Someone should send a copy of this thread to USEF/USDF to illustrate how this sort of rule and date of adoption does not encourage participation and actually provides disincentive for people to compete. I have not had a USEF/DF membership in probably +10 years.
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I emailed USEF in July about my spurs with pictures. I also included a picture with a tape measure so length could be seen. I specifically asked about the rule change that was gilded for starting 9/1. I was sent a reply with the previous rule, a “they look ok but ask the TD”
Sigh. Thankfully the TD at the next show was super nice and not only said they were fine but didn’t see why they were questioned before.
Who knows for next shows…
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That is such a frustrating response. Can they not see that TDs are applying the rules differently hence the reason people are asking for a definitive ruling from the people that make the rules?
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Shameful response.
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Honestly - the poor TD, left to be the one to make such a shattering call without any clear directive from the governing body. USEF/USDF, you should be ashamed of yourselves.
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USDF issued a memo on this rule. 
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Back to the stone ages, folks. Screw your horses preference! Monocrowns might be illegal next!
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This still doesn’t answer the question regarding the 1.5 cm and the B2Fit HP-5 and other similar crownpieces…
Do they not realize that the padding missing in the middle is for horses that don’t like the pressure from it sitting on their mane which is raised compared to the area the crown sits on.
Omg. Schooling shows it is, cause I just can’t with an organization that won’t act on actual abuse.
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I always stay current with the rules because my schooling shows claim to run on USEF etc. rules.
If they try to enforce this I think I’m done showing completely. What a joke.
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Same. The Fairfax has been so transformational for my guy. And with actual studies with actual pressure data behind it…sheesh. The USDF’s priorities could not be further from my own.
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I’m now convinced that USEF is run by actual idiots who wouldn’t be able to hold a job anywhere else. There are many data that point to Fairfax being horse friendly. There is a reason for the way that bridle is padded.
Cheese on rice. I guess I’m walking up to a TD next week with all my bridles and asking if any of them are legal. Beyond stupid.
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I sent the requested photos of the Fairfax bridle and links to their data to USEF.
Here’s the new auto-reply from their email. Apparently they are getting a lot of questions!
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So, you can get someone’s opinion at one show that could very well be different from someone else’s opinion at another show. Thanks for clearing that up, USEF. Oh, and another thing: do the TDs make these rules or do YOU?
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It would be nice if the rules committee would make their “pronouncement” when these inquiries come in so the competitor can take the reply to a show if there are questions on legality of the tack…or else what is the rules committee any good for?
Here is link to all USEF Comittees
Councils & Committees | US Equestrian (usef.org)
And the link to the Dressage committee
Councils & Committees Details | US Equestrian (usef.org)
Since there is a whole Annex on tack, I did not see a “dressage tack” committee which raises the question of who/what committee is making these rules???
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Here at Region 1 finals, during the in-barn bridle check the TD had me turn my crownpiece inside out and said the padding has to be continuous, which it was. Mine is pretty straightforward thankfully (PassierBlu Spirit snaffle). I wonder how many other people are going to be confused and inconvenienced today by this weird new rule. I still can’t wrap my head around the timing of it.
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I just received a response from Lauren Moore at USEF confirming the Fairfax bridle is legal under the new rules. I have attached a screenshot of her reply.
I’ll put this in a separate thread as well since this one is long.
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Amazing. Thank you for confirming.
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I like how the memo specifies that the crownpiece of the PS of Sweden Nirak bridle is not allowed, however Annex A mentions nothing about the crownpiece and specifically lists the PS of Sweden Nirak bridle as legal. I assume it’s still legal if you change out the crownpiece to something with continuous padding? But like… there needs to be a notation in Annex A that the noseband is acceptable but the crownpiece is not. As it reads now, the whole bridle as you purchased it from PS of Sweden is legal. Personally I feel that until the rulebook and Annex A have been appropriately updated, the rule change can’t actually be enforced if you can look it up and get a different answer.
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I’m sorry, USEF and USDF, but this is BS. I’m a rulebook reader, and even frequently review proposed rule changes that are up for comment. Not every TD has the same opinion - believe me, I’ve asked several TD friends and not gotten the same answers. And not every show has a tack shop set up to sell people new, expensive stuff to replace whatever the TD says they can’t use. And believe me, I would be royally pissed if I had to show a sensitive horse in a never-before-tried crown piece I had to buy at the show. Get your act together and stop trying to kill this sport.
I need this problem like I need a hole in the head, but I’m a lawyer who cares about wording and understands our sport, and I’m tempted to run for the Board after this.
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