Let him or fight him?

[Hedgewitch13]

Hmmm OP I would broach this with your instructor. No disrespect but you may need to find different 'buttons' when using your legs (and to keep him straight too!). At the moment your pony isn't listening and whacking him with the whip isn't really teaching very him much except to expect pain if he circles away. Good luck

 

[Kylara]

Which leg depends on what you are doing. You use it behind whichever leg is being ignored and in a school that is usually the inside unless you have swapped it over then it would be the outside as you have worked out that horse is responding less to that side.

If you are circling you want it on the inside so as the bend isn't compromised.

If your horse is doing unwanted sideways movement and is ignoring the leg telling it to stop then you use it behind that leg. (Ie horse moving left, ignoring left leg, stick is used to reinforce left leg).

And you would be surprised how many people I have to educate on correct short whip use by removing hand from reins.

 

[Shilasdair]

Which leg depends on what you are doing. You use it behind whichever leg is being ignored and in a school that is usually the inside unless you have swapped it over then it would be the outside as you have worked out that horse is responding less to that side.

If you are circling you want it on the inside so as the bend isn't compromised.

If your horse is doing unwanted sideways movement and is ignoring the leg telling it to stop then you use it behind that leg. (Ie horse moving left, ignoring left leg, stick is used to reinforce left leg).

And you would be surprised how many people I have to educate on correct short whip use by removing hand from reins.

The whip is an 'artificial aid' used to support (reinforce) the 'natural aid' of the legs/hands.
In this case the horse appears to be going forward - so the whip is presumably not to back up the inside leg (impulsion). The OP also doesn't tell us that the horse is evading bend, or drifting sideways, so the whip would seem redundant in supporting the outside leg.
If anything, the horse could be going forward, but out through the shoulder in which case the outside rein needs to be shortened, and the horse tapped on the shoulder to block the evasion.

Advice, whether from freelance instructors, or from people with 40 years' experience needs to be thought through, then explained with clarity.

S

 

[meesha]

When i had this problem, I used crop on right shoulder as he was trying to evade by turning right rather than left as asked (wanted to choose own hacking route) one slap with short crop did the trick for me. I Also find a slap on shoulder useful out hunting if he is getting slightly excited and numpty, seems to shake him out of it but they are all different.

 

[Kylara]

I was replying in general terms as it seemed to be a comment about lack of knowledge re using the whip correctly rather than the OP not using the whip correctly. I then proceeded to explain various uses.

I would say whip use in the OP's case would be to back up the outside leg asking for the circle so he has less desire to spin into the more forceful leg aid backed up by whip (more forwards momentum into the circle thus less likely to change bend and direction). It is not a schooling exercise so losing bend is not an issue, but responding correctly to the aids is. Depending on how he is spinning the other way - so if he isn't bending correctly then behind the "inside leg" to try and push for the bend, if he is bending but falling out and then spinning then more outside leg is needed thus stick behind that leg or on the shoulder. It all depends on exactly how the OP's horse is behaving - something hard to see without being there.

Like I said, my responses were based on a general explanation of where and why you use a short whip behind the leg as that is what it sounded like you were commenting on in Tnavas' post (which I also took to be a general comment about lack of knowledge around short whip use). I apologise for misunderstanding you.

 

[PolarSkye]

it sounded like you were commenting on in Tnavas' post (which I also took to be a general comment about lack of knowledge around short whip use). I apologise for misunderstanding you.

This was my understanding, but the Mistress of Hades will be along in a few to either agree or contradict . . .

P

 

[Auslander]

Shils makes a very good point - if the horse is still going forward, but popping a shoulder, i am another who would give it a tap down the shoulder. I agree that there is a correct/BHS way to use a short whip, but that doesn't mean that it cannot be used in other ways when a positive effect can be had. I'd be extremely annoyed if someone told me I was using a whip incorrectly - I have sufficient experience to use mine appropriately for the situation I find myself in.

 

[Shilasdair]

Shils makes a very good point - if the horse is still going forward, but popping a shoulder, i am another who would give it a tap down the shoulder. I agree that there is a correct/BHS way to use a short whip, but that doesn't mean that it cannot be used in other ways when a positive effect can be had. I'd be extremely annoyed if someone told me I was using a whip incorrectly - I have sufficient experience to use mine appropriately for the situation I find myself in.

The BHS don't mind riders smacking a horse on the shoulder (always in moderation) when the horse goes out through the rein/shoulder .
It most often happens when a horse refuses a jump by ducking out, but often people misunderstand and think the rider is punishing the horse for not jumping rather than correcting an evasion.
S

 

[Auslander]

The BHS don't mind riders smacking a horse on the shoulder (always in moderation) when the horse goes out through the rein/shoulder .
It most often happens when a horse refuses a jump by ducking out, but often people misunderstand and think the rider is punishing the horse for not jumping rather than correcting an evasion.
S

I had exactly that situation in my stage 3 jumping! I rode a great big heavy cob, which set its jaw and shoulder and ran out several times at one particular fence. I decided that, as I'd probably failed, I was going to give it a go doing it my way, rather than the BHS way, so came round the corner, bent its head round towards the direction it wanted to run out in, and gave it a couple of cracks down the shoulder it was trying to run through. It jumped - and one of the examiners shouted "Good GIRL!". I passed...

 

[PolarSkye]

Shils makes a very good point - if the horse is still going forward, but popping a shoulder, i am another who would give it a tap down the shoulder. I agree that there is a correct/BHS way to use a short whip, but that doesn't mean that it cannot be used in other ways when a positive effect can be had. I'd be extremely annoyed if someone told me I was using a whip incorrectly - I have sufficient experience to use mine appropriately for the situation I find myself in.

Well indeed - use of a whip is (or should be) much more of a reinforcement of an aid not listened/responded to than a punishment . . . so Auslander's example above is a good one. A long whip can be used to tickle up a hind leg from either the saddle or the ground to encourage the horse to engage, strike off on the correct canter lead, change canter leads, step under, etc. In this way, the whip is a very specific tool . . . just as it is when applied down a shoulder to prevent the horse evading/falling out - in front of a fence, when performing movements like leg yield or to reinforce correct shoulder positioning in shoulder in/shoulder fore.

The BHS is a good institution and it sets some very solid guidelines . . . but, like all instruction/teachings, it's about application rather than gospel.

Good riders (and I can't profess to be one) have a broad range of tools in their "box" and know when and how to apply them to a given situation/problem.

P