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Get instruction
This page explains what governing bodies, standards bodies and veterinary bodies publish. It is not a substitute for instruction from a qualified coach or riding school, and it does not replace medical or veterinary advice.
What the rules are about
The glove rules we found are dress rules. They say whether gloves must be worn in a given test and what colour they must be, usually by matching them to white or to the rider's coat. We found no test standard or quality mark for riding gloves, so we make no claim about what any glove protects against. How a rider holds the reins is taught by a coach, not by a rulebook or this page.
The FEI rules below are read as reproduced in Equestrian Australia's 2026 eventing rulebook, and the FEI dressage rule from a 2019 text published by Equestrian New Zealand, because the FEI's own site refused our requests. We could not reach the 2026 FEI Dressage Rules, so details there may have changed.
Required, optional and colour, rule by rule
| Rule | Where it applies | Gloves |
|---|---|---|
| FEI Eventing Rules 2026, Annex O 2.1.4 | Eventing dressage test | Black, white, off white or the same colour as the coat |
| FEI Dressage Rules (2019 text), Art. 427 | CDI3* and above, FEI Championships and Games | White, off white or the same colour as the coat |
| US Equestrian DR120.1.7 (2026 booklet) | Fourth Level and below | White or light recommended; any solid colour permitted |
| US Equestrian DR120.1.7 (2026 booklet) | FEI tests or levels at USEF competitions | Required; white, off white or the same colour as the coat |
| Equestrian Australia national eventing, rule 2.3 (2026) | CCN1* and below | Optional |
Matching the coat
Several of these rules tie the glove to the coat, so the coat rules matter too:
- FEI eventing dressage test (2026): any single-colour tailcoat or jacket approved by the athlete's national federation, with no striped or multicoloured coats; a jacket rather than a tailcoat at all CCIPs.
- FEI dressage (2019 text): at CDI3* and above, FEI Championships and Games, a black or dark blue tailcoat or jacket, with other dark colours approvable if their HSV "V" value is below 32 percent; any single colour for the Grand Prix Freestyle only.
- US Equestrian dressage (2026): any single-colour jacket or tailcoat; striped or multicoloured coats are not permitted.
The bodies differ on black. The FEI eventing dressage rule lists black gloves alongside white, off white and the coat colour, while the 2019 FEI dressage text and US Equestrian's rule for FEI tests list white, off white or the coat colour. The wording differs, so the rule of the body running the competition is the one to read. The competition attire page has the full dress rules.
Who checks
Under the FEI Eventing Rules (2026, Annex O 5), a steward may inspect dress before any test and may refuse a start where dress or safety equipment breaks the rules. The body's current rulebook and its officials decide whether a pair of gloves meets the dress code on the day.
Our pick by category
Riding gloves
At lower levels the rules above leave gloves optional or allow any solid colour. At CDI3* and above under the 2019 FEI dressage text, and in FEI tests at US Equestrian competitions, the rules list white, off white or the coat colour, and the FEI eventing dressage test also allows black. Colour is the main thing the rulebooks regulate.
Best for: Riders at any level; required in FEI tests at US Equestrian dressage competitions