How do para dressage teams work?
A · Advanced · Competition · 2 of 2A nation's team has three or four riders, at least one from Grades I to III and at most two from one Grade; the best three scores count. Horses must be at least six, or seven at CPEDI3* and above from 2027. Riders from one nation in different Grades may share a horse. At Championships, Para Grand Prix B decides team medals.
How it works
- Team: three or four riders and horses.
- Grade mix: one from I to III; two at most per Grade.
- Counting: best three.
- Horse age: six; seven at 3* and above from 2027.
- Two horses: allowed in one Grade at a CPEDI.
- Sharing: same nation, different Grades.
- Schooling limit: 30 minutes a day for Grades I to III horses.
- Championship medals: Grand Prix A, B and Freestyle.
The glossary has the team competition (para dressage), the championship medals (para dressage), the horse requirements (para dressage), the sharing horses, the Chief Steward (para dressage) and the Ground Jury (para dressage).
Tricky cases
Can two riders from one nation in the same Grade share a horse?
No.
Can a team be four Grade V riders?
No. At most two per Grade, and one from I to III.
Is a six-year-old horse allowed at CPEDI3* in 2027?
No. The minimum becomes seven.
Which test gives team medals at Championships?
Para Grand Prix B.
Why the rule exists
The Grade mix makes teams include more impaired riders. Schooling limits stop others tiring or over-training a horse for a Grade I rider.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| CPEDI3* | Team over Grand Prix A and B | 8422.3 |
| Championships | Team on Grand Prix B | 8402.6 |
| From 2027 | Horses seven at 3* | 8430 |
From the rule book
FEI, Para Dressage Rules, 4th edition (1 January 2026), articles 8402, 8405, 8410, 8422.3, 8430 and 8437. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: FEI Para Dressage Rules, 4th edition.