(page excerpts from the 2007 Royal Program, Canadian Show Jumping Series, hosted by Kubota, title sponsor)
Time Allowed
The course designer sets a time allowed within which entries are expected to complete the course. Exceeding the time allowed results in time faults or penalties.
Knockdown
When a competitor knocks a jump down. To be penalized as a knockdown the horse must lower the height of the obstacle. Merely hitting it is not penalized.
Vertical
A Vertical is an obstacle that is straight up and down and does not require the horse to jump width
Oxer
An oxer is a spread obstacle. It is usally constructed with either planks or poles. The front portion will look like a vertical obstacle, but there will be another portion behind it, usually consisting of just one pole that will require the horse to jump wide, as well as height to clear it
Triple Bar
A triple bar is always built in graduating height, so that the first bar is lowest, the second higher and the third even higher
Water Jump
A water jump is a wide expanse of water where the object is to jump the water without landing in it
Liverpool
Liverpools are pools of water set under a regular obstacle. The object is to jump the obstacle, not the water.
Combination
A combination is a series of two or three jumps in succession
Jump-Off
A jump-off is a tie breaker. It is used only to break ties for first-place. Jump-offs usually involve all entries who were fault-free in the first round.
Faults
Faults are penalty points. Faults can be accumulated for lowering the height of an obstacle, for exceeding the time allowed or refusing (balking at) an obstacle.