10/31/2025
๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐
British Riding Clubs have taken a big, brave step this week one that quietly puts welfare right back where it belongs, at the centre of everything we do with horses.
From now on, riders at BRC competitions will be allowed to use vocal aids (their voice) during tests, so long as itโs quiet and discreet. And just as importantly, nosebands are no longer compulsory. You can ride in a bridle without one if your horse prefers it.
It might sound like a small rule tweak, but actually, itโs a major cultural shift. For decades, competitive riding has been wrapped up in convention, polished tack, tight straps, silent riders and anything that didnโt fit that mould was frowned upon. This new rule recognises what good horse people have known all along: that a relaxed jaw, a soft mouth and calm, clear communication matter far more than appearances.
Research has shown for years that over tightened nosebands can cause pain, restrict jaw movement, and mask tension. Some horses simply go better without one, yet many riders felt forced to use them because the rule book said so. Allowing riders to make that choice is an enormous welfare win. It recognises that every horse is different, and that comfort should come before conformity.
Allowing voice aids follows the same logic. Horses understand tone, rhythm and calm reassurance. A soft โsteadyโ or โandโฆ walkโ can do far more to guide and relax a horse than any amount of rein pressure. Itโs not about talking constantly, itโs about communicating clearly the same way we do on the ground.
This change also puts BRC ahead of the curve internationally. Sweden made nosebands optional in 2025, Denmark followed soon after, and many European countries are now openly questioning their necessity. Yet, British Dressage, our own governing body for national dressage is still lagging behind. Instead of removing the requirement altogether, BD is focusing on measuring tightness with gauges, due to come in over the next year. Itโs a step forward, yes, but it still clings to the idea that we must have a strap around the horseโs nose in the first place.
The truth is, BRC have done what BD has hesitated to do trust riders to make the right welfare choices without being dictated by tradition. Itโs refreshing, forward thinking, and very much in line with the broader welfare movement weโre seeing across Europe.
Of course, itโs not without challenges. Taking the noseband off wonโt fix heavy hands, bad riding or poor saddle fit. And using the voice isnโt a shortcut for feel or timing, it takes skill to make it an aid, not a distraction. This is where coaches and clubs will have to step up. Riders need education, not just freedom, to use these tools fairly and effectively.
But overall, this is the right kind of change. It shows that BRC trusts its members to ride with empathy and awareness. It moves away from the old, rigid picture of dressage and back towards true horsemanship where the horseโs comfort and confidence come first.
British Dressage might want to take note. The grassroots are speaking, and theyโre saying welfare matters more than formality. Tight straps and silent mouths donโt make good riding harmony does.
Hopefully Ireland wonโt be far behind. We pride ourselves on being a nation that understands horses But weโre still a little slow to adapt when it comes to formal welfare driven rule changes.
๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก!
๐๐ปโค๏ธ
Photo Credit: Julia Clarke ( long time follower)
