Arena Game Rules



You need to read this and the FAQ.

Player Conduct
  • Please put the text on all your webpages of "This page is part of a game".
  • Do not send chain letters, virus warnings or spam to other players. No exceptions. If you feel you may have sent a virus to players, post on the message board.
  • You may not harass other players or use profanity for any reason - in any form.
  • Do not use other players' webpages, images or content unless you have permission. Have fun designing your own original webpages instead!
  • Arena does not condone the use of copyrighted photos, and is under no liability if a player is to use a copyrighted photo. Players are advised to seek permission of the copyright owners of the photo they wish to use.
  • You can play other cybergames while in Arena,but do not advertise other cyberbarn/simgames on your webpages, email or the forum.
  • Arena has the right to temporarily suspend or indefinately suspend any players..
  • Please write carefully. Check your spelling, writing, grammar before posting an email or a message on the forum. This is a game for mature players.
  • Avatars must not be animated. They must be horse-related and be appropriate for use in Arena.
  • Signatures may contain Arena-related things or horse quotes. They must be appropriate for use in Arena.
  • Any Avatars or Signatures deemed not appropriate for Arena will be removed at the discretion of Arena Admnistration.


    • Beginning Gameplay
  • You are not officially a member of Arena until you have fully completed the Joining Form and have received a welcome letter. Following your acceptance, you will need to find a barn who is accepting boarders. After you have found a barn to board at, you are now officially a game player.
  • A majority of gameplay happens on the Forum (Click the 'Interact' button) and players are expected to participate in this forum. Private transactions or entering shows should be done via email.
  • Players are expected to choose a starting amount of money which they deem responsible. A suggested amount is $50,000 to $100,000. Please keep track of your transactions and your money 'balance' accordingly. It is up to the player as to what amount to begin with, but please keep it reasonable. Random finance checks will be done, so please keep a track of your finances.
  • Keeping track of your finances requires organisation. Some people like to use a spreadsheet program (Such as Excel), while others choose to use a text file, or a notepad. It's up to you.


    • Boarders, Mini-Barns and Barns
  • All new players, unless otherwise informed, begin the game as a boarder. You need to find a barn who accepts boarders and email them to enquire.
  • You can open a Mini-Barn after 1 month of active gameplay. It is entirely up to the Barn Owner where you board, as to whether you can own a Mini-Barn or not. 1 month of gameplay is not the only requirement; you need to have the experience needed to open the Mini-Barn and the dedication to update your Mini-Barn webpages regularly. Do not feel offended if your Barn Owner where you board feels you aren't ready for a Mini-Barn yet. Also note, that if you don't wish to open a Mini-Barn, you don't have to.
  • Vacancies for Main Barns are open at most times; however, you must have been a member of Arena for 3 months, have owned a Mini-Barn for at least a month, and be an active player. You must fill out the Barn Approval Form. A reccomendation from your barn owner is mandatory, as is a reccomendation from another barn owner within the game. Not all players will be approved for a Main Barn straight away - you need to be an active player with the dedication required to own a Main Barn, and there is the possibility that Arena may not have room for more barns at that time. Helping with associations and businesses while a Boarder/Mini-Barn owner will help you gain experience.


    • Player Activity
  • Players are expected to use the forum at least once every 2 weeks. A player who has not posted on the forum in any section in over 2 weeks will be put to the status of 'Inactive'. A player who has not posted in over a month will be removed from the game. Circumstances such as studying, exams, horse shows, holidays etc. are an exception - please let either Jodi know at kewarra@equinewebaustralia.com that you are going to be away/busy or post on the forum (so that other players know too!). If you can't think what to post on the forum, you can post about your simhorses, your show results, your upcoming foals, your future plans - anything. Even a post in off topic might count (although we prefer gameplay posts!).


