Sweden make nosebands optional
Sweden putting horses first
The decision to make nosebands optional is a direct result of proposals submitted to the Swedish Equestrian federation last July. Nosebands will be optional at all levels of Swedish dressage from January, and rising trot will be allowed in some classes, as part of work to benefit horse welfare.
“The option to opt out of the noseband means riders can adapt their equipment based on the horse’s individual needs, instead of it having to be adapted according to tradition,” said Andrea Barth, the federation’s sport manager.
“During the proposal round in 2023, when everyone can submit proposals for rule changes, 10% of all proposals in dressage were about freedom of choice with a noseband,” a spokesperson for the federation said. “The dressage committee chose to proceed with the rule change as part of the federation’s work for increased horse welfare.”
New Zealand make changes too
It isn't only Sweden that will make nosebands optional next year, but New Zealand have also made this move. Over the summer the ESNZ Dressage Conference passed a rule change that nosebands are now optional in all levels of national competition. It was agreed that in times of considerable public scrutiny of equipment used by dressage riders, that to make a noseband optional was a step to demonstrate willingness to change years of tradition in dressage sport.
"It is the tight / wide / poorly fitted noseband that has created much public debate and rightly so. We have all seen it at some point. This is about equine wellbeing and social license"
- Sue Hobson, chair of Dressage NZ.
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