Rider's Guide to Equestrian Australia Dressage Ages 8+ 2026

In Official Competitive competitions:

• A horse and rider combination may enter a maximum of 2 consecutive levels (for example Novice and Elementary, or Elementary and Medium).
• A maximum of 3 EA tests in one day (including Official, Participation, Freestyle and Young Horse tests).
• A maximum of 2 FEI tests in one day (including Freestyles).
• A horse may only be entered and compete once in each Competitive or Participation competition, including a Hors Concours (HC) entry.
• A change of rider after entries close must be notified in writing to the Organising Committee no later than 40 minutes before the start of the competition. The rider cannot be changed if another rider has ridden the horse that day, in warm-up or in a competition.
• A horse may only be ridden by one rider for the entire event, except for promotional competitions.

Source: EA National Dressage Rules 1 January 2026, rules 4.2, 4.8.3 and 4.13.

• A horse or pony must be registered with EA, and the rider must hold a Competitor Licence / Dressage Performance Card, to acquire upgrading points.
• Points are earned only at levels above the horse's current grading, in Official Competitive competitions from Elementary level up, when you score 61% or more. Points depend on percentage only, not placing.
• Points: 61% to 62.999% = 1; 63% to 64.999% = 2; 65% to 66.999% = 3; 67% to 68.999% = 4; 69% to 70.999% = 5; 71% to 72.999% = 6; 73% and over = 7.
• A horse or pony that gains 40 upgrading points at levels above its grading is upgraded to the next level. To upgrade from Advanced to FEI, at least 30 points are needed.
• Grading is assessed at the closing date of entries, and a rider competing a horse below its graded level commits an offence under the EA Disciplinary By-Law.
• Freestyle, Young Horse and Participation competitions do not award upgrading points.

Source: EA National Dressage Rules 1 January 2026, rules 4.8, 4.8.3.2, 4.9 and 4.9.1.

Each movement is marked on this scale: 10 excellent, 9 very good, 8 good, 7 fairly good, 6 satisfactory, 5 marginal (EA), 4 insufficient, 3 fairly bad, 2 bad, 1 very bad, 0 not executed (practically nothing performed). Half marks from 0.5 to 9.5 may also be used for movements and collective marks.

Results are shown as percentages only (not total marks) to 3 decimal places for each judge, then averaged to give the final percentage.

If percentages are equal for any of the first three places, the higher total of the collective marks (including coefficients) decides the placings. If still tied, the rider score is the final decider. From fourth place down, equal scores are joint equal place getters.

Source: EA National Dressage Rules 1 January 2026, rules 3.13, 3.19 and 7.14.

• Error of course (EA tests up to Advanced): first error minus 2 marks, second minus 4 additional marks, third is elimination. Errors of course are penalised whether or not the bell is sounded.
• Technical faults are a deduction of 0.5% from the final percentage mark from each judge. Examples: entering the arena before the bell, not entering within 45 seconds of the bell, failing to salute at the entry or final halt, and not wearing correct identification numbers into the arena.
• Entering late: after the bell you must enter at A within 45 seconds. If you do not, it is a 0.5% fault per judge; if you still have not entered within a further 45 seconds, you are eliminated.
• Reins: riding with the reins in both hands is compulsory, with a deduction of 2 marks per judge if you do not. Exceptions include leaving the arena after the final salute, a discreet pat on the neck, and adjusting clothing or a saddle pad. You take the reins in one hand only to salute.
• Voice: repeatedly using your voice or clicking your tongue as an aid is penalised by a deduction of 2 marks from the movement mark.

Source: EA National Dressage Rules 1 January 2026, rules 3.7, 3.15.1, 3.16, 3.17 and Annex E.

Among the causes in the rules:

• Resistance: any resistance that prevents the test continuing for more than 20 seconds (including before entering the arena and in the arena surrounds). Resistance that endangers the rider, horse, judges or public leads to elimination for safety reasons earlier than 20 seconds. There is no appeal.
• Leaving the arena with all four feet during a test (leaving after the final halt and salute does not entail elimination).
• Third error of course at EA levels up to Advanced.
• Marked lameness: the Judge at C informs you that you are eliminated, with no appeal. The horse cannot compete again that day unless a veterinarian approved by the Organising Committee deems it fit in writing.
• Fresh blood on the horse during the test, or in the mouth or spur area at the end of the test.
• Not having a gear check after a test, or using dress, saddlery or equipment that is not permitted.
• Failing to enter the arena within a further 45 seconds after the first 45 seconds following the bell.
• Riding out of order in the draw without approval from the Organising Committee or C judge.

Source: EA National Dressage Rules 1 January 2026, rules 1.4, 3.10, 3.17, 3.18, 4.2, 4.4 and 5.1.

