Observant know-nothing here. Photo COTH mag issue Aug 27 p 30 Gladstone,
young rider’s horse is wearing ear cover thingie. It looks like they are in the competition arena. Maybe not. I am thinking show jumpers allowed to wear these things in competition, but did not think was allowed in dressage. Just curious.
FWIW - next page - love the photo of Pierre St. Jacques and Lucky Tiger. Wow.
USEF Rule book, Dressage division:
- Martingales, bit guards, any kind of gadgets (such as bearing, side, running, balancing
reins, nasal strips, tongue tied down, etc.), any kind of boots (including “easy-boots”) or bandages
(including tail bandages) and any form of blinkers, earmuffs or plugs, nose covers, seat
covers, hoods are, under penalty of elimination, strictly forbidden. Fly hoods (ear covers) will
only be permitted in order to protect horses from insects. The fly hoods should be discreet and
should not cover the horse’s eyes, and will only be permitted in extreme cases at the discretion
of the presiding judge(s). Permission must be granted prior to the class and applies to all
competitors in the class.
Tks. Found a video - M. Pooley and 19 year old mare Jonkara!
http://www.americantowns.com/nj/gladstone/videos
Does this make sense?
RULES CHANGES;
DR121.6 (370-09) Immediately upon notification 1/17/2010
DR121 Saddlery and Equipment. [Chapter DR. Dressage Division] Change to read:
-
Only those bits listed with Figure 1 are allowed. At any level of competition, a cavesson noseband may never be so tightly fixed that it causes severe irritation to
the skin, and must be adjusted to allow at least two fingers under the noseband on the side of the face under the cheekbone. Cavesson nosebands may be used with
a chin pad. At any level of competition, a browband may be multicolored and may be decorated with metal, beads, gemstones and crystals.
[Insert new illustration upon approval of rule change.] -
Martingales, bit guards, any kind of gadgets (such as bearing, side, running, balancing reins, nasal strips, tongue tied down, etc.), any kind of boots (including “easyboots”)
or bandages (including tail bandages) and any form of blinkers, earmuffs or plugs, nose covers, seat covers, hoods are, under penalty of elimination, strictly
forbidden.
[…] -
Ring stewards appointed by competition management must check saddlery and inspect bits and spurs on both sides of the horse for at least one-third of the horses
in each class. Inspection of saddlery and bits must be done at the direction of the technical delegate. Inspection of saddlery and bits must be done immediately as the
horse leaves the arena. (See DR126.11)
Document Footer Text Page 4/13
[…]
- Ring stewards appointed by competition management must check saddlery and inspect bits and spurs on both sides of the horse for at least one-third of the horses
in each class. Inspection of saddlery and bits must be done at the direction of the technical delegate. Inspection of saddlery and bits must be done immediately as the
horse leaves the arena. (See DR126.11)
DR121.7 (371-09) 12/1/10 1/17/2010
DR121 Saddlery and Equipment. [Chapter DR. Dressage Division] Change to read:
- Martingales, bit guards, any kind of gadgets (such as bearing, side, running, balancing reins, nasal strips, tongue tied down, etc.), any kind of boots (including “easyboots”)
or bandages (including tail bandages) and any form of blinkers, earmuffs or plugs, nose covers, seat covers, hoods are, under penalty of elimination, strictly
forbidden. Shoes with or without cuffs that are attached with nails or glue and that do not extend past the hair line of the hoof are permitted.
DR121.7 (050-09) Immediately upon notification 3/16/2009
DR121 Saddlery and Equipment. [Chapter DR. Dressage Division] Change to read:
- The above restrictions (1-6) apply to warm-up and other training areas, however, running martingales (with snaffle only), boots, bandages (without magnets) and
ear muffs are permitted. (Exception: running martingales and ear muffs are not permitted for horses entered in USEF High Performance qualifying and selection
trials, and observation classes). Fly hoods (ear covers) that do not cover the horse’s eyes are permitted in warmup
and other training areas.
from rules changes;http://www.usef.org/documents/ruleBook/2009/08-DR.pdf
(What is the difference between ear muffs and hoods?)
- The above restrictions (1-6) apply to warm-up and other training areas, however, running martingales (only with snaffle rein of plain snaffle bridle), boots, bandages (without magnets) and ear muffs are permitted. (Exception: running martingales and ear muffs are not permitted for horses entered in USEF High Performance qualifying and selection trials, and observation classes). Fly hoods (ear covers) that do not cover the horse’s eyes are permitted in warm-up and other training areas.
from Rules changes;
DR121.7 (371-09) 12/1/10 1/17/2010
DR121 Saddlery and Equipment. [Chapter DR. Dressage Division] Change to read:
- Martingales, bit guards, any kind of gadgets (such as bearing, side, running, balancing reins, nasal strips, tongue tied down, etc.), any kind of boots (including “easyboots”) or bandages (including tail bandages) and any form of blinkers, earmuffs or plugs, nose covers, seat covers, hoods are, under penalty of elimination, strictly
forbidden. Shoes with or without cuffs that are attached with nails or glue and that do not extend past the hair line of the hoof are permitted.
DR121.7
The rule cited above (post #2) was from 03/2009
Oh dear. Doesn’t that mean anytime/anywhere for any reason on the showgrounds while horse is still in competition? You see photos of horses with wraps on for victory gallops etc/whatever. I haven’t shown in years so don’t know rules. Was just surprised to see the ear covers on a dressage horse at a competition. Thought maybe was warm-up arena or photo op after the fact ie the photo. But video shows the ear covers.
