▁There ▁may ▁be ▁a ▁f ence ▁or ▁a ▁bank ▁complex ▁in ▁the ▁water , ▁and ▁a ▁bank ▁out , ▁possibly ▁to ▁another ▁f ence . ▁Water ▁is ▁often ▁a ▁challenge ▁on ▁the ▁cross - country ▁course , ▁and ▁there ▁are ▁usually ▁several ▁rid ers ▁at ▁the ▁largest ▁events ▁who ▁get ▁" d unk ed " ▁when ▁they ▁reach ▁the ▁obst acle . ▁ ▁In ▁show ▁jump ing , ▁water ▁is ▁never ▁meant ▁to ▁be ▁run ▁through ▁but ▁rather ▁jump ed ▁over , ▁and ▁a ▁foot ▁in ▁the ▁water ▁will ▁count ▁as ▁a ▁fault ▁to ▁the ▁r ider ' s ▁score . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁two ▁types ▁of ▁water ▁j umps ▁used ▁in ▁show ▁jump ing : ▁▁ ▁Open ▁Water : ▁a ▁large , ▁rect angular - sh aped ▁" d itch " ▁of ▁water , ▁often ▁with ▁a ▁small ▁br ush ▁( 1 8 ") ▁or ▁a ▁rail ▁on ▁one ▁side ▁to ▁act ▁as ▁a ▁ground ▁line . ▁Water ▁j umps ▁are ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁wid est ▁obst acles ▁a ▁horse ▁will ▁be ▁asked ▁to ▁jump , ▁with ▁a ▁width ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 6   ft . ▁They ▁should ▁be ▁approached ▁strongly , ▁with ▁a ▁long ▁st ride , ▁and ▁the ▁r ider ▁must ▁judge ▁the ▁take - off ▁to ▁put ▁the ▁horse ▁as ▁deep ▁( close ) ▁to ▁the ▁obst acle ▁as ▁possible , ▁so ▁that ▁the ▁jump ing ▁effort ▁isn ' t ▁increased . ▁Should ▁the ▁r ider ▁cause ▁the ▁horse ▁to ▁take ▁off ▁too ▁far ▁back , ▁it ▁may