Danish Equestrian Federation Imposes New Rules to Promote Animal Welfare: Age Limit, Nosebands, Bits

Dressage

Denmark

The Danish equestrian federation (DRF) has announced several rule changes as of 1 January 2025.

With animal welfarists and updated scientific research putting pressure on the sport, the Danish Equestrian federation has made a few striking rule changes.

"Every year, the DRF's sports regulations are reviewed and updated based on submitted proposals, the FEI's regulations and experiences from the previous year," the DRF stated. "Together with the DRF's board and disciplinary committee, the DRF's administration puts a lot of work into reviewing submitted proposals for adjustments to the regulations. Together, we always try to make the regulations in a way that they can be used by and make sense to as many people as possible, with the majority in mind."

Minimum Grand Prix Age

First and foremost, the DRF has pulled up the age limit for horses to compete at Grand Prix level. Horses have to be aged 9, instead 8, in order to be allowed to compete in national Intermediaire II and Grand Prix classes.

Polish Olympic team horse Maxima Bella.
At age 8 she competed in 11 CDI's (22 tests)
in 10 months time in 2024. Other GP horses who
debuted at international GP level ate age 8 are/were
Jovian, Wendy, Hexagons Ich Weiss, Zonik Plus.

This means they can begin competing at big tour level as of 1 January in the year they turn 9. For 2025 horses need to be born in 2016 or older to be eligible. Eight-year olds are allowed to compete in the Intermediaire A and B tests.

The FEI age limit, however, is still set at 8, even though a proposal from the European Equestrian Federation's Dressage Working Group was made to also pull up the minimum.

Optional Nosebands and Bridles

From 1 January 2025, the use of nosebands is optional in dressage. If a noseband is used, it must comply with the models shown in Appendix 1 at the back of the dressage regulation

It is now permitted to ride without a bit in all classes at E, D and C levels for both horses and ponies. A bitless bridle or soft hackamore with bars/side pieces of a maximum of 16 cm may be used.

More Changes

More changes to promote animal welfare have been made

From 1 January 2025, a horse, regardless of discipline and level, may not have more than 5 starts per 7 consecutive calendar days.

Spur damage at the 2024 European Pony Championships

Regardless of level, spurs used by pony riders on ponies for competitions, events, etc. under DRF may not be longer than 2 cm measured from the boot to the end of the mandrel.