What do you mean?
We bring our own numbers, they’re not provided by the show organizer. I remember in the US (this was ages ago) they were. Is that what “it” you’re referring to? If so they could potentially put that responsibility on the competitors. Works here.
Here in NZ we require number on both sides, and our competition numbers are the horse’s 6-digit registration number. As a scribe, people who halt in front of the judge on their way around are incredibly helpful!
Wow. Please, I want to see how one fits a six digit number on both sides. Do you have photos?
You can order “regulation” numbers when you register your horse - if you look at the image on this webpage you can see an example of attaching them to the bridle
They have velcro on the back, it’s set up in a way that you can attach it to the bridle, or you can attach it to your saddle pad if you have a velcro strip on it. I prefer the saddle pad because they’re made of hard plastic.
Some people just write their numbers directly on a saddle pad, or on a piece of paper they pin onto the saddle pad. Those are a lot harder to read!
(I can also ask @conniemary to answer thiese questions…) SHow organizers provide numbers here. I cannot imagine the mess if we all provided our own. Do you have a number “assigned” to each horse/rider pair by your national organization? WHat if you change horses mid year? Many organizers use numbers to designate certain groups of riders - for example, those who can use a double bridle vs those who cannot (for the warm up ring steward), or those who are showing in Championship classes vs other (for warm up ring assignment).
Show was today! I got mostly lower levels in my ring. I did see a number of dark breeches and some more lenient coat colors-- some bright teals and a dark magenta/purple color. Both very pretty!
Also saw some matching saddle pads and bonnets. I saw a dark green, a darker teal/ocean color, and a maroon. The green was on a grey and was lovely. The maroon was on a bay and the rider was wearing all heather grey and black. I think they will probably look at their show pictures and notice how dark the whole ensemble looked.
I think tasteful color blocking with well-fitting clothes will always come off as more professional and make a prettier picture than trying to blend in with your tack or your horse.
In NZ, the number is assigned to the horse (their registration number with the national federation). You can buy dressage numbers from the national federation, which are plastic, attach with velcro, and have the horse’s registered name stamped on the back side so if you have multiple horses you don’t attach the wrong ones. If you sell/lease the horse you would give the new rider the numbers.
If you get a new horse, and they don’t have numbers, you could order a set, or if you don’t have time/money people make their own, writing or printing the reg number on a piece of paper. Those ones can be hit or miss, especially if the paper is not laminated and it rains!
They have special badges to designate para riders and stallions. Double bridles are only allowed at higher levels so most riders who can use a double can wear tails. (And there aren’t that many high level riders, so stewards probably know them)
It’s really not a mess at all. Then again we’re used to it and the responsibility being on us. My hoses number for that competition is posted online a few days (or week) before. I set up my numbers (see my previous post with the picture of the number holder on the saddle pad, you can also get bridle numbers) and that’s it.
If I change a horse then I just change my numbers because the horse would have a different number. It’s simple and no big deal, really.
I have no idea about designating certain groups of riders or if we even do that here. If I’m entered in a double bridle class then I use one, if not, then I don’t? Idk that anyone polices this and they could also just look at your number and see what you’re entered in if they really wanted to know. I feel like if you warmed up in a double then competed in a snaffle class someone would notice and possibly report, if it’s a violation. I really don’t think it’s a problem here. Also not sure why we’d have to designate championship classes.
It would possibly be a way for some competitions to save a little bit of money, but if you’re(g) not open to it or it doesn’t work, then it doesn’t work. Fair enough. It works here, and I find it simple enough.
Edited to add: the organizers could still use numbers to designate groups. It’s the organizer who gives me my number. I can see it online in the horse listing for my competition beforehand and set my numbers up accordingly.
I really like the idea of having a number for life.
I guess the only problem comes in when you take into account the lower level shows where your horse does not have to be registered with any governing body, so your horse would not have an assigned number.
Yeah, that would be the “snag” in the US. Here horses are almost always chipped (actually, can’t think of a scenario when they woulsn’t be off the top of my head) and have to have a passport (vaccination records are in there too). The horse can have a red (KWPN, ANCCE, Hann, other breed associations with known lineage) or a green passport. For example my friends horse is green because she’s allegedly Oldenburg but no records of her breeding/parentage. So even the “grade” horse would have a passport. So all horses find a slot to fit into essentially. So it’s possible that a number for life could work here, but that’s just not how it is done. In the US, it would be more difficult to implement I imagine.
I still think bringing your own numbers works. One weekend I could be 070, the next 119, or 284. Perhaps there are “designations” with numbering here (see my last reply to Lorilu) and I just don’t know because I’m oblivious, but I see my number online, change my numbers, stick it to my pad (or bridle) and off I go…with a number on both sides 
I have owned three registered horses, none of them a warmblood, and nothing has a passport.
My state does not require a brand inspection either.
Mine are all chipped because I chose to chip them, but I do nothing with them that currently requires a chip.
Yeah, that’s how it was when I lived in the US many years ago. Passports and whatnot just aren’t a thing. Is it a requirement that the horse be chipped to compete under USEF/USDF rules/in recognized competition? 
The US system is different (well, they all have their differences, nothing wrong with that), so some things just can’t quite be implemented the same, but I do think it’s a good idea to see what others are doing and if any of it is possible or would be an improvement.
Here in the US in eventing, there are some events that have started requiring you to supply your own number, including bridle numbers for dressage (almost all of them make you supply your own XC number holder, although there are plenty of them that still do supply bridle numbers for dressage).
The idea of permanent numbers is interesting, though.
Not for USDF showing. USEF only requires them for USHJA (hunter/jumper/equitation) showing. I have no idea why they didn’t implement this across the board. (I know why it got implemented in H/J, just not why they shouldn’t require it for everyone across the board.)
I have a TB, the Jockey Club is microchipping everything now so we use that number for showing too. Microchip is registered with USEF and on her coggins so that information gets submitted to the show whether they want it or not 
This is smart!
Unregistered horses doing dressage in NZ get assigned a back number, which the organisers supply, but you can also use BYO bridle/saddle numbers like those shown in this thread.
If it’s an unofficial comp or protocol day sometimes they use back numbers for all horses, sometimes they still use registration numbers.
Bringing your own numbers is easy once you get used to it (especially useful in covid times - no need to go into the office) but having the horse’s registration number may not work as well in larger countries! I imagine you would need a lot more than 6 digits in the US?
My USEF numbers for both myself and my current horse are both 7 digits.
While I like the idea of using a registration number as show number for all shows, I’m not sure it’s practical across disciplines. That might work for a dressage show, where one rider is going closely past the judge/scribe. But as someone who’s worked as a jump judge for XC, and judged local hunter stuff…I can’t imagine trying to read a 7+ digit number on a pinney as the horse is galloping past on XC to verify horse/rider, or trying to read 7-digit back numbers from the judges booth in an undersaddle class of 8+ horses to figure out how/who to pin.
I’d guess that since dressage doesn’t have “Green” classes or divisions there is less of an issue with horses disappearing and showing back up a few years younger with an “unknown” pedigree and no competition record, so maybe it was felt to be an unnecessary hoop for people to jump through?
I personally think it would be better if all horses were microchipped across the board, though, and the cost is so minimal compared to everything else we spend on our horses there no reason not to.
Horses in Louisiana have needed to be microchipped for Coggins tests since the 80s. The one thing we’ve been ahead of the game on!
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