Prohibited Equipment at Sport Events

Prohibited bits and/or bridles are bits and/or bridles that are clearly designed for another purpose, such as bits for cart horses, or are part of tack designed for a different riding style/culture, or are used in another way then what they are designed for. Only reins that go directly from the rider’s hands to the correct attachment point on the bit or bit less bridle are allowed.

Prohibited shoes, rings or soles are shoes, rings or soles that are clearly designed for another purpose other than riding horses.

In addition to this general rule the Sport Committee maintains the following list of equipment that is not allowed for specific reasons:

Bits and Bridles

• The flash noseband or Mexican noseband in combination with all bits with upper and/or lower cheeks (leveler mechanism).
  The flash noseband or Mexican nodeband fits badly with most of these bits and in some cases the combined mechanism makes the equipment very severe. Prohibited as of April 1, 2011.
• A conventional bitted bridle used together with a bitless bridle.
  This is against the intention of the bitless bridle.
• Myler combination bits with short or long shanks (and similar bits from other producers)
  This type of bit combines bitless techniques (hackamore) with a bit and is designed as a training bit. Prohibited as of July 12, 2006.
• Sliding gag bits (bits that can move up and down along the cheek pieces of a bridle).
  These bits are mainly correction bits and not suitable for showing horses.
• The drop (German/Hanoverian) noseband or leveler noseband in combination with all bits used with a curb chain.
  This type of bit should be used with another noseband as it does not fit very well together. It leads to an ugly picture. The upper part of the curb could easily get stuck in the drop noseband. The functioning of the chain is affected by the position of the laces in the combination with the leveler noseband. N.B. This does not include a flash noseband (combined noseband)!
• The drop (German/Hanoverian) noseband or leveler noseband in combination with all bits with upper and/or lower cheeks.
  This type of bit should be used with another noseband as it does not fit very well together. It leads to an ugly picture. The chain and the lower part of the noseband could come very close to each other so the skin can easily get squeezed. The functioning of the cheeks is affected by the position of the laces in the combination with the leveler noseband. N.B. This does not include a flash noseband (combined noseband)!

Shoes, Rings, and Soles

• A ring may have one single bridge not wider than 20.0 mm joining one side to the other. A ring is deemed to be a sole if there is any other form of connection from one side to the other.
  This is also valid when the connection consists of a woven construction. Reinforcements to keep the ring in place on the shoe are allowed.
• If the hoof has any filling material with or without a sole only shoes up to a maximum of 8.0 mm thick are allowed.
  As soon as any material is inside the hoof (including the shoe) the rules for soles apply, even if no sole is used.