Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a suggestion for the Frequently Asked Questions section, please 
use this form.
Will EC send a response even if my application is not accepted?
Yes, you will receive an email stating why you are not being accepted into the
game. You may re-apply after three months have passed - your IP address will be
logged when you apply, so we will know if you try again too soon. EC has high
standards for its members, and we must stand firm if the game is to continue in
its current success.
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Is there a standard a game-wide point system?
No, EC does not have a game-wide point system, but we do have game-wide titles and awards.
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Is there a standard a game-wide title system?
Yes. The Legion of Merit (LOM) is the highest honor your horse can achieve in the game at
this time. The LOM involves an application when your horse has reached a certain criteria
involving shows, foals, awards, etc, and if awarded, adding a star to the horse's name,
which is a game-wide honor easily recognized by all players. There are three levels to
the LOM: the first level earned is One Star on the horse's name (*), second level is Two
Stars (**), and the third level is, obviously, Three Stars (***). A Three Star horse is
worth a considerable amount of money and has likely achieved a great deal of fame in the
game by the time they reach the Three Star level. Horses which have earned LOM stars are
considered very accomplished, and it is certainly worth bragging about when your horse
earns the stars. Please note, the stars MUST be earned in order, they are difficult to
achieve for a reason, and each member may only send ONE application per month.
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Do I have to pay any membership fees?
At this time, all features of the game are free of charge. You have the option of donating
funds to the game, to help pay for the domain name and hosting bills, or to make the Forum
ad-free, and keep the game online, but it is NOT mandatory to do so. If you are interested
in donating to the game, please contact an Administrator for details.
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How will I record my game information?
You will have to create and maintain a webpage to record your game information, your horses,
and other stats. Some good free hosts have been recommended and linked on the Ec Forum under
"Help & Support". Try to avoid using templates or prefabricated sites, in order to make your
webpage as unique and personalized as possible. Subdomains could be available to donating
members and staff in the future, but at this time, you are responsible for developing your
own websites and arranging your own hosts.
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Can I use the same site for EC as I do for another game?
No. El Caballo Sim requires that all members use separate websites and records for this game,
and no shared websites or records will be allowed. Otherwise, members run the risk of getting
records confused between games, or accidentally advertising another SIM game on their EC sites,
which is strictly against the Rulebook, and will result in being warned or banned.
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How can I find help with HTML coding?
You can post on the Forum asking for help, as many of our members are adept with site building
and eager to offer suggestions and tips or lend a hand. Some good tutorials and help websites
have been recommended and linked on the Ec Forum under "Help & Support".
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What information should my game sites include?
Your page should include: links to your horses and their individual records, and a contact page
that shows your EC name and your email address. Your game sites should also include a disclaimer
(this is all simulated/fake for an online game called El Caballo) & a link back to EC.
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How do I create a horse?
Use your imagination! Decide on the horse's stats (name, breed, gender, color, height, pedigree, etc).
You should also pick a discipline for your horse to compete in, but remember to keep it realistic.
Your horse may have a created pedigree, but remember that when you register him in the ECREG,
you will need to specify that he was created.
After you have decided the stats for your horse, visit the ECREG and send a form to have him registered.
When your horse is registered with the ECREG Database, he officially exists in the game, and then he may
show, breed, etc. - but not before.
Your horse must be registered with the ECREG Database to exist in the game, but it is equally important
for him to have a webpage that showcases his information, show record, etc.
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How do I breed a foal?
If you own the sire and dam, this is a simple procedure. Choose the foal's stats, as you would if you were
creating a horse, and register her in the ECREG Database (so that she exists in the game). Please make sure
that the foal's stats coincide realistically with the stats of the parents; as in, two Arabs will have an
Arab foal, or two black tobianos will likely have a black tobiano foal, a QH and an Arab will have foal
of the breed Quarab, etc. Also make sure the foal's YOB does not contradict the YOb of the parents; a
stallion can sire offspring as early as 2 years of age, but a mare cannot carry a foal until she is (at
the very least) 3 years old. Also, a mare may NOT have more than one foal per breeding year (as that
would be very unrealistic).
If you do NOT own the sire or the dam, or both, you will need to arrange the breeding with the owner,
and possibly pay breeding fees. There might be a Breeding Contract to sign and adhere to, and you may
not have total creative control over the stats, name, etc. of the foal. Remember, the owner of a breeding
horse has the right to refuse a breeding for whatever reason: they may think you are not active enough,
or they cannot trust you to remain in the game long enough to show and promote the foal. Nobody wants a
foal out of their prized horses to become 'lost' in the system or even deleted.
A member who holds a valid Breeding License may choose to use their own rights as a breeder for the foal
(because licensed members are able to breed unlimited foals per year, while non-licensed members may only
breed 5). In the case of two non-licensed members wanting to breed a foal, or in the case of a licensed
breeder who chooses NOT to use a credit, the person who initiated the breeding or who will keep the foal
will use a breeding credit. See also, breeding AGED foals, below.
