What gear is mandatory on cross-country? Level 3 vest, air vest as a supplement, studs for grip, and the flat eventing saddle — explained clearly and simply.
"Does my regular riding vest work for cross-country?" Straight talk: no — on the cross-country phase of eventing, a dedicated level 3 safety vest has been mandatory since 2011, not an ordinary riding vest and not a plain back protector. That difference isn't a marketing detail, it's the core of your protective gear for the toughest of the three phases.
A level 3 vest is heavily padded and provides all-round protection for chest, back and ribs — deliberately built more substantially than what you know from dressage or the show jumping ring, because fixed cross-country obstacles behave differently in a fall than a rail that simply comes down. On top of that, you increasingly see air vests on cross-country and in jumping. Important: the air vest does not replace the safety vest, it may only be worn in addition — together they protect different areas.
Your horse needs specific gear too: boots and studs, which get screwed into all four horseshoes to provide the grip needed at canter and take-off on slippery terrain. On top of that comes a dedicated eventing saddle with a flat seat and small knee rolls — it doesn't pin you in place but gives you the freedom of movement you need for the four different cross-country positions (more on that in the next guide).
Remember the order: a back protector offers the least protection, the level 3 vest gives the full, mandated all-round protection, an air vest comes on top, never as an alternative. For cross-country, only the level 3 vest counts as an entry requirement.
An air vest inflates on a sudden fall and adds extra padding around the neck and chest area. It's a sensible extra, not a substitute — you still always need a level 3 vest underneath or alongside it, depending on model compatibility. Check before your first event whether your air vest model is compatible with your safety vest.
Studs are screwed into the horseshoes before the cross-country phase — they bite into soft or wet ground like small claws and prevent slipping at a fast canter or on sharp turns before an obstacle. Without studs, deep, softened ground is a genuine fall risk. Have an experienced farrier or coach show you the right stud length for the given ground conditions — studs that are too long can be just as dangerous as none at all.
Unlike a dressage saddle with a deep seat and long knee rolls, an eventing saddle has a flat seat and small knee rolls. That gives you the freedom of movement to switch between the four cross-country positions without being pinned in the saddle. A saddle that's too deep slows down exactly the mobility you need most out on course.
Wear vest, helmet and saddle together in training already, not for the first time on competition day. That way you find out early if something pinches, shifts or restricts movement — adjustments take time you won't have on the day.
Gear is your first line of defense, but it never replaces skill and measured riding. Check vest and helmet for damage before every start — torn padding or a cracked helmet from a previous fall no longer protects like new. Also check that studs are seated firmly: a stud coming loose at a canter is a fall risk of its own.
Buy your first gear in this order: level 3 vest, cross-country certified helmet, boots and studs, and only then the eventing saddle. That way your core protection is sorted first, before you spend money on comfort details.
A practical trick: get two sets of studs of different lengths. That way you can react flexibly on competition day to ground conditions that can change overnight after rain.
Yes. Since 2011, the level 3 safety vest has been required on the cross-country phase of eventing. An ordinary riding vest or a plain back protector isn't enough to start.
No. The air vest may only be worn in addition to the level 3 safety vest, never as a substitute. Both protect different areas and complement each other, but neither replaces the other.
Studs screw into the horseshoes and give your horse extra grip at canter, take-off and on turns over soft or wet ground. Without them, the risk of slipping and falling rises noticeably on uncertain footing.
The flat seat with small knee rolls doesn't pin you in place and gives you the freedom of movement for the different cross-country positions. A deep dressage saddle would restrict exactly the mobility you need most.
Eventing: The Four Basic Cross-Country Positions