What do I wear for Preparatory to Advanced tests?

Q: What do I wear for Preparatory to Advanced tests?

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.

Question

Accepted Answer

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.