Whips in eventing?

dwi

dwi

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How much would you say is acceptable to whip your horse in eventing?

D was in a funny mood on Sunday and refused four fo the jumps before going over them fine on the second approach. The fiesty beast likes to sniff xc jumps before she goes over them. I'm reluctant to whip her too much because I don't want to make her do something she really doesn't want to but then I know that when she stops having a strop she loves xc and really flies when she finds her rhythm.

RI says I need to be much firmer with her, that she's just being naughty, OH was fence judging and said that plenty of women were whipping loads while yelling at their horses to get them over the jumps. He thinks I'm being soft and D is taking advantage.

Any tips on finding our mojo?

(I'm not a bunny hugger
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it depends upon the horse really...whether its naughty or scared i guess
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i'd take RI's advice if you trust their opinion....but i wouldn't want to have to leather horse over every fence...
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When I go cross country some times Suni needs a bit of a wake up call, wether it be voice or whip, to get her up over the jump enough and paying attention.
I was at a pony club xc rally a few months ago and we'd done an hour of flat work and were half way, maybe more, through an hour of xc. So she was probably a little tired but also just not really paying attention. I didn't give her a tap down the shoulder, even though it felt like I should, and she hit it. Skined all of her back legs and nearly fell over.
So I think each person knows their own horse and you should be able to when you do and don't need to use your whip. Personally to me I'd rather use my whip or voice than have another accident like that, or worse (obviously). So I guess that's one of the ways I got myself riding a bit more 'tough'.
 
Sometimes when i feel my mare back off before i jump i find a helpful tap on the side often does the trick, or a growl..

Nothing hard just a reminder that i would like to get to the other side without a 'discussion'
 
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My personal opinion is that no horse should be 'whipped' over a fence.

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I couldn't agree more which is where I'm coming unstuck. At what point does it go from saying "Oi you, stop gawping at the fence judge's hat" and into being inappropriate? If she had a paddy like that out hacking she'd certainly get a smack but I'm not asking her to jump 3ft into the air at the same time.
 
I think as Masterbronze says - a smack before the fence if you feel it backing off.

But once it's stopped your buggered.

Sorry, I have very mixed feelings about this - and I actually want to tell you to look at your own abilities before chasing after the horse. I say this thinking of my own experiences with my little Amy May - who sometimes would jump and sometimes wouldn't. However, much of the reasons why she wouldn't go were down to me and my abilities - not hers.

Nothing wrong with a reminder - but it has to be at the right time and for the right reasons......
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To be honest I think a smack on the shoulder to say 'hey you, pay attention' is fine. If you get to the fence and you know you're probably going over it but just want to make sure the horse is definatly paying attention another one on the shoulder is also fine, especially to a spooky fence - IMO. I think if it's more than 3 that's a bit much and if it needs that much to alot of fences then some schooling is probably needed. I also only use the whip on the shoulder when going xc.
 
For the record before I come out as evil i probably only smacked her two or three time round the whole course, I'm not advocating beating her over the jumps just wondering about how to take her beyond this desire to sniff all fences and fences judges before going anywhere near them.
 
Oh dwi, I was definatly not suggesting you beat her! Sorry if it came accross that way I was just talking in general. As when I have a new horse that's how I look at it. But, yes, was definatly just generalising not implying anything about you.

ETA in terms of getting her not to be so look-ey I'd reccomend lots of leg. Also don't be afraid about looking silly talking to her as you're going around. I chatter to Suni all the way around
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But sometimes voice makes things abit less intimidating and reassures them.
 
I find if frank is gawping at everything else and not paying attention smacking him makes very little difference. which tbh is why we haven't done an individual XC for years cos we would just get eliminated.

We have done lots of pairs now and my XC riding has improved tremendously with more lessons, ie not showjumping it all letting him cruise and stop hooking etc. as has our relationship generally improved so I hope to perhaps give it another go in the autumn. He can be slow of the leg and poor to start even with a pair (though he often is lead horse) so I tend to give him a quick smack behind my leg to get him thinking forward as I start.

I know full well that if I passed him to someone better he would prob go so it is my inexperience not him (though if he could love the blonde girlfriend less it would be helpful
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if she still needs to sniff or check out the fences first, she's still very nervous and needs to do smaller fences and lots of xc schooling over them until she gets braver, rather than you having to use your whip etc to get her around a larger course.
i think your instincts are right, fwiw. if she is trained to be in front of your leg, and trained to be brave and enjoy the job, you won't need to use your whip other than very very occasionally.
i'd school her over tiny fences she can crawl over/jump from a standstill so she realises she must go first time, and it's easier to do it while moving than while stationary!
 
Thanks kerilli, my plan is to build some portable xc jumps to put out on the farm at home and go for little and often so that she sees it as a normal activity. If I didn't think she enjoyed it I wouldn't push her but when she's in the zone she really flies and clearly loves every minute, its just a bit inconsistent at the moment.
 
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i'd school her over tiny fences she can crawl over/jump from a standstill so she realises she must go first time, and it's easier to do it while moving than while stationary!

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I can reccomend doing this as this is what I did with my little mare, both sj and xc. We started off to big and she was a bit look-ey and stopping etc. Brought it back to basics and schooled over tiny stuff. Did an eventing clinic a month or two ago and she was popping 3ft+ pretty well. So it does work and gets their confidence up.
 
I have to say I don't agree with overuse of a whip when (certainly from a spectator point of view) the problem is the rider not the horse!

However, I was despairing at the weekend myself when having a practice day at GG centre near us. Our plan was warm up and set up a 1m course for me and my sister.

My horse has always been a 'check it out before you jump' type of horse but over the years I have learnt to deal with it and ride firmly. he is mroe than capable and enjoys jumping it's just fillers that need a good spook at first!

Anyway, he was REALLY taking the pee I think and I actually flet I couldn't ride - although I was doing all I have been taught (hold - he pulls me to the fences then dithers - , keep legs on etc). He did a daft spook at a filler and I have to say I did smack him. One smack on his backside. I actually felt I shouldn't but I have to say the little bugger must have then realised I was serious and jumped brilliantly afterwards!

So, we ended on a good note. I think sometimes it is useful. I would never lay into a horse, it's pointless and I wouldn't smack him in a competition, other than a little tap on the shoulder if coming into something he thinks may be a crouching lion!.

At the end of the day you know your horse. Mine in general likes to think he knows best and is a bolshy sod but had he really been stopping seriously I wouldn't have hit him as I would have put it down to me not doing something right or him not being 100%. The fact he was jumping the bigger, plain fences but just pratting about at the ones with fillers was a good indication that he was just mucking about!
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IMO it sound like your horse doesn't respect your leg. And that's the thing you have to cure.
Which means your gg has to learn when you put your leg on he goes forward in every aspect of your riding from hacking, to flatwork to jumping....

I would suggest if you going to back up your leg with whip you use it behind you leg.... but also once over you horse need to learn to go way quickly fro fence aswell so at this point you can remind your gg about respecting your leg....

'Whaling banshee' will only work for bit and i would suggest you use that energy in your riding instead of letting it escape into thin air!!!
 
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