Thought on whips?

[kc100]

I personally do not ride with a whip, but this is because I have a lovely, forward going horse who is very sensitive to my leg aids. Plus I'm working towards competing in dressage where whips are not allowed so I'd rather my horse learns without a whip.

However for certain horses, and used correctly by the rider, whips can be useful. You dont want your horse to become accustomed to you nagging with your legs (kicking all the time) therefore if he is not listening, a good tap with the whip to get him to pay attention would be far preferable to kicking over and over again. With a sluggish, inatentive horse I would normally ride with a whip, and if he didnt go from a squeeze it would be a kick, if he didnt go from the kick then he would get a firm tap (hard enough so he knows about it, it is pointless if it just tickles him). Always work through that process, never go for the whip first, it should be the final resort if he isnt listening.

If you dont use a whip and nag with your legs then he is being tought to ignore your leg aids which is a very bad thing and hard to get him out of this, so be careful.

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

Three down the belly, may be allowed, but I find it abhorrent.

The daft thing is you all want swift responses to soft aids, but you are teaching the opposite.

I dont see an issue with it. I cannot say bad horse please listen to my leg more, go forward and jump the fence please can I?

I rarely use one so when I do it sends the right message. I would rather not use one and my horse always be so perfect, sadly this isnt always the case

 

[thehorsephotographer]

Thehorsephotographer, how do you think it would translate into riding in an outline for dressage and doing canter pirouttes etc? (genuinely, is that what you are doing with your horses now)

And Pale Rider, if you are excusing Carl and Charlotte then you are rather contradictory, they both use spurs and whips.

Batgirl I don't honestly know because I've never learnt dressage -although it's something I would like to do in the future. What I do know is that although Carl and Charlotte use whips at times I can honestly say I've never seen either of them raise one in the ring - and I have watched a lot as I love to see dressage.

Are you saying in asking the question however that without the use of the whip you are unable to ride your horse correctly in an outline for dressage and doing canter pirouettes etc? (genuinely interested to know the answer to this).

I am at the moment a "happy hacker". Nothing more, nothing less. This in itself presents a series of unforseen challenges every day which I have to deal with in order to keep myself, my horse and other road (or field!) users safe. I carry a whip. I don't advocate never using it - all I am saying is that my use of it over the years has changed and since this change I haven't actually used it on the horse - or encountered a situation where I have needed to.

What has been conspicious by it's absence in this thread I think is mention of the use of the voice. This year I have worked with 4 different horses/ponies, all youngsters and all presenting as you would expect different challenges. I've consistently used my voice with them from calming them for their first encounter with the dentist/farrier to encouraging them to face something they find fearful and at times expressing my displeasure with something they have done. Because I've worked with them since day one using voice aids my horses are very responsive to the voice also.

I had an excellent riding instructor but I can still hear her saying at times "give him a bit of stick..." Now, looking back whilst I was never like the kiddies I've mentioned earlier I have to question if the "bit of stick" was always necessary or if there was an alternative way to achieve the same end result.

I am enjoying my riding very much. I feel in tune with my horse and at the moment see no reason to do things differently.

I don't condem the use of the whip by others but don't like to see it used in anger or, where it can be avoided, to move forward a horse which is terrified of, as Adorable Alice says, the alligator in the hedgerow.

 

[xspiralx]

It is possible to ride well with the gentlest of aids and it is the best feeling having your horse moving lightly as though you are one unit and not having a constant struggle to turn, go, yield or stop.

Totally agree. I school all my horses to be very responsive to the lightest of aids.

As part of that, I will correct a horse sharply with a whip as needed. They very quickly learn. If you are schooling any horse and after a period of time you are still having to use heavy aids, then you're doing it wrong

 

[biggingerpony]

I carry a whip out hacking and jumping, I don't often use it though.

It has helped me get out of some really tricky situations in the past,

eg.

If I have a run out I will use the whip to let the horse know it's not acceptable.

Move sideways quickly out on the roads, etc etc.

I'd rather use a short sharp tap, then constant nagging of the legs.

 

[thehorsephotographer]

I rarely use one so when I do it sends the right message. I would rather not use one and my horse always be so perfect, sadly this isnt always the case

This I think is a sensible use.

