DENMARK BANS DOUBLE BRIDES AT LOWER DRESSAGE LEVELS IN WELFARE OVERHAUL

In a significant move aimed at aligning competitive progress with equine welfare, the Danish Equestrian Federation (DRF) has announced a ban on the use of double bridles in dressage below Level 4, effective from 1 September 2025.

The decision is part of a broader set of welfare reforms designed to ensure that horses’ mental and physical well-being remains at the heart of the sport.

“The change is part of a professionally based development of the sport, where the rider’s preparation and the horse’s welfare go hand in hand,” said a spokesperson for the DRF Dressage Committee.“It supports a more balanced progression in the education of both horse and rider.”

The changing landscape of dressage equipment

While the double bridle has long been a feature of upper-level dressage, its use at lower levels has come under increasing scrutiny, particularly where it may place undue pressure on horses before they are physically or mentally ready.

Since January 2025, Denmark’s new guidelines have allowed riders to compete bitless at lower levels and make nosebands optional across all levels. These new regulations do not affect higher levels, where the double bridle remains permitted, but no longer required.

These adjustments reflect a growing shift toward more flexible, horse-focused rulesets that respect variation in training philosophy, horse conformation, and individual needs.

Clear standards

Alongside equipment changes, the DRF has introduced stronger ethical guidelines that will apply to all training and competition activities. Developed in consultation with veterinarians, researchers, and professional riders, these guidelines aim to provide a clear, research-based framework for good equine management.

Training methods that risk physical or psychological harm, including excessive rein pressure, hyperflexion, or the use of force on an unsound or distressed horse, are now explicitly prohibited.

Officials are required to intervene in all suspected welfare violations, with sanctions ranging from formal warnings to suspension or exclusion from competition.

“Compromising good horse welfare is never acceptable, whether it is deliberate or due to lack of knowledge or attention,” the guidelines state.

Addressing public concerns

These reforms follow rising public scrutiny of horse sport in Denmark, including two high-profile cases involving top-level dressage riders. Public debate intensified after a 2023 documentary on Andreas Helgstrand’s training practices, and a separate incident involving Carina Cassøe Krüth, in which video footage showed a horse being struck with a whip.

In response, the Danish Council on Animal Ethics, a government advisory body, issued recommendations in late 2024 calling for the prohibition of double bridles and stricter limits on how horses are ridden, particularly in relation to posture behind the vertical.

The Danish Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Jacob Jensen, has since announced 11 proposed initiatives to raise the country’s equestrian welfare standards, including:

• Limiting the use of double bridles and spurs to trained, experienced riders.
• Mandatory welfare education for all equine professionals.
• A national ban on hyperflexion.
• Increased access to turnout and social interaction for horses.

“Unfortunately, we have seen cases where the welfare of horses has been disregarded in the pursuit of results,” said Mr Jensen.“As the responsible minister, I will not accept that… We must be able to compete on equal terms — and that must not happen at the expense of animal welfare.”

What does this mean?

Denmark’s actions mark a pivotal moment in how equestrian sport may evolve internationally. These reforms don’t demand perfection, but they do ask riders, trainers, and officials to reflect honestly on where training pressure and competitive ambition intersect.

For many, this may not change much. For others, it’s a reminder that welfare isn’t a separate conversation, it’s the foundation on which the sport stands.