Combined Driving Cones Split Time Calculator
Calculate gate-by-gate split times based on FEI class speed, walk the course with precision, and print a ready-to-use briefing sheet — all before you step into the arena.
What Is the Cones Phase in FEI Combined Driving?
The cones phase is the third and final phase of FEI Combined Driving. Drivers navigate a course of cone pairs — each pair topped with a removable ball — within the Time Allowed calculated from the course distance and the FEI-mandated class speed. Every knocked ball adds penalty points; every second over the Time Allowed adds time penalties. Under current FEI Driving Rules (2026 edition), the cones phase tests the driver's ability to maintain controlled pace and precise steering after two days of competition.
FEI Class Speeds for the Cones Phase
The Time Allowed is calculated by dividing the course distance by the speed prescribed for your class. Under the FEI Driving Rules the cones speed is set by the class — horse or pony, single, pair or four-in-hand — and is the same at every star level, from CAI1* to CAIO4*. Only Children, Para Driving and Young Horse classes are driven at a different speed. The table below lists the values Easy Cones applies.
| Category | Speed (m/min) |
|---|---|
| Single Horse | 250 |
| Pair Horse | 250 |
| Four-in-Hand Horse | 240 |
| Single Pony | 260 |
| Pair Pony | 250 |
| Four-in-Hand Pony | 240 |
Source: FEI Driving Rules 2026 (Art. 975.10.5, Art. 978.3) — these speeds apply at every star level; there is no reduced cones speed for CAI1* or CAI2*. Separate speeds apply to Children (220 m/min, single pony — Art. 974.1), Para Driving (230 m/min for horses and ponies, 240 m/min permitted in a drive-off — Annex 8) and FEI Young Horse and Pony classes (5-year-olds 220, 6-year-olds 230, 7-year-olds 240 m/min — Annex 13). The Ground Jury may reduce the speed in the interests of safety (Art. 974.1.4), so always use the speed printed on the official course plan for your class.
The Course Walk and Split Times
Measuring wheels are not allowed when you inspect the cones course: a first offence brings a warning and any repeat offence a Yellow Warning Card from the President of the Ground Jury (FEI Art. 973.7.1). You do not need one. The official course plan must be posted in the collecting ring at least two hours before your class and shows the course length, the speed in metres per minute and the Time Allowed, with a dotted line marking exactly how the length was measured (FEI Art. 973.6.1). Walk the course on foot to pace out the distance to each gate, learn your line and memorise the sequence, then enter the plan's figures into Easy Cones. Arriving at gate 7 one second late means arriving at gate 14 further behind — pacing from the very first gate is what separates a clean round from accumulated time faults. Easy Cones turns those distances into a gate-by-gate split time table you can carry into the arena.
How Split Time Calculation Works
Enter the total course distance and select your FEI class (which sets the prescribed speed). Then add each gate with its cumulative distance from the start. Easy Cones divides each cumulative distance by the class speed to produce the target elapsed time at that gate. The result is a clear split time table — one row per gate, with the time you should see on your stopwatch as you pass through.
Penalties in the Cones Phase
Two kinds of penalty decide a cones round. Dislodging a ball from the top of a cone — a knocked ball — adds 3 penalty points under current FEI Driving Rules, and disobediences such as a refusal or circle add further points, with elimination for the third disobedience on course. Time penalties accrue at 0.5 penalty points for every second over the Time Allowed. Because a single knocked ball costs the same as six seconds of pace, most drivers plan to finish just inside the Time Allowed rather than risk a rushed, cone-clipping round. Knowing your split times lets you buy that safety margin deliberately, instead of discovering the deficit at the final gate.
Cones Phase Glossary
Key terms used in the FEI Combined Driving cones phase and throughout Easy Cones.
- Gate
- A pair of cones, each topped with a removable ball, that the carriage must pass through. Gates are numbered in the order they are driven.
