Whip Regulations

I doubt if even the BHA know at this time. I wouldn't expect any major changes it will just be a ploy to keep the "Ban the Whip" Brigade happy like reducing the distance you can hit a horse x amount of times by 12 feet or something else just as stupid.
 
Absolutely no need for a whip, other than to steer a horse in a straight line. The idea that you whack a horse to encourage it to run faster for a human is obscene. I’d be delighted to see horses ridden hands and heels only. Racing will only survive long-term if the industry bans the whip.
 
Len Madeiros said:
Absolutely no need for a whip, other than to steer a horse in a straight line. The idea that you whack a horse to encourage it to run faster for a human is obscene. I’d be delighted to see horses ridden hands and heels only. Racing will only survive long-term if the industry bans the whip.
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As I understand it, the new air-cushioned whips are not a welfare issue, Len. If that's the case, then emotive terms like "whack" and "obscene" probably have no place in the discussion.

That aside, give a little and they'll take a lot. If you concede "whipping" is cruel, then they'll come after Jumps racing next, then Flat racing, then show-jumping, and before long, you won't be able to sit on a horse in case it upsets the animal in question.
 
Grasshopper said:
As I understand it, the new air-cushioned whips are not a welfare issue, Len. If that's the case, then emotive terms like "whack" and "obscene" probably have no place in the discussion.

That aside, give a little and they'll take a lot. If you concede "whipping" is cruel, then they'll come after Jumps racing next, then Flat racing, then show-jumping, and before long, you won't be able to sit on a horse in case it upsets the animal in question.
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If it isn’t a welfare issue, then surely the horse won’t be encouraged to run faster? I have no problem with a jockey replicating a whip action to show a horse the whip, but the image of a human actually striking a horse still looks very bad.
 
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Grasshopper said:
As I understand it, the new air-cushioned whips are not a welfare issue, Len. If that's the case, then emotive terms like "whack" and "obscene" probably have no place in the discussion.

That aside, give a little and they'll take a lot. If you concede "whipping" is cruel, then they'll come after Jumps racing next, then Flat racing, then show-jumping, and before long, you won't be able to sit on a horse in case it upsets the animal in question.
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Spot on. Its a snowflake world and we’re living in it. I think NH racing is on borrowed time as it is. Some of the best rides we’ve seen have required the whip
 
Yes, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to claim that you love your horses and always put their welfare first when you then set about it with a stick to “encourage” it to run faster. The image is awful. So is that of the whippers-in at the start of the race which sends the message that horses are going to do something they don’t really want to do and need a bloke with an effing long whip to send them on their way.

Ps: I take the point about cushioned whips but the principle remains.
 
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Francome would agree with you but as someone said to him it never stopped you from knocking the Sh*t out of News King in the Tingle Creek:lol:
 
As a rider for over 50 years and as someone who has worked in The Industry, I find the act of using a whip much, much harder to defend these days. While it is true that the newer cushioned whip does not mark or “hurt” a horse, we are still in effect frightening a horse to run faster. And realistically that is not a good option. How do you say to someone completely naive to the sport that “it’s OK mate, we’re just going to wave this thing about to make them run faster so that we can win a race for financial gain.” Doesn’t exactly sit very well regardless of the snowflake, woke generation.

I feel it’s OK to carry them to use to correct a horse if it swerved but not to make it run faster. I did fill in the recent survey with words to that effect too.
 
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