For levels up to and including Advanced:

• Coat: a short coat in a solid colour (a very faint or tweed pattern is allowed); cutaway coats or mini tails are allowed if cut straight across the back. At Advanced a tailcoat is optional. Wide contrast stripes and multi-coloured coats are not permitted. Wearing a coat is optional if you feel overheated.
• Shirt: tucked in; long, short, capped sleeve or sleeveless. The collar is either ratcatcher or business style (a tie must be worn with the latter).
• Stock or tie: white, off-white, a pale colour or the same colour as the coat.
• Breeches or jodhpurs: white or light coloured.
• Boots: long boots or jodhpur boots in black, brown or the same colour as the coat; gaiters may be worn with short boots up to and including Advanced. Boots need heels and smooth or lightly treaded soles, and unsafe boots entail elimination.
• Gloves: white or off-white preferred, or the same colour as the jacket.

Wearing incorrect dress for the level is a technical fault of 0.5% from each judge. Wearing dress that is not permitted entails elimination.

Source: EA National Dressage Rules 1 January 2026, rules 5.1 to 5.8.

Any person mounted on a horse must wear an approved safety helmet with the retaining harness secured and fastened. An unfastened harness entails elimination.

The helmet must meet one of the current approved standards and have passed quality testing:

• AS/NZS 3838 (2006 onwards) or ARB HS 2012, SAI Global marked
• ASTM F1163 (2004a onwards), SEI marked, or SNELL E2001
• PAS 015 (1998 or 2011), BSI Kitemarked
• CE mark referencing EN1384:2023 or VG1, provided it is InspecIC or BSI Kitemarked (VG1 without a kitemark is allowed until 1 January 2027)

The helmet must be black or the same colour as your coat; a reflective strip (not the entire helmet) is permitted. All helmets must carry a current, visible EA Helmet Tag. No camera may be attached to the helmet or anywhere on the rider, saddlery or horse. A missing tag may entail a Recorded Warning Card.

Source: EA National Dressage Rules 1 January 2026, rules 1.6.2 and 5.2.

Whips

• Riders of horses may carry a whip up to 1.20 m; riders of ponies up to 1.00 m. The tassel is included when measuring.
• One whip may be carried and used in the exercise and warm-up areas, and in all tests up to and including Advanced level.
• Whips are not to be carried in FEI-level tests at State and Australian Championships.
• Incorrect length or use of a whip entails elimination.
• You may not take the reins in one hand and a whip in the other and use it on the horse in the competition arena; that entails elimination.

Spurs

• Optional at all levels, and must be a matching pair.
• Metal or hard plastic, with the shank pointing directly back from the centre of the spur and the tip not pointing up or inwards. The arms must be smooth.
• Disc rowels must be blunt, smooth and free to rotate. Daisy rowels, tines, and notched or serrated edges are not permitted.
• Pony riders, regardless of age, may only wear spurs no longer than 4.0 cm, measured from the boot to the tip of the spur. There is no maximum length for riders of horses.
• Incorrect or non-compliant spurs entail elimination.

Source: EA National Dressage Rules 1 January 2026, rules 3.15.1, 5.5 and 5.6.

A gear check is compulsory for each test, and failing to have one entails elimination. An accredited steward (or the steward's approved representative) checks the saddlery of each horse immediately after it leaves the arena, and reports any discrepancy to the Judge at C. The bridle is checked with the greatest caution because some horses are sensitive about their mouths.

If the steward finds fresh blood in the horse's mouth or in the area of the spurs at the end of the test, the Judge at C eliminates the horse and athlete. If fresh blood is found on other parts of the horse, the steward informs the Judge at C, who may eliminate the horse. The elimination for fresh blood is final.

A steward may do a visual check before you leave the last warm-up arena. You can decline it, but it remains your responsibility not to enter with any forbidden piece of saddlery.

Source: EA National Dressage Rules 1 January 2026, rules 1.4, 4.4 and 6.4.1.

An accredited steward, Technical Delegate, FEI judge, EA National Judge Educator or EA A- or B-level judge can issue them at an event.

Yellow Warning Card must be issued for:

• abuse of a horse (an action or omission involving mistreatment of a horse)
• abuse of an official, including abusive or bullying behaviour
• failing to follow an official's direction about complying with the rules
• failing to comply with stallion identification

Recorded Warning Card may be issued for:

• failing to wear an EA-approved tagged helmet (a rider with a non-compliant helmet and no EA tag gets a Recorded Warning Card and is eliminated; a rider with a compliant helmet but no tag gets the card but may compete)
• inappropriate or undesirable behaviour by an athlete towards an official or volunteer

If the same person receives two or more Recorded Warning Cards within 12 months, the matter is referred to the State Branch. It is preferable for a parent or guardian to be present when a rider under 18 is issued a card.

Source: EA National Dressage Rules 1 January 2026, rule 1.6.