At EC and FEI competitions, do horses need to wear numbers when they are not in the competition arena?

As you can imagine, when we act as stewards at competitions for many years, we get to know the competitors very well. However, when we arrive at a competition for the first time, it is quite a different story. Numbers are the only reference officials have to identify the horse and rider. Identification is needed in many scenarios, from the worst – an injured horse or rider – to the best – wanting to congratulate a competitor for something well done. Just as important, if abuse is witnessed by an official, or someone other than an official, the number might be the only way to report the issue for follow-up.

Both EC and FEI are clear on this rule!

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