The riding helmets, the bridles, the gloves, and the tall dressage boots. We took a closer look at the equipment when the world's best dressage riders met in Aachen – and at what their choices say about safety, precision, fit, and the horse's welfare.
The Dressage World Championship in Aachen offered sport at the absolute highest level.
Charlotte “Lottie” Fry and Glamourdale defended their individual world champion titles, while some of the world's top dressage teams competed for medals.
But when we at Swedish Equestrian Sports follow a championship, we don't just look at the results list.
We look at the details.
Which riding helmets do the riders choose? What sits on the horses' heads? Why is the glove so important in a sport where communication can be about millimeters? How should a dressage boot really fit? And what characteristics recur when the equipment must function at the absolute highest level?
At the same time, there is a question that is more important than which logo is visible:
How does the equipment affect the horse?
Dressage is in a time where horse welfare, fit, and how equipment is actually used are discussed more than ever. We think this is positive.
Just because a product is used by a world champion does not automatically mean it is right for every horse or rider.
The short answer from our observation in Aachen is therefore:
The elite's equipment is less about using more – and more about precision. Correct fit, stability, freedom of movement, contact, safety, and the horse's comfort recur throughout the equipment.
Here are some of the things we looked at closely.
Spotted at Aachen
Which riding helmets do the dressage elite use?
The riding helmet has evolved from something meant to blend into the classic dressage silhouette to becoming an essential and technically advanced part of the rider's equipment.
Which riding helmets does the dressage elite use?
The riding helmet has evolved from something that should blend into the classic dressage silhouette to becoming an obvious and technically advanced part of the rider's equipment.
At the elite level, helmet choice is not just about safety standards.
Fit, stability, ventilation, weight, and the ability to adjust the helmet to the head shape play a significant role when the helmet needs to sit comfortably through warm-up, training, and competition.
Charlotte Fry and KASK
Charlotte Fry is one of KASK's profiles in dressage.
The interesting thing is not just which brand is seen on the world champion, but which features are at the center.
KASK works a lot with the combination of fit, ventilation, stability, and low weight. Several models have a self-adjusting system at the back that helps the helmet sit stably around the head.
These are features that are just as relevant in home training as on a World Championship arena.
Isabell Werth and ABUS Pikeur
Another clear helmet profile in Aachen was Isabell Werth, who collaborates with ABUS Pikeur.
German Katharina Hemmer has also been seen in ABUS Pikeur at the highest level.
The AirLuxe series combines a classic dressage expression with, among other things, ventilation and an adjustable fit system.
What can we learn from the elite's helmet choices?
There is no riding helmet that is best for everyone.
A helmet can be technically advanced and have many safety features, but it must above all fit your head shape.
It should:
- Sit stably without sliding.
- Have the right size and shape for your head.
- Feel comfortable even during longer riding sessions.
- Be correctly fastened and adjusted.
- Be approved according to the safety standards required for your riding and competition.
Our takeaway from Aachen: do not choose a helmet solely based on which rider wears it. Try different models and find the one that actually fits you best.
Bridles and double bridles – the horse's welfare must be the focus
The bridles and double bridles in dressage are perhaps the most discussed pieces of equipment from a horse welfare perspective.
There are good reasons for this.
The bridle lies directly against sensitive areas on the horse's head and is part of the communication between horse and rider.
Therefore, it is not enough for a bridle to be described as anatomical or used by a successful rider.
The equipment must fit the individual horse and be correctly adjusted.
In recent years, product development has moved towards more anatomically shaped headpieces, softer padding, pre-curved nosebands, and constructions that try to reduce or distribute pressure over sensitive areas.
This is a development we find interesting.
But an anatomical bridle does not automatically mean good horse welfare.
How the equipment fits and is used is still crucial.
Double bridles – tradition, precision, and responsibility
The double bridle is an established part of Grand Prix dressage, but at the same time one of the sport's most debated pieces of equipment.
We believe it should be possible to talk openly about this.
A double bridle involves more contact points than a regular snaffle bit and places great demands on the rider's hand, training, and sensitivity.
That the world's best dressage riders use double bridles does not automatically mean it is the right equipment for more horses.
On the contrary.
The starting point should always be to use as much equipment as the situation requires – but no more than the horse needs.
For us, good equipment choices are as much about being able to choose not to use something as to choose to use it.
With the horse in focus
Isabell Werth and Schockemöhle Sports
Isabell Werth and Schockemöhle Sports have jointly developed a dressage collection focusing on fit, anatomical design, and pressure distribution.
Isabell Werth and Schockemöhle Sports
Isabell Werth and Schockemöhle Sports have together developed a dressage collection focusing on fit, anatomical design, and pressure distribution.
The collection includes the bridles Satchmo and Johnny, as well as the double bridle Bella Rose.
What interests us is not primarily that the products bear one of the biggest names in dressage.
The interesting part is the development towards greater importance of the horse's anatomy and individual fit in product design.
Svensk Ridsport is a retailer of the Isabell Werth collection from Schockemöhle Sports, and our range includes the Bella Rose double bridle. See more from Schockemöhle.
But regardless of bridle or double bridle, the choice should start with the horse.
Ask yourself:
- What does my horse's head shape look like?
- Is there enough space around the ears?
- Where does the headpiece sit?
- Where is the noseband located?
- Are there parts that create pressure or chafing?
- Can the equipment be adjusted individually?
- How does the horse react when wearing and being ridden in the equipment?
The last is perhaps the most important of all.
The Noseband – more is not better
The function and fit of the noseband have received increasing attention in international equestrian sports.
We welcome this.
FEI has introduced a standardized way to check how tight the noseband is at international competitions. This is a clear sign that the issue of correct adjustment and the horse's comfort has gained greater importance.
But rules and control tools only provide a minimum level.
