Does someone have expirience of riding without whip long term?

S

SunnySide12

Active Member
Joined
24 April 2025
Messages
41
Visit site
Hiya!

In short we decided with trainer that my horse moves better and I can communicate with him better without holding whip. What is wierd xd Buuutt im confused in long term will this cause issues? I just have wierd feelings regards whips, I see them as tiny help if horse dosent respond to leg but if I wont have whip what will I do xd
 
What an odd question.

I carry a schooling whip everytime I ride but cant remember the last time I used it as intended. I often use it to remove flies, push gates, fend off branches.

ETA: finally remembered when I used it properly and it was when schooling and trying to help him understand what I was asking when doing some turn on the forehand work that he'd been taught in hand and touching his leg with the whip.
 
Jenko109 said:
Im sure its perfectly possible to have a harmonious relationship with a horse without needed to strike him with a whip.

I dont really understand the question.
Click to expand...
That is all I wanted to actually hear that it is fine. Just eveyrbody is always having a whip with them and it feels so odd to me as I focus on it too much because Im afraid to hit my horse on accident
 
Not sure how to say this nicely but it is a bit daft thinking that not carrying a whip may cause issues given that some people never ride with one; some horses are never ridden with one; no one rides for the first time with a whip; and I'd wager most people don't do their first ride on a new breaker with one.
The only issues I can see really happening are if you are affected psychologically by not having one and ride very differently to how you do with one, which the horse will pick up on.
 
FieldOrnaments said:
Not sure how to say this nicely but it is a bit daft thinking that not carrying a whip may cause issues given that some people never ride with one; some horses are never ridden with one; no one rides for the first time with a whip; and I'd wager most people don't do their first ride on a new breaker with one.
The only issues I can see really happening are if you are affected psychologically by not having one and ride very differently to how you do with one, which the horse will pick up on.
Click to expand...
Actually its oposite. Im more relaxed and horse as well without it. Yeahhhh dumb question 😂
 
I once knew a very old school horse woman who told me she would never hack ANY horse out without a whip as it was a safety measure if she ever had a horse heading into the path of traffic and needed to shock it into moving. Interesting and probably some good rationale there!

All the same, I haven’t ridden either of my horses with a whip for years for the simple reason they don’t need one, one has never actually seen a whip during his life with me other than a lunge whip.
 
I have stopped carrying a whip now my pony has learnt to respond to soft leg aids. I had to use a sharp kick a few weeks ago in an emergency (spooking plus traffic) and the response was more than sufficient so a whip should not be necessary for safety if the horse has been taught correctly. I am another one who always used to ride with a stick but I am happy not to be carrying one and sometimes dropping the thing. I am no longer agile enough to think nothing of retrieving a dropped one.
 
I couldn't carry a whip with my old dressage schoolmaster, as he used to get increasingly anxious to the point of losing it, probably due to whip abuse much earlier in his life, when he was earmarked for a different discipline, showjumping. He was confirmed at Inter 1 before I bought him, and we competed up to Advanced together for years. Occasionally, I rode him in roller ball or dummy spurs. He retired five years ago.

I carry one now on my borrowed Clydie x dressage gelding, because his owner always did. He's an 'in front of the leg ride' but its handy when he pops one of his [vast] shoulders. Also handy when out hacking on him as three weeks ago he nearly trod on a basking black snake when we were out on forest ride! I asked him to step sideways as we were right over the top of it. Total surprise for both of us; Australian winter here now, but snakes apparently brumate, rather than hibernate. Now we know!

It did take me ages though, when I started riding the Clydie, to carry the whip with any kind of hand brain coordination, as I was so out of practice.

But yeah, I don't feel its up to me, but rather, what the individual horse is used to and comfortable with.
 
At the trekking centre where I ride, you’re not allowed to carry or use a whip. A large proportion of the horses (all those backed and trained by the owner) wouldn’t know what a whip is. It’s never a problem for the horses.

On the other hand, a friend had a lesson recently where the instructor was trying to get her to use a whip instead of her legs (not as an extra aid, but without using her legs, just the whip). Huh? She’s not going back there.
 
Never took a stick with me from the mid 1980s, when I had a lovely cob who had been beaten badly. I became so used to not carrying one that subsequent horses, including horses in for training etc , all were ridden without. I regard the whip as a cue giver , and a well trained horse would understand and respond to cues from leg, seat or voice just as effectively. However, as a side saddle rider now , I need one to be my right leg.
 
No, not carried a whip for about three or four years I don’t think. Carry a cane if showing. I don’t know if the rules have changed as I haven’t done British dressage for about three years but on the basis you couldn’t carry your whip when doing a championship test and it’s not like I use it anyway I’ve just stopped carrying one.
 
I ride two different horses. One forward going one less so. I only carry a whip with the forward going boy as he’s more reactive and likely to need pushing on past something. The slower boy is super brave and never needs pushing. Wouldn’t dream of taking a whip to him to make him go faster! He is naturally well balanced calm and steady. It’s his super power.
 
Assuming the horse isn’t whip shy it can be useful to carry one out hacking eg if you angle it sideways to get traffic to give you room. Or I carry one in case I’m chased / attacked by a dog . Other than that then don’t worry about it!
 
frankieduck said:
I once knew a very old school horse woman who told me she would never hack ANY horse out without a whip as it was a safety measure if she ever had a horse heading into the path of traffic and needed to shock it into moving. Interesting and probably some good rationale there!

All the same, I haven’t ridden either of my horses with a whip for years for the simple reason they don’t need one, one has never actually seen a whip during his life with me other than a lunge whip.
Click to expand...
A whip can also be useful when hacking to hold out sideways to show drivers how much room even the steadiest horse requires. Having said that, my Kaltblut had very firm opinions about most things and she especially didn't like the rider to carry a whip. She had been in a RS in an earlier life and I guess that she had learned not to trust that whips would be used correctly/fairly.
I wonder if OP rides at a RS and sees 'everyone' there using a whip.
 
2ndtimearound said:
the instructor was trying to get her to use a whip instead of her legs
Click to expand...
That is a negative way of reporting what could be a positive dressage lesson. It is how I was taught.
I too had a beautiful long, silver tipped dressage whip. It isnt used to discipline the horse but simply to touch the horse behind the rider's leg. A younger, more flexible rider than me would no doubt have used their leg.
And while sharing that dressage lesson horse, I also hacked with a long whip.
These days. Different RS, different share and it is a short whip.
FieldOrnaments said:
Fending off dogs, cars that pass too close, swatting flies and as an easier to see indicator.
Click to expand...
Exactly and getting flies off her tummy is very important.
The reason some RSs dont want one to hack with a long whip is that they say riders let it wave about in canter and this accelerates the horse.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top