Browband for dressage?

Ponycarrots

Ponycarrots

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Me and my horse are doing our first dressage competition on 5th April...very excited bth a bit nervous! We've gone through our test (prelim 4) with my instructor a couple of times today and it was great so can't wait!
However my instructor did say I'll need to check if my browband is ok for dressage. I know you're allowed a bit of bling but mine is perhaps a bit over the top!



I do have others that are not as OTT but this one was a present from my mum (and I love it!)
 
Bling browbands are fine for dressage I have one not sure about colours though is that one a colour ?
 
Gosh that is an unusual browband! As others have said, bling is allowed and I think normally you'd get away with a bit of colour on a bling browband. But yours I dont think will be allowed - here are the bits I've pulled out of the BD rule book on bridles/tack:

"Bridles must be predominantly black, brown, grey or navy and may not be decorated with tassels or any additions to the normal configuration"

"Any unusual decoration of the horse with unnatural items such as ribbons, flowers or anything applied to the horse such as glitter is forbidden. Discreet red bows in the tail for horses that kick or items such as diamante plaiting bands
are permitted. "

"Ear covers/fly fringes are permitted during riding in and for competitions held outdoors, solely to protect the horse from insects. They may not be worn for competitions held indoors. The ear cover/fly fringe is to be discreet, not brightly coloured and must not cover the horse’s eyes. Ear plugs are not permitted (except for prizegivings). Spot checks may be carried out immediately after a test to ensure that ear covers/fly fringesare not being used to muffle sound."

I think the problem you have is your browband is more decorative than it is a functional browband, and a judge/steward may have concerns about it getting in the way of your horse's eyesight if it moves/flaps. I've certainly never seen a browband like that before so I fear it may fall into the 'unusual decoration' category as per the BD rules above. You could also argue they are a type of tassel so again I wouldnt feel confident going to a competition with that bridle.

I'd swap it for another one to be safe - that is a bit too unusual and its not worth risking being eliminated when you go into the arena!
 
I think I personally would swap it just to be safe but you could always take it with you and ask the judge when you collect your score sheet because I normally have a little chat with the judge about my test if we manage to catch them :)
My loan cob wears a studded and sparkly browband and I even put glitter in his mane and tail last time :) dressage us definatly where to go if you want to bling your pony up :D
 
Thanks for the replies! I thought it'd be best to play safe and get a more normal browband lol! But I might ask the judges anyway. It does make him stand out. It is a weird one and I've never seen another like it but I think it suits my boy as he's so showy and afeminate; most people think he's a mare on first glance...
I wondered because I know dressage is one of the more "blingy" disciplines, when we went hunting my instructor joked that it would not go down well with the masters to have bling haha!
 
Lol I used to have a blind browband on my big chunky manly cob and I had some hoof glitter! The farrier was in hysterics!
 
I would question it personally as a trainee judge as it is rather tassly. It isn't black and white though, you can send a pic to bd and ask keeping the email confirmation as proof if they do day yes
 
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