    • Horse Creation
  • *A boarder can have up to 10 'created' horses, and up to 30 horses total.
    *A Mini-Barn owner can have up to 20 'created' horses, and up to 40 horses total.
    *A Barn owner can have up to 50 'created' horses, and up to 100 horses.
  • No Real Life horses are allowed in the game. (e.g Phar Lap, Secretariat, For Pleasure, Donnerhall etc.) The only exception to this is any horse that you own in real life.
  • Under NO circumstances are real life famous horse names permitted in any shape or form. (Including horse names and bloodlines).
  • Real Life bloodlines, no matter how accurate or helpful to the breed of your horse, may not be used. Bloodlines must be made-up or 'game' bloodlines.
  • This is a simhorse game. As such, you may only use real horse or pony breeds. Fantasy breeds may not be used.
  • It's a reccomendation that when you name a horse, you don't use a name alraedy taken. Some barns use prefixes on horses they have bred. Say a barn has Waterfield Sid, with Waterfield being the barn prefix, it's not reccomended that you name your horse 'Sid' as well (even if it is without a barn prefix.) Of course, if you really want a similar name, make it different such as 'Sweet Sid' etc.
  • All horses created or bred in Arena become automatic property of the Arena Adoption Society once you leave the game unless you state otherwise BEFORE you leave ON THE FORUM.


    • Horse Care
  • Arrange regular farrier and vet appointments for your horses.
  • Purchase feed for your horses on a regular basis. If a feed store is not available in the game, research real life feed costs and feed amounts; subtract this from your finances appropriately.


    • Breeding & Aging Horses
  • Boarders may not attach barn prefixes, or have names for barns/breeding programs. You must wait until you are a Mini-Barn owner.
  • Use common sense when breeding horses. You shouldn't breed a 1 year old filly to a colt or vica versa. (people usually breed horses from 3 or 4 years old upwards).
  • Mares need to be in foal for at least one 'real-time' week. So, if you breed a mare to a stallion today, you need to wait at least a week before she foals. Of course, this does not mean you have to do so, you can wait the whole 11 months, or a few months. It's up to you. Please remember to breed mares responsibly, and remember when aging your foals, that the mare can only have one foal in each year. (ie, she can't have two foals whos birthdates both say 1999). You can breed your mare multiple times (although please be responsible) in a real time year, but please age the foals accordingly!
  • A mare cannot have 10 foals in 1999, 10 foals in 2000 etc. If your marehas already had a foal that say, was born in 1999, age the next foal to havebeen born in 2000. (Allocate a year for each foal. Each foal from the same dam may not have the same birth year.)

    The only exception to this is to obtain foals through embryo transfer. Surrogate mares may only have one foal per year, but there is no specific limit to how many embryos a given mare may donate. However, remember that a foal's value is based in part on its rarity - too many foals with the same dam decreases the value of those foals. Breeders are expected to use this technique responsibly. Note that all foals bred through embryo transfer must have this clearly stated with their information
  • A foal must be at least two years younger than its sire and at least three years younger than its dam.
  • You can age your horses multiple times, but don't do it too often (every 6 months to a year is recommended). Remember that you must take your horse's parents' ages into account when aging a horse.
  • You can breed to horses owned by other players, or your own. Check out the breeding forum to find stallions at stud or mare embryos available.


    • Dogs
  • It's a well known fact that many horse enthusiasts, also love dogs. And dogs are a common site around horses in some places. Arena allows permission for players to breed dogs, but please adhere to the following guidelines, otherwise, in all possibility dogs would be banned from the game. So please follow the guidelines! :)
  • Arena is a game focused on Sim horses. Keeping this in mind, keep any dog breeding operations small.
  • Dog Associations etc. may not be started.
  • Dogs may not be registered in the AEAP Database.
  • At this point in time, dog shows may not be held.


    • Sim-Children, Sim-Family, Virtual Owners. Virtual Riders
  • Sim-Children, Sim-Family etc. are not permitted in Arena.
  • Virtual Owners are not permitted in Arena.
  • Virtual Riders ARE permitted in Arena but may not own horses or be considered as Sim-Children or Sim-Family.


    • Entering Shows
  • Be realistic when you enter your horses in a show. A horse cannot possibly compete in Grand Prix Dressage, Grand Prix Showjumping and CCI**** Eventing. A 2 year old cannot do A Grade showjumping. If you are not sure about a discipline, ask on the message board.
  • RULE ADDED: 17th JUNE 2003 For Dressage, Showjumping, and Eventing, you MUST Follow the age and qualification (if applicable) guidelines on the relevant Reference pages which can be found at the EXPLORE page. Failure to do so constantly can result in suspension from showing.
  • You can use virtual riders in shows (if the show permits it), but be realistic about how many horses your virtual rider rides in a show.
  • You should only enter one show a day, unless you have different show 'teams' at each show (And make sure riders aren't at both shows, as it would not be possible.).
  • Always read the show host's rules when entering shows. If Dressage, Showjumping or Eventing, follow the reference page rules for age etc.