- Ball
- The removable ball resting on top of each cone. If it is dislodged as the carriage passes, the gate counts as knocked and penalty points are added.
- Time Allowed
- The maximum time to complete the course without time penalties, found by dividing the course distance by the FEI class speed.
- Split time
- The target elapsed time on your stopwatch when you reach a specific gate — the running total that tells you whether you are on pace.
- Class speed
- The speed in metres per minute prescribed by the FEI for your competition class, used to calculate the Time Allowed.
- Course plan
- The plan of the course posted in the collecting ring at least two hours before your class, signed by the Course Designer and the President of the Ground Jury, showing the course length, the speed in metres per minute and the Time Allowed (FEI Art. 973.6.1). It is the source for the numbers you enter into Easy Cones — measuring wheels are not permitted during the course inspection (FEI Art. 973.7.1).
- Course walk
- The pre-competition inspection on foot, where the driver paces the course, plans the racing line and memorises the gate sequence. Measuring wheels are not permitted (FEI Art. 973.7.1); the distances and the Time Allowed come from the official course plan.
- Knocked ball
- A ball dislodged from a cone. Each knocked ball adds 3 penalty points under current FEI Driving Rules.
- Disobedience
- A refusal, run-out, or unplanned circle on course. Disobediences add penalty points, and the third disobedience results in elimination.
- Time penalty
- Points added for exceeding the Time Allowed — 0.5 penalty points for each second over, calculated to hundredths of a second.
Frequently Asked Questions — Cones Phase
What is "Time Allowed" in the cones phase?
The Time Allowed is the maximum time to complete the cones course without incurring time penalties. It is calculated by dividing the course distance by the FEI class speed for your competition class. Drivers who exceed the Time Allowed receive a time penalty of 0.5 penalty points for each second over the Time Allowed, calculated to hundredths of a second (two decimal places), under current FEI Driving Rules.
How do split times help during the cones phase?
A split time is the target elapsed time you should see on your stopwatch at each gate. By knowing the split at every gate before you enter the course, you can feel immediately whether you are ahead of, on, or behind pace — and adjust without guessing. This is especially valuable at longer cones courses where a slow start compounds into a significant time deficit by the final gates.
Which FEI competition classes does Easy Cones cover?
Easy Cones covers all current FEI horse and pony classes — single, pair, and four-in-hand for both horses and ponies — across the standard FEI competition levels. You can also enter a custom speed manually for national or club events that use speeds outside the FEI table.
How many penalty points is a knocked cone in Combined Driving?
Dislodging a ball from a cone adds 3 penalty points under current FEI Driving Rules. Time penalties are separate and accrue at 0.5 penalty points for every second over the Time Allowed, so a single knocked ball is worth roughly six seconds of pace — which is why clean driving usually matters more than shaving seconds.
What speed is used to calculate the cones Time Allowed?
The Time Allowed is the course distance divided by the FEI class speed. That speed depends on your class, not on the star level: 250 m/min for single and pair horses, 240 m/min for horse four-in-hand, 260 m/min for single ponies, 250 m/min for pony pairs and 240 m/min for pony four-in-hand — the same at CAI1* as at CAIO4*. Children (220 m/min), Para Driving (230 m/min) and Young Horse classes (220, 230 or 240 m/min by the horse's age) are the exceptions. Easy Cones fills in the correct figure automatically, and you can override it for national or club events.
Does Easy Cones work offline at the showground?
Once it is open, yes. Easy Cones does its calculating in your browser rather than on a server, so after the page has loaded it needs no connection to work out split times — patchy showground signal will not interrupt your course walk. There is no offline app to install, though, so open it and sign in while you still have a connection. Your work is then stored in that browser on that device and autosaves as you go.
Combined Driving Cones Split Time Calculator
Calculate gate-by-gate split times based on FEI class speed, walk the course with precision, and print a ready-to-use briefing sheet — all before you step into the arena.
Competing in the full CAI event? Also prepare for the marathon phase. Open Marathon Calculator →