[QUOTE=Equibrit;5085253]
from Rules changes;
DR121.7 (371-09) 12/1/10 1/17/2010
DR121 Saddlery and Equipment. [Chapter DR. Dressage Division] Change to read:
- Martingales, bit guards, any kind of gadgets (such as bearing, side, running, balancing reins, nasal strips, tongue tied down, etc.), any kind of boots (including “easyboots”) or bandages (including tail bandages) and any form of blinkers, earmuffs or plugs, nose covers, seat covers, hoods are, under penalty of elimination, strictly
forbidden. Shoes with or without cuffs that are attached with nails or glue and that do not extend past the hair line of the hoof are permitted.
DR121.7
The rule cited above (post #2) was from 03/2009[/QUOTE]
Equibrit left out that the rest of the rule remains the same, and reads thusly: “Fly hoods (ear covers) will only be permitted in order to protect horses from insects. The fly hoods should be discreet and should not cover the horse’s eyes, and will only be permitted in extreme cases at the discretion of the presiding judge(s). Permission must be granted prior to the class and applies to all competitors in the class.”
So, they are allowed in competition in 2010, provided that there is permission from the presiding judge(s), etc etc.
No - the paste was from the USEF rules changes as they were written. I initially thought there should be more but there wasn’t.
http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/RuleBook/RuleProposals/tempPDF/090720101019226099caa7.pdf
Page 5 of 13.
It reads like they changed the rule in 03/2009 and then again o1/2010. Are you saying that they changed part of the rule in 03/2009 and then a different piece of it in 01/2010.
In the 01/2001 Change it said change to read, which I assumed, meant it was the whole rule. It’s not clear as it doesn’t say add, delete, insert or anything explanatory.
At the shows I went to this summer I saw numerous people showing with the ear covers. The stewards did check them to make sure they were not altered to muffle sound or to conceal ear plugs.
This was in Canada though.
I wished I had them on my grey mare who got so annoyed by bugs in her ears she did an all out body shake during our freewalk…
[COLOR=#231f20]the text of 121.7 in total as currently applies
- Martingales, bit guards, any kind of gadgets (such as bearing, side, running, balancing reins, nasal strips, tongue tied down, etc.), any kind of boots (including “easy-boots”) or bandages (including tail bandages) and any form of blinkers, earmuffs or plugs, nose covers, seat covers, hoods are, under penalty of elimination, strictly forbidden. Fly hoods (ear covers) will
only be permitted in order to protect horses from insects. The fly hoods should be discreet and should not cover the horse’s eyes, and will only be permitted in extreme cases at the discretionof the presiding judge(s).
Permission must be granted prior to the class and applies to all competitors in the class. However, leg bandages are allowed in Pas de Deux and Quadrille classes. A breastplate and/or crupper may be used, except that a breastplate is not permitted in USEF High Performance Championships, USEF High Performance Qualifying and Selection Trials, and Observation classes. A rein is a continuous, uninterrupted strap or line from the bridle bit to the hand. Rein additions or attachments are not permitted. Each bit must be attached to a separate rein and reins may only be attached to bits. Any decoration of the horse with extravagant items, such as ribbons or flowers, etc. in the mane, tail, etc., is strictly forbidden. Braiding of the horse’s mane and tail, however, is permitted. False tails are permitted and if used may not contain any metal parts
fly protection is permitted in the show ring with permission and in stabing at all times. Fly protection is not the same as a muff or plug which aims to deaden sound ( ear bunnies like in hunters)
quoting a rule change page does not reflect the whole rule as written, only the verbage under change
The current whole rule book effectinve August 2010 for Dressage is here.
I think they are the best, most complete of the rules. Dressage show 101
http://www.usef.org/documents/ruleBook/2010/08-DR.pdf
[/COLOR]
The effective date of the 01/2010 change is 12/1/2010.
Interesting. Having never ridden in a fully enclosed indoor I had not considered that insects could be that bad in such an environment. Perhaps the mare is particularly sensitive. The other photos - same venue - I did not note other horses wearing ear covers. (read somewhere they are also called “gnat hats”!).
Why do they forbid breastplates for the high performance classes? Someone has a pet peeve…
As a side note, pretty much every dressage horse in Germany wears the ear covers. People buy them in their colors and sport them proudly. It is still a judges discretion kind of thing I think but at least this whole summer all the judges allowed them. It will be my first winter here soon so we’ll see if it changes then.
In Canada :
ARTICLE E 4.9 MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT
… (Long story short)…
B Approved for competition but requiring permission
- Net relief for head shakers (See 4.12.2).
C Approved for competition – no permission required
- Breastplates, foregirths, bucking straps, girth covers, and cruppers
- Ear nets (fly hoods) may be used in the competition arena providing
that they do not cover the eyes. - Non-restrictive nose fly guards
- False Tails
Note: Riders must dismount and remove or have their groom remove
their horse’s face or nose covering at the compulsory tack check to
allow a thorough inspection of the net, fly guard, ear covers and ears.
ear covers
I’ve ridden in recognized competitions with ear covers. LAEC is gnat heaven nearly all year round. In the morning I ask the show management if the judge has cleared the hats today for competition. If they don’t know they radio someone near the judge and ask. You do have to check this daily for a multi-day competition.
And yes, my horse has worn them while showing in the covered arena. The judge clears them for the competition day…not a specific arena.
The steward does remove the hat and inspect the ears, along with bit check and spur check after finishing the test.
Those hats are a godsend.
Alibi - you are serious about section C?
@Grayarabs : Yep! I copy/paste Equine Canada’s Dressage rules 2010
http://www.equinecanada.ca/images/ec_rules/rules2010/section_e_2010_final_10aug2010-e.pdf
There is some more indications regarding fake tails and other equipments. I just summarized this up.
Did I misunderstand - bucking straps?
