general

1
GENERAL
• A breastplate and/or crupper may be used.
• Western cavesson allowed – space for two fingers
between cavesson and jowl of horse
• NO metal, studs of any kind or other substances
allowed in conjunction with or as part of a western
leather cavesson.
2
WESTERN DRESSAGE TACK
• Any western type headstall must be used.
• Western cavesson (pencil, braided, or plain) allowed.
• Hackamore (bosal) allowed on horse any age, any
level
• Native/national bridles permitted.
• Leather/leather like bitless bridle of Western style
permitted.
• Western two-rein bridle permitted
3
REINS
Romal reins
• Can be used only with a
curb bit
• One hand only
Ride with two hands
only with split reins,
connected reins, or
mecate type reins
(w/o popper)
4
HANDS
Rider can use two hands on reins with
• split reins, connected reins, or mecate type reins (without the
popper)
• Romal reins only used with a curb bit; rider must use one hand
with romal reins
5
HAND POSITIONS
6
LEGAL?
Bridle is legal
Cavesson is NOT LEGAL
Rope construction and
knot are issues.
7
LEGAL?
Bridle is legal
Cavesson legal if
smooth on the inside.
8
CURB BIT
• Defined as a bit with
leverage
• Shanks may be fixed or
loose
• May be with or without
shanks
• A bit with slots for
attaching rein and/or
headstall is a leverage bit
• May use 1 or 2 hands
9
CORRECT MEASUREMENT OF SHANK BIT
• 8 ½ maximum shank
length
• To measure the bit length,
use a vertical line from the
upper most part of the
headstall slot to the rein
ring.
10
CORRECT MEASUREMENT OF PORT
•
Maximum height 3 ½”
•
Measure from lower
side of mouthpiece bar
to top of port
11
MOUTHPIECE
Bars – Smooth,
Round & unwrapped,
except with latex
• Connecting ring 1 ¼” or less
• Flat bar 3/8” to ¾” –
maximum 2”
• Port 3 ½” max
• May be inlaid (smooth)
• Rollers at center OK
• 5/16” to ¾” in diameter
• Measured 1” from cheek
• Covers ok
• Mouthpiece 2 or 3 pieces
• Broken mouthpieces, halfbreeds & spades ok
12
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
Bars may be inlaid but must be smooth or latex wrapped.
13
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
Rollers attached to the center of the bit are acceptable,
and may extend below the bar.
14
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
The very short, smooth,
rounded rivets used to join
the mouthpiece together
and extend a tiny bit below
the bar of the bit will not
intimidate a horse.
15
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
Nothing may protrude
below the mouthpiece
(bar) such as extensions,
prongs or rivets.
16
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
Jointed mouthpieces are
acceptable with a curb bit
and may consist of two or
three pieces.
17
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
Jointed mouthpiece with
legal port height.
18
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
Jointed with flat bar, 3/8” – 3/4“ measured top to
bottom, with maximum length of 2”
19
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
Half-breed – style & height
are legal; has roller within
the port – this is also legal
20
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
Spade – legal style and
port height. Wire on the
braces of a traditional
spade bit is acceptable.
21
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
Height of port is more than
3 ½”
Rollers & covers would be
acceptable.
22
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
Rigid donut mouthpiece is
prohibited
23
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
roller on each side of bar forms a continuous
line
24
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
separate rollers do not
create a continuous line.
25
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
Kimberwick bits are
not legal
26
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
Slip or gag bits are
prohibited
27
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
This style of curb bit is legal
as long as the shank length
and mouthpiece meet the
rule requirements.
28
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
bars are flat, not
rounded
29
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
bars are twisted, not
rounded
30
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
A light lip strap is
permissible. This should be
attached to the chinstrap
in such a way that it does
not form a knot or
significant lump under the
horse’s chin.
Slobber guard permitted.
31
LEGAL
Threading the lip strap between the layers of the
chinstrap is also legal.
32
REINS
Prohibited
• Any rein design or other devices which increases the
effective length and thereby the leverage of the
shank.
• Anything that alters the intended use of equipment.
33
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
This rein is stiff for the
four inches closest to the
bit.
It would be legal if loose
enough to not lock onto
the bit.
34
35
HACKAMORE/BOSAL
• A hackamore includes a bosal rounded in shape and
constructed of braided rawhide or leather.
