Whips and blinkers are not allowed. English-style saddles are used and the horse must have a double bridle. When the horse moves, the hind feet should move following the same path as the fore feet. The horse's body should be straight, or bending along the arc it is following. Transitions between gaits should be smooth and when the horse changes gait it should fall into a new rhythm immediately.
Riders familiarise their horses with the arena before a routine begins.
The judges ring a bell to start each routine. Routines begin with the horse entering the arena at a marker and proceeding to a mark in the centre of the arena to salute. The horse should stop squarely for the salute with its body straight. In the freestyle routine, competitors are given a six minute time limit for their performances. In the teams event, a tie is broken by comparing the scores of the third highest scorer from each team.