I suppose it depends on where you are in the country. I have been to lots of schooling dressage shows, and I have NEVER been to one that permitted boots or bandages.
You are right. It is confusing and I posted too quickly and incorrectly.
The text for Figure 1 says “flexible rubber bits are not permitted, except as noted below, under A”. I neglected to go an check “A”, which says “Flexible rubber or synthetic mouthpieces are permitted.” “A” refers to “(Must be used in Training-Second Level Tests. Optional in Third and Fourth Level Tests.)” So it seems that flexible bits are permited when used as a snaffle only, but not as part of a double bridle.
Similarly, I posted too quickly about the nosebands. The figure for “permitted nosebands” on pg DR 21 only shows caveson, dropped, flash and figure 8. But the text in DR 121.2 says " Except for the FEI Pony tests, a crescent noseband is also permitted at these levels."
There is no description or picture of a “crescent noseband”, so I do not know if “crescent” = “Kineton” or not. But it probably does.
[QUOTE=Janet;3073297]
I suppose it depends on where you are in the country. I have been to lots of schooling dressage shows, and I have NEVER been to one that permitted boots or bandages.[/QUOTE]
Yep…my point exactly…I’ve also been to many, many schooling shows as well and bell boots, leg wraps, martingales, draw reins, sweatshirts have all been present - depending on the show organizer’s desire.
Yes…there are some schooling shows in our region where the organizer is more stringent in tack and dress code. It varies.
Thus, my recommendation that the OP see what the “culture” is for this particular show.
[QUOTE=Tiligsmom;3074224]
Yep…my point exactly…I’ve also been to many, many schooling shows as well and bell boots, leg wraps, martingales, draw reins, sweatshirts have all been present - depending on the show organizer’s desire.
Yes…there are some schooling shows in our region where the organizer is more stringent in tack and dress code. It varies.
Thus, my recommendation that the OP see what the “culture” is for this particular show.[/QUOTE]
But, being within the rulebook is always fashionable, if one does not have the time to scope out beforehand. 
Exactly. Thanks so much for all the info!
Unfortunately I won’t have time to get to see a show before taking Duke, but it’s run by the same management as the jumpers schooling shows we often attend. They try to keep it as close to recognized guidlines as possible, so I would think the dressage shows would have a similar feel to them.
I am excited! I have started riding the monster in rubber bit and drop noseband and I will save the Kineton for jumping.
If you are attending a schooling show, call a show management or a judge for that show and ask them your questions. Since there are no official rules for privet schooling shows, it is up to a show management and judges discretion how much they want to reinforce the “Rated Show Rules”. I know several local schooling shows that allow wraps and bell boots, b/c horses have to jump after the dressage segment and it’s for the safety of the horses to have wraps and bell boots on. On the other hand if you will go to the GMOs schooling show the day before the rated show - they tend to reinforce MOST of the rules of the rated shows.
When I judge schooling shows, I talk with a show management how lenient THEY want to be and I support THEIR guidelines. I can be as strict or as lenient as the show management wants to run their show. Show management knows the best what is good for their competitors at the schooling shows.
I would not use any illegal equipment even if it is just a schooling show. Two reasons - you can’t use the stuff later, so might as well start out using the right equipment; you never know who the judge is going to be and you don’t want to go breaking some big rule in front of a regular judge that you are going to be riding in front of next month.
Regarding the clothes - as long as it’s conservative, no one cares. It’s very different than hunters that way. I read this article once when Hilda Gurney said something like “I wish people cared more about how they rode and less about what they wore”.
What a relief about the bits. I was under the false impression (how I don’t know) that non-metal bits were illegal in dressage. I am also, incidentally, coming over from H/J land and plan on showing in hunter clothing and tack. Horse goes wonderfully in a loose ring nathe mullen but I was confused when trying to search whether that was legal. I was also surprised to see that figure eight nosebands were legal. So interesting.
[QUOTE=winter;3083251]
What a relief about the bits. I was under the false impression (how I don’t know) that non-metal bits were illegal in dressage.[/QUOTE]
Some of them are -such as some happymouth bits are not legal.
