What do whip marks look like?

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chancing

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Hi,
Just a quick post as went up to the yard as usual last night etc etc and noticed what look to be whip marks across my pony. ( He does get used for the odd lesson every so often within a riding school) I never use a whip on him so know its not me. Ive taken some pictures but dont want to go and complain as there might be a simple explanation for them. Im only guessing they are whip marks as I know they arent bite or kick marks and there isnt any fencing for him to make marks like that. Just wondering what everyone thought?
Sorry for the long ramble!!

oh and they are long and thin
thanks
 
Yes, they often look like long thin swollen lines, it would look suspicious to me if they were over is rump or shoulder? Can you put the pics up?
 
Agree, long thin and in the area where you would generally reach witha whip!

Saying that, my pony does a good job of giving himself similar marks while itching his bum in the stable
 
cooliorulz said:
Hi,
. Ive taken some pictures but dont want to go and complain as there might be a simple explanation for them. Im only guessing they are whip marks as I know they arent bite or kick marks and there isnt any fencing for him to make marks like that. Just wondering what everyone thought?
Sorry for the long ramble!!

oh and they are long and thin
thanks
Click to expand...

You haven't got any trees/bushes in the pasture have you? Whippy branches could do it on a fine skinned horse.

I'd go down the innocent "I noticed these marks on him, have you got any idea what could have caused them?" route. If they were whip marks I'd be wanting an explanation as you have to hit a horse hard to raise welts (I've seen welts on race horses, unmistakeable) a normal "C'mon, behave yourself" reminder shouldn't cause that, or multiples. Saying that, I've given a kicker welts on his bum before, felt guilty but there are some cases where a good wallop is justified.

Can you put a photo up?
 
cooliorulz you could also specify that you don't want whips used on him during lessons as you want consistency in his training.
 
Ditto the low branches. I kicked up a huge stink at my livery yard a few years ago complaining that someone was attacking my horse in the field. The YO kept vigil only to see that my horse walked past the same branches on a regular basis. I led him over to them in the field the next day and one branch was at the exact height of the marks on his back and bum. The most annoying thing was, apart from feeling like a complete muppet, the branch was skinny and light but had a sharp point. Still, live and learn!!
 
Whip marks look like long, thin risen welts across where the stick strikes hard enough. Could be he injured himself in another way.... but as he is used for lessons sometimes I'd err on the side of caution and mention them. Just in case.
 
See what your pony does when you ride him, use a crop and take it back as if you were going to either give him tap or a smack, if someone has used a crop on him that much to leave a mark during a lesson, he'll let you know by the way he reacts with you, he'll be more whip shy or more forward going than normal.

I'd be having words with the instructor if this is the case, nobody learning should be belting a horse like that.

But it may not be anything like that, I'd just query what he's been like in lessons for example, has he been doing as he's told and secondly has he been more lazy for example, thus giving a learner who doesn't understand the reason to use a crop wrongly etc.
 
One of ours marks incredibly and shockingly easily. A light touch (more of a press, really) with the length of the whip just to move him over brought a full imprint of a crop on his rump! We were horrified and it took ages to go. Two of us saw it happen and couldn't believe the welt which came up.

I'd ask all the same.
 
You'd really have to wallop a pony to leave marks like that :(
If you know he doesn't play up, is there really any reason for them to be using whips when they use him for a lesson?
You can certainly (agreed) ask the instructors not to use a whip on him!

Definitely question what they are - if it turns out to be branches or something, at least you know! :)
 
Mine has really sensitive skin and gets long thin marks on the side of his bottom from lying on the straw. A bit like when you wake up with marks from the pillow on your face.

Agree go for the innocent " what do you think these are?" approach, how they react will tell you alot.
 
Ive also gone up to see my horse and discovered strange whip like marks all over his rump area. He's not a riding school horse and it's not where he's itched himself as the hair is not broken or disturbed in anyway but there is more than one perhaps 20 or more can any one tell me if my thoughts of some going into the field and whipping him are correct?
 
Something like this - my supposedly self loading mare when she arrived.....

DSC00204_zpsc1895320.jpg


DSC00205_zpsea261533.jpg
 
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annalegs said:
Ive also gone up to see my horse and discovered strange whip like marks all over his rump area. He's not a riding school horse and it's not where he's itched himself as the hair is not broken or disturbed in anyway but there is more than one perhaps 20 or more can any one tell me if my thoughts of some going into the field and whipping him are correct?[/i im new to forums i have pics but unsure how to upload.QUOTE]
Click to expand...
 
I'd say the chance of someone being able to whip a horse in a field 20 times hard enough to raise welts to be unlikely, it would be off after the first one. Much more likely to have found something to rub on
 
There isn't much to rub on to be honest the welts are long thin and raise when I brought him in before I noticed the marks he was desperate to come in.they are all over his bum. Some where tender to touch
 
Padded whips used in racing don't hurt the horse (supposedly). But what kind of marks do they leave? I guess it doesn't matter, as long as one is happy in the knowledge that it isn't hurting or harming the horse.
 
You can wonder all day about what caused it but the only way youll know if its whip marks is to ask, even then, they might not tell you. Id also insist no body riding him carried a whip.
 
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