Tack-tical Warfare: An Equestrian Equipment Manufacturer’s Guide to Outriding the Ever-Changing Competition Rules
For competitive riders, staying updated with the ever-evolving rules and regulations regarding tack, training tools, and rider equipment can feel like navigating a labyrinth. With different governing bodies such as the FEI, British Showjumping, British Dressage, British Eventing, and others each setting their own standards, ensuring compliance is crucial not only to avoid elimination but also to uphold the highest standards of equestrian welfare. Throw in a healthy dose of recommendations from the Equine Ethics and Welfare Committee, British Equestrian Charter for the Horse and input from industry experts and associations hey presto. No wonder riders feel discombobulated by it all!
As a manufacturer of equestrian equipment, we understand these challenges and are committed to helping riders make informed choices. We have a sense of responsibility for how we position our product to equestrians and I can’t help but feel the industry makes it challenging for us to do that. Having pored over rule books, countless papers, and the many reports our fantastic industry produces, I felt there was an appropriate question to ask:
Are the rules in equestrian sport there for fairness?
Let’s start by looking at the broad principles of rules in our sport. No-one would argue that rules serve multiple purposes, particularly around safety and horse welfare:
- Fairness and Integrity – rules ensure that all competitors adhere to the same standards, preventing unfair advantages through equipment, training methods, or performance-enhancing substances for example.
- Safety – Many regulations govern protective gear, tack, and riding practices to minimise risks to both horse and rider.
- Horse Welfare – Increasingly, rules focus on ethical treatment, preventing overuse of restrictive tack, excessive training methods, and ensuring horses are competing in a sound, healthy state (e.g., veterinary checks, whip use limits, and noseband tightness rules).
While fairness is a core principle, there is room for debate about how well the rules achieve it, especially given the variations between governing bodies (for example FEI versus national federations) and evolving public perceptions of horse welfare.
Should we also consider that in some cases, rule changes are reactive, rather than proactive, leading to inconsistencies across disciplines. From a manufacturer’s perspective, we have certainly fallen foul of this.
Inconsistencies are the common term as far as I’m concerned. For example, is it fair to prohibit the use of equipment or tools used in training in competitive situations?
Admittedly, some equipment is specifically purposed for training rather than competitions, and if there is a safety risk, for example, then it will almost certainly be prohibited from use in competitions rather than training, where the situation may present a significant risk. But what about tools and equipment that are not so clear-cut?
Interestingly enough, the FEI recently commissioned a report by The Equine Welfare and Ethics Committee, in which the FEI’s stance on equipment usage in training versus competition suggests no distinction. Surely allowing riders to use tack and equipment in both training and competitive settings ensures consistency. Riders often struggle to transition from training aids to competition conditions for very valid reasons, so providing there is an ethical and performance-driven reason, why would this compromise the principles of fairness?
The report recommended that the “FEI Adopt an evidence-based approach for assessing the impact on horse welfare of new and existing items of tack and equipment in training and competition”. Consider that there should be no differentiation between equipment or tools used in training, and those allowed in competitive situations. Yet BD, BS (BE unconfirmed as yet!) create a clear differentiation between training and competitions.
Understanding Governing Bodies and Their Regulations
Each organisation has its own rulebook outlining permitted and prohibited equipment. The FEI sets international standards across multiple disciplines, while national bodies such as British Showjumping (BS), British Dressage (BD), and British Eventing (BE) tailor their regulations to domestic competition structures. To illustrate the confusion that exists, I had a conversation with a mum whose daughter competes internationally only this week. She’d recently competed abroad in a showjumping event under FEI rules, shortly afterwards returning home to compete on sovereign soil under BS rules. She literally had to change her bit and most of her attire to comply with BS.
Now, I understand that it’s the responsibility of a rider to read the rules for whichever governing body presides over that particular competition. Have you every tried to read all 152 pages of the BS rule book?! Let alone navigate BD, FEI and BE rules if you’re competing across all 3 disciplines. Then account for the wellbeing of your horse by studying at length all the reports and papers that preside over horse welfare inside and outside the ring?
The Rising Challenge of Welfare-Driven Regulation
The push for enhanced equestrian welfare is leading to more frequent updates in competition rules. The FEI Charter for the Horse, along with growing public scrutiny of equestrian sports, has driven changes in:
- Tack Restrictions: Some equipment once allowed for performance enhancement is now being reconsidered for potential discomfort or misuse.
- Training Aids: Lunging equipment and auxiliary reins are being more closely monitored to ensure they promote ethical training.
- Rule Standardisation: A greater emphasis is being placed on harmonising rules across disciplines to create consistency in horse welfare policies.
How Riders Can Stay Compliant
- Regularly Review Rulebooks: Governing bodies frequently update their equipment regulations. Checking official websites and rulebooks ahead of competition season is crucial.
- Invest in Versatile Equipment: Choosing adaptable gear that meets regulations across multiple disciplines can reduce the risk of non-compliance.
- Consult Officials and Stewards: If in doubt, reach out to event stewards or governing body representatives to confirm whether certain equipment is permitted.
- Partner with Knowledgeable Manufacturers: As a trusted equestrian equipment manufacturer, we stay ahead of rule changes to design products that meet the latest standards while prioritizing horse welfare.
- Follow Welfare Trends: Understanding the shifting landscape of horse welfare policies can help riders make proactive adjustments to their tack and training approaches.
The Role of Manufacturers in Compliance and Welfare
As regulations continue to evolve, equestrian equipment manufacturers play a key role in developing innovative products that align with modern welfare standards while enhancing performance. At Equiseat Aid, we always seek to work closely with industry bodies, riders, and veterinary professionals to ensure our equipment meets the highest ethical and competitive standards. Though some of the affiliated bodies do not make that easy and we regularly face being pushed to the back of the queue at best, frequently ignored completely.
For riders aiming to stay ahead in the sport, being well-informed about rules and regulations is just as important as training and competition preparation. By staying educated and choosing equipment wisely, competitors can focus on success while ensuring their horses’ well-being remains the top priority.
Conclusion
The constant evolution of equestrian competition rules presents a challenge not just for riders, but for manufacturers striving to design products that align with ever-changing standards. While rules are intended to promote fairness, safety, and welfare, the inconsistencies between governing bodies often leave riders and manufacturers scrambling to keep up.
If the industry is truly committed to evidence-based decision-making in horse welfare, then rule-making must become more consistent, transparent, and collaborative. Manufacturers have a role to play in ensuring equipment meets high ethical standards, but we need a seat at the table rather than being left to navigate a shifting landscape of regulations without clear guidance.
For riders, the best defence is knowledge, staying informed, questioning the reasoning behind restrictions, and ensuring their equipment choices serve both compliance and performance. In a sport where preparation is everything, understanding the rules should not be another hurdle to overcome. Instead, it should be a framework that enables fairness, clarity, and the highest standard of welfare for the horse.
This article was written by Ruth Schofield Co-Founder & Director, Equiseat Aid. Ruth’s lifelong passion for horses has driven her journey from childhood rider to co-founder and Director of Equiseat Aid. Her commitment to understanding how we can do the very best for our horses, regardless of age, ability or experience led to the co-creation of Equiseat Aid as both a brand and a business. This dedication continues today through Equiseat Aid’s quest to helping riders improve their straightness and balance in the saddle, while prioritising their horse’s well-being.