Good horse welfare requires more than just passing a check.
A noseband should not be used to hide signals from the horse or be tightened more than necessary.
Instead, we need to ask:
How does the horse react?
Signs of discomfort, tension, chafing, or changed behavior should always be taken seriously, and the fit of the equipment should be checked regularly.
Our takeaway from Aachen
When it comes to bridles, double bridles, and nosebands, we do not think the most important question is which brand the world elite uses.
We prefer to look at:
- Individual fit.
- Correct adjustment.
- As few unnecessary pressure points as possible.
- Freedom of movement around ears and jaw.
- A soft and stable contact.
- The horse's behavior and reactions.
- Regular checks to ensure the equipment still fits.
Horse welfare does not start with the product name. It starts with how we choose, adjust, and use the equipment.
Direct contact with the rein.
Riding gloves
Perhaps the smallest but most important contact point in dressage. The better the contact between hand, glove, and rein works, the less the rider needs to disturb the communication.
Riding Gloves – perhaps the smallest but most important contact point in dressage
In dressage, few parts of the rider's equipment are as small yet as significant as the riding glove.
The hand is the direct contact with the rein.
At Grand Prix level, where communication between horse and rider must occur with very small aids, the combination of grip, feel, and flexibility becomes extra important.
A glove that slips can cause the rider to compensate by holding tighter.
A glove that is too thick can instead reduce the feel.
What you really seek is the opposite:
As much grip as needed – with as little interference as possible.
What to look for in a dressage glove?
A good riding glove for dressage should:
- Provide a stable grip on the rein.
- Be thin and flexible.
- Fit close to the hand.
- Allow small movements in the fingers.
- Not create wrinkles or excess material.
- Maintain grip when the hand becomes warm or moist.
At Svensk Ridsport, you can find, among others, the Roeckl Vesta Grip Pro, where the material is developed to combine flexibility, feel, and grip. See more from Roeckl.
Our takeaway from Aachen
In dressage, good grip is not about being able to hold tighter.
Quite the opposite.
The better the contact between hand, glove, and rein works, the less the rider needs to disturb the communication.
support without locking the leg
Dressage boots
A dressage boot is often designed to provide more support along the leg than a softer jumping boot, while allowing the rider to use the leg softly and precisely.
Dressage Boots – Support Without Locking the Leg
Look at the riders' legs at a major dressage championship and the expression is almost consistent:
High shaft. Clean silhouette. Close fit.
The classic dressage boot remains for a reason.
A dressage boot is often designed to provide more support along the leg than a softer jumping boot, while allowing the rider to use the leg softly and precisely.
But just like with the helmet, there is no model that is best for everyone. See more dressage boots.
Fit is Crucial
A technically advanced dressage boot can still be wrong if:
- The shaft is too short or too long.
- The calf is too wide or too narrow.
- The boot presses behind the knee.
- The ankle becomes too locked.
- The material creases in the wrong place.
- The rider loses contact with the horse's side.
That's why dressage boots come in several combinations of foot size, calf width, and shaft length.
At Svensk Ridsport, there are dressage boots from Cavallo, De Niro, Petrie, Ariat, and Mountain Horse.
Our Takeaway from Aachen
The best dressage boot is not automatically the stiffest or most expensive.
It is the one where the rider's leg is supported without the boot interfering with movement or feel against the horse.
classic look, but function closest to the horse
dressage saddle pad
When the horse works with large movements, collection, and a lot of activity through the back and shoulders, the equipment around the saddle needs to stay stable without creating unnecessary pressure or restricting movement.
Under the Saddle – Classic Expression, but Function Closest to the Horse
Elite dressage saddle pads are often visually understated.
Clean. Classic. Elegant.
But beneath the simple expression lies an important function.
When the horse works with large movements, collection, and a lot of activity through the back and shoulders, the equipment around the saddle needs to stay stable without creating unnecessary pressure or restricting movement.
A good dressage saddle pad should among other things:
- Provide good wither clearance.
- Stay stable under the saddle.
- Not create folds or pressure points.
- Handle sweat and moisture.
- Be cut for the longer flaps of a dressage saddle.
- Work together with the individual saddle and the horse's back.
At Svensk Ridsport, there are dressage saddle pads from Schockemöhle Sports, Lemieux, Eskadron, and Kentucky Horsewear. See all dressage saddle pads here.
The same principle applies as with all other equipment that lies directly against the horse:
Appearance comes after fit.
An exclusive saddle pad is of no use if it lies incorrectly under the saddle.
Our Takeaway from Aachen
The visual expression in dressage can be traditional.
But the equipment closest to the horse must always be chosen for function, comfort, and freedom of movement.
What Can We Learn from the World's Best Dressage Riders?
There is much inspiration to be drawn from the world elite.
But elite level is not automatically a blueprint.
Charlotte Fry's equipment must work for Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale.
Isabell Werth's equipment must work for her and the horse she rides.
Your equipment needs to work for you and your horse.
For the rider, this means among other things:
- A riding helmet that truly fits the head shape.
- A riding boot that provides support without locking the leg.
- A glove that provides grip without creating a harder hand.
- Equipment that feels so natural that the rider can focus on riding.
For the horse, this means:
- Equipment adapted to the individual anatomy.
- As few unnecessary pressure points as possible.
- Freedom of movement.
- Correct adjustment.
- Regular fit checks.
- Taking the horse's behavior and signals seriously.
- Daring to reevaluate a product choice if the horse does not seem comfortable with it.
The best equipment is not the one seen on the most championship riders.
The best equipment is the one that helps that particular horse and rider work together with as little disturbance as possible.
And perhaps that is the most important lesson we take from Aachen.
Not to copy the world elite.
But to be just as meticulous about why we ourselves choose the equipment we use.
