Dear Kel - feel free to access the Rulebooks - easy on the web these days:
National:
www.efanational.com/default.asp?MenuID=Rules_and_Regs/11759/0/,Eventing/11746/0/
FEI:
www.horsesport.org/c/rules/rules.htmI will paste you an exerpt from the FEI Rules: Vince.
Article 522 SADDLERY
1. Exercise Areas
The following are compulsory: an English type saddle and any form of bridle, including
double bridle, snaffle, gag or hackamores. Running martingales (with snaffle only), Irish
martingales, bit guards, boots, bandages, fly shields, nose covers and saddle covers are
permitted. Single direct side reins are permitted only while lunging (only with one lunge
line) as are running reins and chambons. Other martingales, any other kind of gadget (such
as bearing, side or balancing reins, etc.) and any form of blinkers, are forbidden, under
penalty of disqualification.
2. Dressage Test
2.1. The following are compulsory: an English type saddle and a permitted bridle.ഊ2006 RULES FOR EVENTING 34
2.2. A double bridle with cavesson noseband i.e. bridoon and curb with curb chain (made of
metal or leather) is permitted, as authorized by the Rules for Dressage.
2.3. A snaffle bridle of which the bit is made of metal, leather, rubber or plastic material is
also permitted as authorized by the Rules for Dressage. It must be made entirely of leather,
except for a small disc of sheepskin, which may be used in the intersection of the two
leather straps of a crossed noseband. For drawings of permitted bits and nosebands, see
Annex 1. Certain tests may specify that only a snaffle bridle is allowed.
2.4. Martingales, bit guards, any kind of gadgets (such as bearing, side, running or
balancing reins, etc.), any kind of boots or bandages and any form of blinkers including
earmuffs, earplugs, hoods, fly shields, nose covers and saddle covers, are under penalty of
elimination, strictly forbidden in accordance with the Dressage rules. A breast plate may be
used. However, under exceptional circumstances, fly hoods or shields may be permitted by
the Ground Jury for all competitors, solely in order to protect horses from insects. False
tails are permitted provided they are not weighted or otherwise “enhanced” in any way
whatsoever.
3. Cross-Country Test & Jumping Test
3.1. The type of saddlery is optional. Gags or “bitless bridles” are allowed as are
unrestricted running martingales or Irish martingales. Reins must be attached to the bit(s)
or directly to the bridle. Sheepskin may be used on each cheek piece of the bridle
providing the sheepskin does not exceed 3 cm in diameter measured from the horse’s face.
The stirrup iron and stirrup leathers must hang free from the bar of the saddle and outside
of the flap.
3.2. The following are forbidden: any form of blinkers, side, running or balancing reins;
tongue straps and /or tying down the horse’s tongue; any other restrictions, any bit or
other item of saddlery likely to wound a horse.