    • Arena Equine Achievement Program
    The Arena Equine Achievement Program has been set up to recognise the exceptional achievements of Arena's equine population.

    In order to be recognised for this program, your horses and ponies must be registered with the AEAP Database. You will find the link for this in the Explore page, once you are a member.

    As you will see, the database has a field for AEAP points. These are acquired from show results from shows held in Arena. (Shows from other games do not count). Equines gain points from their placings in classes they have entered, as follows:

    1st Place = 6 points
    2nd Place = 5 points
    3rd Place = 4 points
    4th Place = 3 points
    5th Place = 2 points
    6th Place = 1 point
    Players are required to tally their own points for their own equines, honestly and correctly. Players can then put them in the AEAP Points field for each horse in the database. This system is to encourage recognition of some of the outstanding horses and ponies in Arena; it is not set up to encourage over-showing of horses and ponies in Arena. Random checks may be made.

    If a player is found to be overshowing their horses or ponies in Arena, appropriate action will be taken. If a player is found to be showing their horses or ponies at inappropriate levels, when there are guides/age limits that the player can refer to, apprioriate action will be taken. This could be a warning or suspension. Excessive, constant overshowing or showing at inappropriate levels, or too many different disciplines, will result in the player being removed from Arena.

    AEAP RECOGNITION LEVELS
    150 AEAP Points - One Star AEAP Recognition
    300 AEAP Points - Two Star AEAP Recognition
    500 AEAP Points - Three Star AEAP Recognition
    800 AEAP Points - Four Star AEAP Recognition
    1000 AEAP Points - Five Star AEAP Recognition
    Do not affix your horse's name with 1 Star or similar. You can put the information on your horse's webpage or on sale/stud ads etc., but it is not to become part of the horse's name..


    Holding Shows
  • Only hold a show if you have the time to make the classlist, rules, take entries, process entries and get results out on time. Shows take a lot of effort, so make sure you don't have exams or assignments due around when your show is due to be held.
  • Give players at least 2 weeks in advance to enter your show so you can get a good number of entries.
  • Make your rules clear. How many horses can they enter in a class? What are the fees for entry?
  • Players earn $300 Flat rate for holding a show, this can be claimed in the Salary Centre on a monthly basis.
  • If you wish, you can give out the following prize money amounts using 'Arena Money'. You do not need to put in a claim or inform Arena, but you must do it as follows:
    All classes of all shows are sponsored by Arena. Prizes are $30 for first place, $20 for second, and $10 for third. Show holders are encouraged to supplement these amounts, but it is not required.
  • ARENA can assist with major shows in the form of offering monetary grants for Championships etc. You can access a Grant Application Form here.
  • Results should ideally be out within one week of the show's date, but you have three weeks to do them. Make the closing date for entries at leasta few days before the show's date to allow for time to do results.
  • Results should be done randomly. You may enter your own shows. All results must be done randomly whether you enter your own show or not. If, as a player, you feel a show host has not done random results, please email Jodi at kewarra@equinewebaustralia.com. Do not discuss it on the forum.
  • If you feel inspired, do writeups about the classes in your shows. It makes reading results interesting.


    • Associations/Registries
  • Before you look at setting up an Association/Registry, first ask yourself: Do you have the time? Can you hold regular shows? An Association/Registry is a big commitment.
  • Always make sure there is a need for an Association. For instance, you wouldn't want a Friesan Assocaition (for example), if there was only 1 Friesan in Arena. Establish as to whether there is a need for the Association/Registry. Ways to do this can be by asking on the forum; looking in the AEAP Database; or holding a show focusing on the breed or discipline and noting how many attend.
  • If you have decided that there is a need for an Association/Registry; and that you have the time to run one, you may then fill out an Association Pre-Approval Form, WAIT for Pre-Approval, and then ask on the Arena General Discussion Forum for votes. 10 Votes are required, but 60% of those votes (6 of those votes) must be from players who own a horse of the breed or discipline for the association.
  • Each Association or Registry will start off with a $5,000 balance. This is to help for show prizes etc. - You can continue to make money to keep the association/registry running by asking for small amounts for show entries, registration etc.


    • Businesses
  • Want to set up a tack store, feed store or other business? Votes are not required (As per Associations) but you will need to make a webpage that pertains to your business and has information clearly set out for potential clients!

    • © Copyright 2003 Jodi Swinn and the Players of Arena.