Riding helmets, body protectors and equestrian equipment

• Regulation (EU) 2016/425 — PPE for helmets and protectors
• Regulation (EU) 2023/988 — GPSR
• Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 — REACH

Who has to appoint one

Manufacturers and sellers outside the Union placing equestrian equipment on the EU market. Riding helmets and body protectors are PPE with type examination; saddles, bridles and rugs are consumer products.

Thresholds and exemptions

Riding helmets are Category II PPE. Air jackets and inflatable protectors are assessed against the applicable standard and can be Category II or III.

What must appear on the label

CE marking with the notified body number, the standard reference such as VG1 or EN 1384, the size, the weight and the warnings on replacement after impact. Tack carries the manufacturer and responsible person details and load information where relevant.

Marketplace fields

Competition bodies require specific standards, and equipment not meeting them cannot be used even where it is legally placed on the market, which drives commercial demand beyond the legal minimum.

Documentation you must hold

EU declaration of conformity, technical documentation, EU type-examination certificate for PPE, and for tack the risk analysis and material documentation including chromium VI evidence for leather.

Standards and testing

EN 1384 and the VG1 specification for riding helmets, EN 13158 for body protectors, and REACH testing for leather and metal fittings.

Language requirements

Instructions, warnings and standard information in the language of each member state of sale.

When it applies

Before placing on the market. Certificates require renewal within five years.

How long records are kept

Ten years.

What happens if you do not comply

Withdrawal and Safety Gate alerts. Helmets sold with expired or invalid certification are treated as seriously as failed testing, because riders rely on them absolutely.

Who enforces it

Market surveillance authorities, notified bodies and customs.

Where the boundary lies

Leather tack fails on chromium VI in the same way as footwear and bags. Helmets certified only to a foreign standard cannot carry CE marking, and competition rules add requirements that product law does not.

Questions we are asked

Which standard applies to riding helmets?

EN 1384 and the VG1 specification are the usual routes, with EU type examination by a notified body in either case.

Do saddles need documentation?

As consumer products, yes: a risk analysis, a responsible person and material compliance evidence, particularly for leather.