Warm-up arena rules in show jumping: fences, flags and safety

The warm-up arena is where the pair warms up before entering the competition ring: it looks like a detail, but it is regulated down to the smallest point. Here we explain, with the FISE National Regulation in hand (Arts. 128-133), who may enter, which fences you can jump and how, and who oversees safety.

In short

• The warm-up arena is a fenced space for warming up, one for each competition ring, under the control of the Arena Director and Steward (Art. 128.1).
• Entry is for FISE-registered support people only, as a rule one per pair; the number of horses in the arena is set by the Ground Jury President (Arts. 128.2-128.3).
• At least two fences (one upright and one spread) with a red flag on the right and a white flag on the left, which set the direction of the jump (Art. 133.1).
• In the warm-up arena fences may not exceed the category's maximum by more than 10 cm, and never 160 cm in height or 180 cm in width (Art. 133.3).
• "Rapping" and any brutality are forbidden: the work is supervised by a Steward or a Ground Jury member (Art. 132.1).
• Source: FISE National Show Jumping Regulation (2025 edition).

What the warm-up arena is and who runs it

The warm-up arena is a fenced space the Organising Committee sets aside for warming up horses in the phase immediately before they enter the ring. Its size and footing must not compromise the horses' physical integrity, and there must be one for each competition ring of the event. Responsibility lies with the Organising Committee, but operational control rests with the Arena Director and the Steward (Art. 128.1).

The number of pairs allowed in at once is not fixed: it is proportional to the arena's size and to the type of competitors. It is set by the Ground Jury President, while the collecting-ring Steward ensures the horses follow the starting order (Art. 128.2). Unless otherwise decided, the warm-up arena may be used for exercise from one hour before the first class to one hour after the last; at other times it is considered closed (Art. 128.6).

Who may enter (and who may not)

Access is reserved to FISE-registered support people only, as a rule one per pair (Arts. 128.3-128.4). Helpers must stay in the free area in the centre of the arena, between the fences, keeping clear of the rails and of the space between fence and rail; and riding through the safety zone between the fences is forbidden (Art. 128.3).

• Under-18 athletes are assisted by an Instructor holding the requirements set by the FISE Instructor Training Regulation (Art. 129.1).
• Adults may be assisted by any adult FISE member, remaining responsible for those beside them (Art. 129.2).
• The Jury President, a member or a Steward may authorise third parties to enter, for instance foreign coaches (Art. 129.4).
• At the entrance are posted the list of authorised persons, the course diagram and the no-entry sign for the unauthorised; instructors and helpers show an identification badge (Arts. 129.5-129.6).

Smoking (e-cigarettes included) is forbidden and, as a rule, so is lungeing, except in a specially marked area or with the Jury President's authorisation during breaks between classes (Arts. 128.5, 130.1).

The warm-up fences: flags, direction, heights

The warm-up arena has at least two fences made only of rails and wings: an upright and a spread. Each jump is framed by flags that set its direction, with the red on the right and the white on the left (alternatively the tips of the wings are painted red and white). Where space allows, the Jury President may authorise more fences and even a combination (Art. 133.1). At one-star events and above, at least one wing of each fence carries a height gauge or the heights in centimetres (Art. 133.2).

On heights the rule is clear-cut: fences may not exceed by more than 10 cm (in height and/or width) the maximum sizes of the class under way, or of the next one if that class is over; and in no case may they exceed 160 cm in height and 180 cm in width (Art. 133.3). For horses aged 4, 5 and 6 the limit is tighter still: they may not jump sizes above those of their own class (Art. 133.3).

How fences are built and what is forbidden

The regulation also goes into the "how" in detail (Art. 133.4):

• You may not jump a fence made of a single rail set from 130 cm up (130 included); every fence from 130 cm up must have at least one more horizontal or diagonal rail.
• Single-colour rails are forbidden, as is any material other than rails and wings.
• No one may touch or hold the fence before or during a pair's jump; laying rugs or jackets on the rails is forbidden.
• Jumping spreads the wrong way round, or fences built unlike those used in competition, is forbidden; so is walking or trotting over raised rails.
• Ground rails (placing poles) in front of fences are not used during the warm-up for a competition, only in gymnastic sessions.

Gymnastic sessions, using ground rails, cavalletti and fences, take place in the training arena and may not exceed the class's height and width; in any case never above 130 cm in height or 160 cm in width (Art. 132.1).

Safety and oversight: the Steward's role

The thread running through these articles is the welfare of the horse. Both in the warm-up arena and in the training arena, any conduct amounting to "rapping" or other forms of brutality is strictly forbidden. The proper conduct of the work is part of the event and must be ensured by the presence of a Steward or, failing that, a Ground Jury member (Art. 132.1). Access for ponies is regulated too: for under-16s up to the LB80 class a reserved warm-up arena or a time separation between horses and ponies is provided (Art. 131).

The commentary. The warm-up arena is a crowded, high-tension place, and it is no accident the regulation locks it down so tightly: one pair at a time assisted, single directions given by the flags, heights tied to the class, no "shortcuts" on the fence. These rules look like trivia, but they exist to prevent accidents at the very moment horses and riders are focused more on the class than on what is around them.

Related deep-dives

For the full picture, go back to the guide to show jumping rules.

Source and disclaimer

Content verified against the FISE National Show Jumping Regulation (2025 edition), Arts. 128-133 (warm-up arena, access, lungeing, pony access, gymnastics, fences). Verified on 15/09/2026. Independent, informational guide, unofficial and not affiliated with FISE: in competition the regulation in force prevails, and it updates by season.