Two Year Old Whip Use

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Bruce_Savage

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Morning,

I normally advocate the use of whipping horses that need to be given a reminder of their duties on the racecourse or given an extra lift when needed but what I do find extremely distressing is when two year old's are subjected to whip usage.

There is already a lot of debate as to whether we should actually have a two year old campaign and as someone who knows and cares about the protection of horses I do believe it's too soon in their lives to be subjected to such high level performances and would like it to be scrapped.

That's not going to happen because the industry is set in stone whereby historics and prestige takes a firm place on the mantel piece but I think we could still do more to protect young animals such as two year olds and I believe the advancement of banning all whip use would in my opinion not only improve the progression of the thoroughbred but also their longevity within the sport.
 
Whips are barely used on 2yr olds especially newcomers,just as well as they're wouldn't be so many eye catchers if they were.
 
A horse shouldn't have to learn how to run straight at the use of a whip as this should come naturally through experience and trainers ability to handle his horses.

An object used to hit an animal should be in no way a fundamental part of a learning curve in which emotionally a horse that young shouldn't be conditioned through pain or if you're in the camp that agrees a whip isn't harmful then you certainty can't disagree that the use of a whip is a violent act.

There's so much beauty in the natural relationship between rider and horse which should remain the contributing factor in a horse racing, instead we have horses that young whipped in order to straighten them out for the manufactured environment whereby they are part of a product that allows any rider to ride them, any trainer to train them, any owner to own them and perfect betting propositions for punters.

If you can't ride a horse that hangs don't ride it because there will be enough talent in the jockey pool to find someone that can, if you can't train a excitable horse don't geld it because someone out there could probably train it better than you. The talents of many out there could very well be exposed greatly whereby we can appreciate the efforts and talents more whereby there will be a definate ranking or standout differences between trainers and riders etc.

We shouldn't take away from the natural beauty of the sport and the removable of two year old racing and pushing everything forward a year would improve the sport no ends.
 
I'm no apologist for the whip but it should be remembered that due to the riding style of jockeys, they don't have leg and seat aids available to them which non-racing riders can use to keep a horse straight. The whip is used as a replacement for this as well as to encourage "forwards".

Gigilo - I'd agree that's the case in decent maidens or with horses from bigger stables, but in your bog-standard Class 4 Redcar nursery there won't be much allowance made for the fact they're 2yos.
 
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