bonuses
You can grant bonuses to your horses in order to make them perform better in competitions. Certain bonuses can be found while completing missions with your horses (such as the hoof pick or the comb). Other bonuses can be purchased by visiting the shop or the black market. When calculating competition results, bonuses are directly applied to skills and have an impact on the final result.
New players just starting their game will receive a special bonus. Don't be surprised if some horses seem to perform exceptionally well, they've received a little help to get a good start in the game!
Competitions for low-level horses
Some competitions are restricted to low-level horses only. Low-level horses are horses that
- had less than 20 wins
- have no skills over 2480
- which have no skills with a genetic potential over 3480
This value is recalculated every night.