 

[biggingerpony]

I carry a whip out hacking and jumping, I don't often use it though.

It has helped me get out of some really tricky situations in the past,

eg.

If I have a run out I will use the whip to let the horse know it's not acceptable.

Move sideways quickly out on the roads, etc etc.

I'd rather use a short sharp tap, then constant nagging of the legs.

 

[Littlelegs]

Pale rider, genuine question for you- what do you think of the use of whips in carriage driving? I don't mean for hitting with, I mean when used with a very light touch, by a competent driver as a replacement for the missing leg aid, so used with the same lightness & purpose a good rider uses the leg? Like I say, I'd be genuinely interested in the answer, not trying to prolong the disagreement.

 

[mcnaughty]

I always carry a whip - long one for schooling and hacking and short for jumping.

 

[Shantara]

I always carry a whip. I don't use it if I can help it.
I think some users are misunderstanding "I carry a whip" and reading it as "I beat my horse the entire time"

I carried my whip on my hack today. It didn't even tickle him. I could have ridden without it, but he's very new to going out alone and it's kept us on course more than once with a simple little tap. Not a whack, a tap.

If I could ride him with no bridle, no saddle, no whips, no nothin'...I would. Though perhaps that's a little unrealistic.

 

[edgedem]

Well, I'm not exactly soft. I do try to make it clear what I'm asking. In hand my horse is an angel but because I don't have an area to school It's all hacking. He sticks his head in the air, pirrouets round and runs home...:/

mine did this yesterday.. kept turning to head for home, i had to force her head round took two step then turned again... how do u combat it??

i use a training whip as if placed on her bum she doesnt swing into cars!

 

[Magic_Merlin]

I use the whip a lot as an aid when carriage driving - use it for steering and to reinforce voice when needed (can't use legs!).

 

[Smogul]

I use the whip a lot as an aid when carriage driving - use it for steering and to reinforce voice when needed (can't use legs!).

Totally agree. Also lay it on side of pony who is nervous of lorries, partly to reassure her I am still there and partly to remind her to stay in to side of road.

 

[Batgirl]

Batgirl I don't honestly know because I've never learnt dressage -although it's something I would like to do in the future. What I do know is that although Carl and Charlotte use whips at times I can honestly say I've never seen either of them raise one in the ring - and I have watched a lot as I love to see dressage.

Are you saying in asking the question however that without the use of the whip you are unable to ride your horse correctly in an outline for dressage and doing canter pirouettes etc? (genuinely interested to know the answer to this).

Really interesting point, I don't think that you can't but I certainly don't know how, I agree you don't often see it used in a ring at that level but I know they are used when training to reinforce the message of the leg. For example I use mine on my horse when training for dressage, he is in an outline but to make him work through the bridle more I ask for more engagement and if this doesn't happen from the leg I tap with the schooling whip behind my leg (a tap that wouldn't hurt me on my bare leg). I also use it on his rump when teaching lateral things as it tells him to move the whole body not just the leg if I am asking with my legs in the middle, asking for the right shape with the bridle and asking with the stick o the bum until he understands that when I position my body in a certain way and ask in a certain way that it what it means.

I watched a video of Carl teaching piaffe and he used the stick simply to tap out the rhythmn

I do agree with your later point about battering horses past scary things but that wasn't the point Alice was making (more that if the alligator meant shooting out into the road in danger then the whip was the lesser of two evils).

 

[Shantara]

Just to prove a point... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm2wypICIw4&sns=tw

 

[maisiemoo]

Would'nt be without mine in summer , need it to flick the flies off ponio

 

[123skyflyer]

If you cannot move your horse from standing still to a canter or a gallop without a whip or booting the crap out of it you cannot ride.

Lots of people have no problem riding their horses safely, on roads and anywhere else, without all the crap like whips and spurs and harsh bits.

I can, all my horses ride the same, so there is no reason why anyone else can't.

