The Proper Use Of Whips When Riding

Nobody notices when a whip is used appropriately. To the general public, seeing a rider with a whip often means abuse. Unfortunately, too many riders do use the whip in an abusive way, and that gets noticed. Some coaches and riders still advocate hitting the horse with a whip, calling it reinforcement of a leg aid. In reality, it is punishment, abuse, and does not effectively train a horse. Other riders see this and believe you should never own, carry, or use a whip.

The real problem is that nobody notices when a whip is used correctly. A whip should simply be an attention device.

Imagine walking next to someone who has a hand on your shoulder. The pressure will vary, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. If the pressure changes intentionally, how do you know if it means something? If they touch you elsewhere, you’ll pay attention.

Now compare that to a rider’s leg. No rider has perfect control of their body. If their seat and leg stayed perfectly with the horse, their boots would never need cleaning. Legs move—sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally. How does the horse know if the rider is asking something different? If the rider touches the horse with the whip (note—TOUCH, not hit), the horse will feel it and turn its awareness to the rider. That is the primary purpose of the whip—getting the horse’s attention. And it doesn’t need to be used strongly—a horse can feel a fly land on him!

Here are examples of how different types of whips can be used:

• A very long whip can touch the gaskin to direct the horse’s attention to the hind leg.

• A jumping whip can tap your boot to make a noise, bringing the horse’s attention back to the rider.

• A lunge whip can be raised to increase gait, lowered to slow down, or cast into the horse's vision to expand the circle.

• A dressage whip can be held upright, out of sight of the horse, so it is never used unintentionally.

• A very short whip can remind you to lift your hand—when you drop your hand, it runs into the saddle, getting your attention.

• A whip can rest against the shoulder to remind the horse not to drift out.

• A short whip or cane can be held under both thumbs to prevent the hands from flattening.

• A driving whip with a white lash is easy for the horse to see—usually held up/behind out of vision, but quickly brings attention when required.

• A long bamboo or in-hand whip can be used from the ground to touch the croup, bringing the horse's awareness to the hindquarters.

• An old wooden whip (like one dried from an apple tree) is an excellent tool. It cannot be used for abuse because it breaks if not handled gently.

With years of training and practice, it is possible to give a lighter signal with a whip than with a leg. It all depends on how precise and gentle you aspire to be.

Thank you so much for being here!
Until next time,
Merindah