2RY8P0C Johanna Due Boje of, Sweden. , . with horse 66 Mazy Klovenhoj competes in Team Grand Prix during day 2 of the Equestrian FEI Dressage European Championship on September 6, 2023 in Riesenbeck. Photo: Roland Thunholm/BILDBYRAN/kod XZ/XZ0129 ridsport equestrian fei dressage european championships day 2 bbeng sweden sverige (Photo by ROLAND THUNHOLM/Bildbyran/Sipa USA) Credit: Sipa US/Alamy Live News
Bitless bridles are to be allowed, spur length limited and nosebands made optional in horse welfare reforms announced by the Danish Equestrian Federation (DRF).
As of 1 January, following a comprehensive review of DRF competition rules, the reforms apply to all levels of national competition, though certain changes are specific to particular levels.
Among the most notable changes is the removal of the mandatory requirement for nosebands in national dressage events. Riders at all levels now have the option to compete without, a decision that aligns with a growing movement toward more flexible and welfare-conscious tack regulations.
Competitors at lower levels – specifically categories C, D, and E – may use a bitless bridle or soft hackamore, provided that the side pieces or bars do not exceed 16cm. At higher levels, double bridles remain permitted but are no longer compulsory.
Spurs used on ponies may be a maximum of 2cm long, 2cm shorter than FEI rules allow. Additional new regulations ensure that horses are not overworked, limiting them to no more than five starts within any seven consecutive days.
“Every year we are making amendments to our rules,” DRF chair Kimi Nielsen told H&H. “We always try to amend on a very professional background and based on the latest scientific evidence.
“We need to take responsibility for the welfare of the horses and the security of the riders, [that is] why we have continuous revisions on both the tack we are using and the rules we are operating with.”
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Equipment rules now ban excessive use of spurs and reins as well as whips.
The reforms come in the wake of two high-profile cases involving Danish dressage riders Andreas Helgstrand and his associate Carina Cassøe Krüth. The former was the subject of a documentary aired in November 2023, exposing harsh training methods, and the latter was seen hitting a horse with a whip in a training video.
Andreas’s father Ulf Helgstrand stepped down as DRF chair and both riders were suspended.
The controversies attracted significant political attention; Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen publicly called for equestrian sport to improve its welfare standards. Several government officials demanded meetings with DRF leadership to discuss its handling of the cases. During this period, DRF CEO Morten Schram Rodtwitt took medical leave, and it was later announced that he had resigned. Princess Benedikte of Denmark, who had served as DRF’s patron for 32 years, also stepped down, citing the ongoing controversies.
In the aftermath, Dan Boyter replaced Ulf Helgstrand as DRF chair but resigned in December 2024 after a vote of no confidence.
The Danish Council on Animal Ethics, an advisory body to the national government, then issued recommendations, including banning double bridles and riding horses behind the vertical. These proposals were brought to a roundtable discussion at the European Parliament, led by Danish MEP Niels Fuglsang. Afterwards, he said: “Despite the equestrian associations saying they want the best for their competition horses, I, unfortunately, lacked answers on how to get away from the unhealthy culture of lack of animal welfare we still see in top sport.
“I believe legislation is part of the answer… The riding associations have a huge responsibility, which I don’t think they live up to. This is why I believe there is a need for rules to ban outdated gear, change judging criteria, require education and ensure that horses in sport feel well.”
Ms Nielsen added: “It is important for us to be in close cooperation with both the council and the welfare organisations, as we do believe we have the same goal.”
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Oscar joined Horse & Hound in October 2023 and is the magazine’s dressage editor and sports manager, overseeing coverage of equestrian sport. After studying equine science at Myerscough College, he spent four years working for leading dressage rider Emile Faurie, competing at the 2015 National Dressage Championships and travelling with the yard to CDIs including Aachen and Saumur. He holds a master’s degree in Literature from York St John University (2021).
