What does a hunter judge look for over fences?

A hunter judge evaluating performance over fences is assessing whether the horse jumps in the careful, rounded, aesthetically pleasing arc that the ideal field hunter displays — a style of jumping that suggests the horse is athletic, careful, and comfortable rather than dangerous, awkward, or difficult. The ideal hunter jumping effort shows the horse meeting the fence on a comfortable, forward distance — neither so long that the horse is reaching desperately nor so short that it is chipping awkwardly — and leaving the ground with both front feet together, or very nearly so. Through the arc of the jump, the hunter should show a rounded bascule — the characteristic curve of the horse's neck and back over the fence — with the front knees up and even, the hind legs tucked up cleanly, and the horse's expression calm and willing rather than tense or anxious. The ideal hunter lands in balance and immediately re-establishes the same consistent canter that carried it to the fence, moving smoothly to the next fence without rushing, breaking pace, or requiring obvious correction from the rider. Jumping faults that reduce hunter scores include uneven knees — one knee higher than the other — a flat or inverted bascule in which the horse does not round over the fence, dangling hind legs rather than a clean tuck, and any form of rushing, stopping, or breaking that indicates the horse is not comfortable and confident in its jumping. A rub — touching a fence rail without knocking it down — is noted by some judges as a negative quality, while others consider it less significant than style flaws. Meeting a fence on a poor distance is significant whether or not a rub or knockdown results, because the quality of the distance reflects the quality of the canter and the preparation that preceded the fence.