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How do I breed an AGED foal?
Same rules apply as detailed above, but with more emphasis on the YOB of foal and parents. If the broodmare's
YOB is 1990, this means she is 18 years old as of 2008. She can have foals starting in the year 1993, and can
have one foal per year, as per the rules. This means that she could technically give birth to 16 foals by the
year 2008. Make sense?
If your mare has not already had a foal for the year 2000, you could choose that year as the foal's YOB, and
have your foal 'born' instantly at age 7. This is very convenient for showing and breeding purposes.
Some members choose NOT to breed 'aged' foals, and prefer to play the game with an actual FOAL, a very young
horse, but considering that a weanling or 1 year-old foal can only show in-hand, this seems very limited to
some members, and they prefer to breed 'aged' foals in order to show them more actively in under-saddle classes,
and also be able to breed them. It is entirely up to you which way you want to do things, or if you prefer to
have a few foals born this year and a few 'aged' foals as well. You CAN do both, but keep accurate records so
that you do not become confused.
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What breeds are accepted in EC?
All STOCK horse breeds are accepted in the game: Appaloosa, Paint, Quarter Horse, Arabian, and any combo/cross
of these listed breeds. Thoroughbred bloodlines may be used in created pedigrees, but no straight TBs will be
found in the game.
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What disciplines are accepted in EC?
All Western disciplines are accepted in El Caballo Sim (because this is strictly a WESTERN sim game). If it uses
a western saddle or halter, it is allowed and encouraged in El Caballo.
Examples:
Working Cow Horse
Reining
Western Pleasure
Roping
Cutting
Speed; barrels, poles, flags
Trail
Halter
Showmanship
Horsemanship
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Can I re-train my horse?
Only an approved Training Facility has the authority to train or re-train a horse in the game. All Training
Facilities are owned by a member who manages a main barn, who have proven their comittment to the game and
their knowledge of the rules and guidelines of EC. Some Training Facilities specialize in one or two
disciplines and some offer training in all disciplines; it is up to you which Training Facility you wish to
hire. All Training Facilities are listed on the main EC website under the link 'Training Facilities'.
If you breed a foal in EC and you have decided to age the horse, the horse will require some basic training
in order to be considered fit for competition. If you own a horse who competes in one discipline but you
would prefer it compete in an entirely different discpline, you will need to send it to a trainer for
re-training before it can compete under the new discpline. Training and re-training are instant; as soon
as you get an email from the trainer stating your horse is trained, you can start entering him/her in shows.
Fees for Training Facilities are at the trainer's discretion, but bear in mind that you are NOT permitted to
undercut ALL of another Facility's fees outrageously; competitive pricing is good but please be fair and keep
your fees within a range already designated by the current trainers.
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Does my horse need to see a vet or a farrier?
Yes. Your horses need to visit a farrier every 8 or 10 weeks, and a veterinarian at least once
a year. Log In to the EC website and visit the links in the main menu under "Businesses" to see
the available Veterinarian clinics and Farrier services.
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Are members required to buy feed and tack?
No. At this time, members are not required to purchase feed or tack for their horses.
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Where can I find photographs for my horses?
You may find photographs to use for your horses (try Google Image search), to flesh your horse out and
make him seem more realistic, but you MUST have permission from the photograph's owner before you
use them. EC does NOT condone the illegal use of copyrighted photographs, or hotlinking.
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What is hotlinking?
Hotlinking is when you display an image that is hosted on another website - in effect, you are stealing
their bandwidth, which is extremely rude and may result in the image being removed from the original
website, or possibly even legal action taken against you by the photographer or website owner. Please
request permission for all photographs, and save them to your own host/server before displaying them.
EC holds no liability whatsoever for the illegal use of copyrighted images by any member.
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Can I age/de-age my horses? What does this mean?
You may AGE (make older) any horse which YOU created or bred, as long as the new YOB does not contradict
the sire and dam ages (if applicable). A horse may not be older than its sire and dam.
You may not DE-AGE (make younger) any horse in the game at any time, no matter what; there are no exceptions.
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Am I able to modify a horse that I created?
Some stats can NEVER be changed, such as gender (except in the case of gelding a male horse), the color
of the horse, and the horse's breed. If you created the horse, you may age him to be older, but you
may NOT make a horse younger, no matter what. If you created him, you can change anything about him BEFORE
he has shown or been bred - but if he has been shown or had a foal, then none of his stats may change.
Please also be considerate when requesting stat changes in the ECREG; the Administration Team works very
hard to keep EC running smoothly and actively, and we don't appreciate frequent modification requests.
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Am I able to modify a horse that I purchased?
Some stats can NEVER be changed, such as gender (except in the case of gelding a stallion), the base coat
color of the horse, and the horse's breed. You can change anything about him BEFORE he has shown or been
bred - but if he has been shown or had a foal, then none of his stats may change - and you MUST always
ask the person who originally created the horse before you change anything about him, because it is
always at the original owner's discretion.
