Using two whips

[Mbronze]

I realise from the post below that we may be covering old ground here.

But i use a schooling whip on my current horse, sometimes she is a bit lazy behind so she just needs a bit of tapping to engage instead of using my legs till they drop off!!!

But my instructor has suggested that i use two whips when riding, one either side or use one and spurs. So i'm in a bit of a quandary..

Firstly, does anybody use two whips sometimes when schooling and how effective is it? I have seen it done before but just thought it may be diffficult to hold reins and two whips..?

Or do you think some short spurs would be more beneficial.?

My instructor only mentioned using two whips on a short term basis though just to encourage her to engage better.

Opinions most welcome...

 

[dwi]

I'd go with spurs, I can't imagine using two whips

 

[katie_southwest]

Two whips would be a bit confusing to me

lol too much to think about

 

[jenbleep]

I've never ridden with two whips, but I have seen it done before by other riders

thing is with spurs you have to have such a strong leg position!

 

[Rowreach]

I use 2 whips when I am teaching foursquare halts and flying changes, and a few other things, but only as a temporary measure. I would always sooner use 2 whips than spurs though.

It sounds from your post thought that maybe your horse needs to "re-learn" the aids, ie to respond to a quiet, subtle aid from the rider, rather than you either getting very tired legs

or using artificial aids like whips and spurs.

 

[ihatework]

I've used 2 schooling whips in the past, just for light taps to re-inforce leg aid.
Very easy to use and very effective.

 

[Mbronze]

Its not so much that she doesn't listen to my leg aids its just she doesn't always use herself enough..i.e tracking up.

I have done loads of transitions with her recently because she had an injury last year and is only just starting harder work, the halt trot transition has really got her listening just not entirely through if you understand ..

 

[Mbronze]

Ben and Jerrys, nothing to do with the post but i love your signature..

 

[Rowreach]

Ah in that case try the two whips, you might find it's all she needs to engage her properly, and get used to using herself again.

 

[RachelB]

I used two whips with my mare sometimes. She was very behind the leg, and I used them to re-school her into responding to the leg. NOT a whack each side, but tapping both sides stopped her scooting sideways to evade the whip and not go forwards. It worked, and I ditched the second whip.
I don't see the problem with using two whips

Obviously there's an issue if you use two whips to beat your horse, but surely it's still an issue if you use one to beat it?! I also sometimes use two if I am practising changes, as if I need to do lots of figures of eight in canter to do changes/simple changes over the middle, I can't be bothered with faffing changing which side my whip is on every two minutes. Then I use the two as one for one rein, one for the other.
Another point, I find that as long as the two whip handles are the same, it actually can even out my contact. Surely it makes sense that having a rein and a whip in one hand, and only a rein in the other will affect your contact? Same with having two whips with different width handles. Having two identical ones would surely even everything out?

 

[Irishcobs]

I've used a schooling whip and a show cane with Hattie when schooling her as I needed the SW to keep her quarters engaged but wanted to teach her that if I put the show cane on her right ahoulder she needed to move away from it ( I have a duff right leg). That was hard work and luckily I only needed to do it a couple of times.

 

[oinkmoooink]

I use 2 whips on my section B, its not as hard as it sounds, id much sooner use the whips than spurs
Also easier than using one and having to keep changing the hand its in

 

[DuckToller]

Yes, I've used two and easier than it sounds, definitely got my lad moving from behind...! He was being a bit sluggish off the leg and not really listening, instructor got a whip from his car and gave me it - just needed to tickle with two and he was listening then. Agree that it evens out your contact and makes you very aware of what your hands are doing too so can benefit rider.

 

[LCobby]

Its actully easier to keep balanced than with one, but must be a pair of long schooling whips so your hand does not move.

 

[trefilan]

I use 2 whips sometimes when im schooling, but its nothing to do with coming from the leg. he falls out through his shoulders.
Using 2 whips is acctually very easy! no having to swap the whip when you change rein etc..

 

[checkmate1]

For encouraging horses to engage hind quaters a bit more i've used two whips before, I've also used an elastic tail bandage attached to girth straps, then brought behind quaters and attached to other girth straps, its a TTeam idea that can be used for lunging or riding (bit like the back bit of a pessoa) and works quite well.

 

[ischa]

to whips have been used with horses that do not move forward i use to back horses and this is the method we use you do not beat then with them you just hold them in either hand a rest them on your legs

 

[JM07]

[ QUOTE ]
its a TTeam idea

[/ QUOTE ]

since when??

i have used 2 schooling whips long before this "cult" came over from the good old U S of A......

 

[BeckyD]

I ride with two whips. I use one when he's not listening to a particular leg, but both if I need to tickle him to go more forwards (which is extremely rare). The main personal benefit is that it makes me very aware of my hands and of holding them as a pair, so it's actually improved my riding quite a bit! Plus, as he's young I am constantly changing the rein, and it saves me having to keep swapping the whip over.