• Must have a flexible non-metallic core with no other
material of any kind
•
Must be attached to a suitable headstall
• Bosals may be wrapped with smooth electrical tape
• Horsehair or rope reins & mecate allowed for bosals &
snaffles.
36
LEGAL OR LEGAL
LEGAL
Smooth electric tape is
legal.
37
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
Latex or bandage material
wrap cannot be used
38
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
This ‘pencil’ bosal is legal
when used as a cavesson
with a curb bit.
39
LEGAL OR ILLEGAL?
LEGAL
Two-rein bridle
40
TWO-REIN BRIDLE
Bridle and bit, snaffle
or curb ridden over a
full or pencil bosal
with a romal
Bit rein and a mecate
rein are held in each
hand
41
LEGAL?
LEGAL
Example of a bitless
bridle
42
43
CURB CHAINS/CHIN STRAPS
1/2” minimum width, lie flat against jaw of horse
No wire, rawhide, metal or other substance
Round, rolled, brained or rawhide curb straps prohibited
44
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
This curb chain is legal as long as it is not twisted and
does not have any additional support behind the chain.
45
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
This curb chain is less than ½” in width.
46
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
This has a round bar welded on the inside of the chain.
47
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
This chinstrap has tacks on the inside.
48
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
DEPENDS
Rounded, rolled, braided or
rawhide curb straps are
prohibited when used with
a shank bit.
Would be allowed with a
snaffle bit, if reins
attached above the curb
strap.
49
50
SNAFFLE BITS
• A snaffle bit has no leverage or curb action
• O-Ring, Egg Butt or D-Ring, all with rings
• having an outside diameter no smaller than 2 inches (50.8 mm), nor
larger than 4”
• The inside of the circumference of the ring must be
free of rein, curb or headstall attachments that would
provide leverage.
• NOTE: A rein through a slotted ring would NOT be a
legal snaffle bit
51
CORRECT MEASUREMENT OF SNAFFLE BITS
52
BARS OF SNAFFLE
• Round, oval or egg
shaped
• Smooth & unwrapped,
except with latex
• May be inlaid, if smooth
• No less than 5/16” to
¾” in diameter
measured 1” from the
check with gradual
decrease to center
• May be 2 or 3 piece
53
SNAFFLE BIT
• Mullen mouth/solid mouthpiece, barrel mouthpiece,
full cheeks or Naptha (plastic or rubber) may be used.
• If used, bit hobble (can be curb strap) must be
attached below reins.
• No flat, sharp, slow twist, twisted or pointed edges are
allowed on the mouthpiece
• Horsehair or rope reins & mecate allowed for bosals &
snaffles.
• Mecate can be tied to saddle horn or held by rider
54
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
This snaffle has a single rounded, unwrapped smooth mouthpiece of
5/16” to 3/4” diameter metal as measured from ring to 1” in from
the ring with a gradual decrease to the center of the snaffle.
55
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
Snaffle is not single, is twisted instead of smooth, and is
less than 5/16” in diameter.
56
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
Center hinged joint – must
be smooth
57
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
Snaffle is not “rounded”; is too narrow, and its rings are
too small.
58
LEGAL NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
Examples of eggbutt snaffle
and dee ring snaffle.
59
LEGAL NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
O-ring bit with barrel
mouthpiece
60
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
A full-cheek bit snaffle bit
is legal.
61
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
NOT LEGAL
The ‘slots’ on the
snaffle make it’s use
not legal
62
LEGAL OR NOT LEGAL?
LEGAL
As long as the reins
are attached above
the curb strap/bit
hobble, any style of
strap may be used.
63
64
HOW TO CHECK EQUIPMENT
• Rider must dismount
• Use a new disposable
glove if touching a
mouthpiece
•
Random checking of
protective manufactured
leg wraps at same time
65
HOW TO CHECK EQUIPMENT
•
•
Check curb strap, if
present, before rider
unhooks it to drop
bridle.
Keep hand under
horse’s chin at this
time
• Rider should keep a
rein over/round the
horse’s neck for safety
• Do not touch bit or
bridle until it is removed
66
HOW TO CHECK EQUIPMENT
•
Check flexibility of
bosal
•
Electrical tape on bosal
–must be smooth
•
Check inside surface
of cavesson noseband
•
Check shank length if
suspect length
67
HOW TO CHECK EQUIPMENT
•
Only judge can
disqualify and entry
•
Notify judge if illegal
equipment OR blood
•
Take picture if you
think equipment is
illegal
•
Walk around horse to
check sides
68
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