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How much money do I start out with?
New members may choose to start out with anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000, but no more and no less.
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When can I own a barn?
Basically, after you have at least 60 posts on the Forum, and have proven yourself as a dedicated player.
Remember, your posts must be legit in order to count - ie: posts with only a smilie face or one-word
answers do NOt count towards your total posts. If members are caught making extremely short posts just
to up their count, they will be demoted to a lower post count (yes, we can do that). For more detailed
information on this topic, please see the EC Rulebook under "Member Levels".
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How can I earn more money?
You can earn money by entering shows and collecting prize money, by selling a horse that you own to another
member, or taking entry fees for a show you are hosting. You can also (when your member status allows) start
a business or shop, or an association or registry, and earn money from the registry fees or by selling items
in your shop. REMEMBER: you must record all transactions in your financial records at the EC Bank & Trust.
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How do I pay for items, or receive payment?
All money transferred within the game is fake, or simulated. There is NOT real money changing hands. Services or
items (including horses) are to be paid for with sim money ONLY - the only real money seen in the game is that
which is sent at the discretion of members who wish to donate funds to the game website, via an Administrator.
EC works with the common "check system", by which members can transfer funds to and from one another
by writing and sending a "check". Remember to update your financial records every time you send or
receive a check. This is what a check looks like:
Date: (dd/mm/yyyy)
To: (who the check is for)
Amount: $(how much money)
Memo: (what the check is for)
Signed: (your name)
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What should I do if another member is harrassing me?
Harrassment of any kind is NOT tolerated in El Caballo, and must be reported immediately.
If you are being harrassed, teased in a rude or hurtful fashion, or threatened by another member
of the game, please email Kalla Hawk directly and describe the situation in detail. If possible,
send her an unedited screenshot of the messages or form of harrassment. Action will be taken
immediately, as we strive to always protect and preserve the integrity and rights of members
in the game. EC is comprised of our friends, and we will always protect our friends.
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What will happen to my horses if I leave the game?
All horses created for the purpose of playing El Caballo Sim become and remain the property of the
game, NOT the member. If you join EC and create/breed any number of horses, they will stay in the
game system even if you leave for any reason. This is to ensure that all horses registered in the
ECREG may be accounted for, and to minimize the bookwork related to maintaining the game, members,
and registered horses. By applying to play EC, you agree to adhere by this rule from the moment you
begin playing EC to the moment you possibly ever leave the game. The EC Administrators & Staff
subsequently reserves the right to auction any abandoned horses to the EC public.
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How do I get a bank account?
You send your application, you are accepted, you recieve the email containing the username &
password to the EC website, you go and create your forum account and make your introductory post, and
then you go and create an account with the EC Bank & Trust (using the same name you used on the EC
Forum, so that other members do not become confused). Once you have created your account at the
bank, an account board will become available to you. If there are any delays, you may wish to PM an
Administrator and politely remind them to establish an account board for you, which will be done
promptly. You are on your way.
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Where can I sell a horse or find horses for sale?
All sales & auctions are listed on the EC Marketplace. Please use the correct link on the main EC
website to open the Marketplace window and start searching for your new horses, or to list a horse
for sale or auction. You will need to register with the Marketplace in order to post; please use
the same name that you use for the Forum so other members will recognize you.
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What does "LOM" stand for?
LEGION OF MERIT. This is the game-wide title awarded to the most deserving horses in EC. Horses who have
earned the LOM may display one*, two**, or three*** stars before/after their official show name, such as
Tabasco Sozz* or *Dabir - but only AFTER they have applied and been awarded the stars, of course. The most
instantly recognizable system of merit in the game, this title is the most difficult to achieve (the standards of
criteria are higher and higher for each level of star, of which there are currently three (***), and the application
procedure is quite strict and demanding). This title vastly increases the value of the horse who has earned it.
- ANY horse of any breed or gender or discipline may apply for the LOM stars.
- Any member in good standing may apply their horse for the LOM stars.
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What does "HOTM" stand for?
HORSE OF THE MONTH. This is a game-wide award, and is based on peer votes and outside nominations. This
award does NOT have additional symbols or acronyms added to a horse's name; it is signified by a mention
in the horse's show record or somewhere on their personal page, and is definitely cause for bragging by the
animal's owner. Horses who have earned this title do increase in value, and it is currently a criteria for
applying for the LOM (defined above). As of January 2008, there are two titles to be won each month for
HOTM: Stallion and Mare.
- ANY horse of any breed or discipline may win HOTM-Mare or HOTM-Stallion.
- Any member in good standing may nominate ANY mare or stallion for HOTM.
- Currently, only mares or stallions age 4 years+ may apply for HOTM.
- Members may nominate one mare and one stallion each month - but it cannot be their OWN horse.
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See Also:
- About the Game
- The Rulebook
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