You say you can ride with out a whip, I totaly agree with you and know where you're comming from. But please help me here then, my horse has found out once he puts his head up he can get away with everything, we get about 20 meters along the road and it's head up, spin round (or jump into the ditch) and go home. If I try to stop him he goes faster. What would you do to try to stop him doing this? I really don't want to use a whip as he puts his head up but i've tried so many things...(btw there are no cars wherei hack so there isn't danger)

 

[123skyflyer]

mine did this yesterday.. kept turning to head for home, i had to force her head round took two step then turned again... how do u combat it??

i use a training whip as if placed on her bum she doesnt swing into cars!

Yeah, I just don't know what to do. When I started to train him I wanted him to WANT to go out and spend time with me. Which he's happy to do if I'm not riding, he defo doesn't have back issues because he doesn't care when I get on and when we go where and when he wants to

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

Just to prove a point... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm2wypICIw4&sns=tw

This is cool

 

[3BayGeldings]

I prefer to use 3 at a time, one in each hand and one in my mouth to hit him about the ears with. Works a treat

 

[flump]

I have a nh racing whip, all though rarely used I carry it out hacking, helps with gates and can be a 'pointer' for slowing traffic etc!

 

[Montyforever]

A whip used as an extra aid/Emergancy aid I have no problem with at all and I've never seen any bad whip use in dressage, but I have seen ponies walloped on the bum constantly in sj
I don't ride but will be taking my mare out inhand again soon and if she starts playing up i will take a whip with me not to wallop her with but to remind her to listen/respect my space but I've done loads of work on her groundwork and manners so I hope I don't need one

 

[edgedem]

Yeah, I just don't know what to do. When I started to train him I wanted him to WANT to go out and spend time with me. Which he's happy to do if I'm not riding, he defo doesn't have back issues because he doesn't care when I get on and when we go where and when he wants to

your post inspired me and i strted a thread to ask for help on mine!

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=11245917#post11245917

take a look they were quite helpful for me

 

[Littlelegs]

Don't be silly 3bg, how do you hold the draw reins? And don't the whips get tangled in all the training aids?

 

[yannialice]

The best bit of advice I ever got for using the whip. was ask 3 times with the leg if nothing then a reinforcement with the whip. especially on youngsters. he'll figure it out. x

 

[Starzaan]

I will use a whip as an aid not a weapon - as many others have said. I never carried one on my mare as it just terrified her and wound her up, but I do have a few liveries on whom I will always carry a whip.

One because he is a big horse (18hh ID) and can be a nappy little sod. He whips round and buggers off home at speed if he can get away with it. If I have a whip with me, and spurs on, I can keep him going forwards and he hasn't tried it with me for months now.

If hacking I carry a short, thick racing whip, and I will occasionally use a schooling with in the school, but to be honest I prefer spurs. Spurs enhance an existing aid rather than adding a new one, and I find them incredibly useful. My showjumper is never ridden without spurs, and I can safely say that I know he loves me and doesn't hate me for riding him in spurs.

 

[3BayGeldings]

Don't be silly 3bg, how do you hold the draw reins? And don't the whips get tangled in all the training aids?

I just pull the draw reins behind his bum and tie them in a knot under his tail

 

[123skyflyer]

your post inspired me and i strted a thread to ask for help on mine!

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=11245917#post11245917

take a look they were quite helpful for me

Thankyou i'm taking a look

 

[Littlelegs]

Fab idea 3bg, think I might give it a try, perhaps with the draw reins tied to the pessoa I ride in!

 

[LaurenBay]

There is a place for them 100%

I use mine quite often (for different purposes)

I carry a schooling whip in the school. Ruby is being re-schooled as she used to be very dead to the leg. The whip used appropiately has completly changed this and now she is off my leg and switched on (asked twice with leg, if no response, quick tap with whip)

I carry a schooling whip when hacking alone, she sometimes has a nap and tries to spin home. She gets a tap on the bum to remind her of her manners, she then walks on and gets a pat or a "good girl".

I carry a crop when hacking in company, I never usually use this though as she is forward and never naps. It is just incase...

I have also used a whip when doing groundwork. I use it for in hand walks sometimes too.

However they should always be used correctly. I hate seeing whip happy people. My whip is a back up only. Not to be used instead of my leg or a punishment.