Should Horse Whipping be Banned?

Barbara F · Grand Prix

Should Horse Whipping be Banned?

Jackie Cochran · Advanced

This is sort of a thought experiment so please bear with me.

I know, from galloping in the Forward Seat, that the faster the gallop the stronger the hold the horse takes with the bit. I personally think that this is to make up some the handicap of the weight of the rider, but I have no proof. One of the ways I would get the horse to go faster was to move my hands forward a little bit more and the horse would extend his stride (ideally.)

EVERY time the jockey whips the horse on the hindquarters the jockey has the reins in one hand, and from what I've seen they often drop all contact with the horse's mouth. So we see the horses running their fastest without being able to "lean" on the bit. The jockeys are unable to use their legs for signals, so that the only signals the jockeys have for going faster when they drop contact with the bit IS the whip, there is nothing else.

I would not want to be on a horse going that fast in close quarters without a whip, NOT to whip the horse to go faster but to give an added emphasis for any order to move the horse to the side (using the whip on the shoulder or waving the whip by the horse's head.)

Could not the jockeys ride on contact, giving the horse the support with the bit that they often want, not take any hands off the reins, and use the whip as an accessory signal? Of course the horses would have to be trained to seek this support of the bit but that is not difficult at all if the bit is at all comfortable.

I have no idea how this would transfer to bitless race riding.

But I agree, the present use of the whip in horse racing should be banned. The answer to a horse running out of gas during a race is better physical conditioning. If a horse has nothing left whipping does no good, the tank is empty. Sort of like whipping your car when you let it run out of gas. Useless. And, since the horse is living, IMHO flogging a tiring horse is torture and abuse.

Goatgirl · Advanced

Too many people use whips in anger and as a weapon rather than an aid to tell the horse 'hey listen up now - I need your focus' Or as a little wake up...Whenever i see someone being hard on a horse at a public event I cringe thinking what that poor animal goes through at home - in private. Flailing an exhausted animal is dispicable....instead - at that point shouldn't you 'retire'...walk the animal till he/she is cool with a cooler and give them a good brush some water and electrolytes when it's safe, pats and love, and a good feed....

spirithorse · Advanced

August 30, 1999, Newcastle....Fabulon wins a 2 & 3/4 mile steeplechase in Spirit Bridle and the jockey did not use a whip on him.

Marlene · Advanced

I just watched a replay of the Apr.11 Grand National. The whipping was for the last about thirty seconds of what seemed like a very long gruelling race. It wasn't nice to see, and has been apparently proven to not improve outcomes. I was actually far more concerned about the horses and jockeys who were injured or died as a result of one race. There are far too many entries in this one race, instead of 40 it should be 20. Maybe the height of the jumps should be looked at. I noticed the winning jockey in this race, although he was close to leading most of the way actually took the jumps a little slower than other jockeys, then made up the pace on the flat. One way to keep your horse a little safer and stay out of the crowd. Apparently many other steeple chase races are run with a much lower death or injury rate than the Grand National, something like 33 horses killed since year 2000 in Grand Nationals. The whipping is one of the lesser evils in this sport, and while not a great practice, I would bet a horse full of adrenaline doesn't feel much anyway. There is also the much larger issue of what happens to the also-rans, it seems most of these horses, or ones who didn't make the cut in the first place become throw-aways. These are much greater problems. Given all this, if 30 seconds of whip saved the winner from becoming a no-name, the jockey may have saved a life. I think they need regulations making the races safer for jockeys and horses, and dealing with the after care of all the horses involved.