Instruction H18 Running and Riding - Reasonable and Permissible Measures The general requirement is that every horse must be ridden in such a way that the Rider can be seen to have made a genuine attempt to obtain from his horse timely, real and substantial efforts to obtain the best possible placing. It is not necessary to use the whip to satisfy this requirement but a Rider must give his horse at least a ‘hands and heels' ride.

The general requirement continues to apply unless and until:-

1. the horse is lame or injured. In such cases the Rider must dismount immediately and must not ride to a finish;
2. the horse is exhausted. Such horses must be pulled up;
3. the Rider considers that it would be contrary to the horse's welfare to continue riding out because it
1. has no more to give and/or is "tailed off" through fatigue or
2. has a problem which is materially affecting its performance.
In such cases the horse must be pulled up.

NB. In Steeple Chases and Hurdle Races when the circumstances referred to in Paragraphs b) and c) above apply and the Rider is no longer taking part in the race, he must refrain from jumping any further obstacles. It follows that any horse still negotiating obstacles will be deemed to be racing and the general requirement applies.

For the avoidance of doubt the general requirement continues to apply in all other cases. This includes cases of gurgling or other breathing difficulties. It is not considered to be contrary to the welfare of a horse with symptoms of breathing difficulty to be ridden in accordance with the general requirement unless or until such time as the horse is shown to be unable to continue racing in which case it should be pulled up. Riding such horses tenderly as the race develops in the belief that this will give the horse a better chance of obtaining its best possible placing is not acceptable. (Also see the provisions of Instructions H20 and H24)

There are three main rules under which a rider is penalised where a horse has not been run on its merits.
Rule 156 - Negligence - e.g. dropping hands, mistaking the race distance and either riding a finish too early or failing to ride a finish, taking the wrong course, asking for an effort of making some other permissible manoeuvre too late as a result of serious misjudgement or inattention.

Rule 157 - Intent - e.g. deliberately preventing a horse from winning, not riding out on a horse which would have on, intentionally restraining a horse or not letting it down, intentionally not asking a horse for sufficient effort, horse appears capable of reaching a challenging position but intentionally never asked to do so, using the racecourse as a training ground i.e schooling or conditioning in public.

Rule 158 - Failure to take all reasonable or permissible measures - e.g. rider suffers interference and then fails to ride out to the winning post on a horse that would have been placed first, second, third, fourth etc, rider fails to take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race, rider demonstrates a reasonable degree of effort during the race until prematurely easing his horse, which would never have finished in the first four but is allowed to coast home with not assistance from the rider.

Where a rider is in breach of Rule 157, the trainer is in breach of Rule 155 (ii) unless he can satisfy the Stewards that the rider was given by or on behalf of the Trainer, instructions which complied with Rule 155 (ii) above, and that the rider failed to comply with them.

If the Racecourse Stewards are of the view that a horse may not have been asked for sufficient effort or that it failed to achieve the best possible placing, they will hold an enquiry and interview both the trainer and jockey. Unless the trainer and jockey convince the stewards that the horse was ridden on its merits and that it did gain the best possible placing they will be penalised. Penalties include suspensions for both horse and rider and fines for the trainer.

The most serious breach is when a rider is found guilty of "deliberately preventing a horse from winning". Such incidents are very rare indeed and there has only been one such case in the last twenty years. Some horses, however, are given "easy races", possibly with a view to either lowering their handicap mark for future races, educating them on the racecourse or giving a horse an easy run on its first outing following a long lay off.

Tthe penalty range for a breach of Rule 157 by the rider 21 - 42 days suspension with an entry point of 28 days. The range for trainers £3,000 - £12,000 with an entry point of £5,000. The suspension for the horse is 40 days.

As a further deterrent against attempted breaches of the Rules, trainers also know that should their horse win a handicap race without having previously been placed, its most recent runs prior to victory will subsequently be re-examined by the Disciplinary Department.

 To read our Guide to Penalties and Procedures which sets out the Racecourse Stewards' procedures following interference, the penalties and the whip rules, please click here.