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Thread: Whip Regulations

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    Whip Regulations

    Matt Chapman tweeting they’re about to change in the autumn. Anyone know what to?

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    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    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.
    Formely Fist of Fury

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    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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    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Len Madeiros View Post
    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.
    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.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

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    Quote Originally Posted by Grasshopper View Post
    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.
    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.
    Last edited by Len Madeiros; 27th January 2022 at 2:00 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Grasshopper View Post
    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.
    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

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    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.
    Last edited by barjon; 27th January 2022 at 2:05 PM.

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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
    Formely Fist of Fury

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    Senior Member tiggers1972's Avatar
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    Nothing set in stone, the article says it delays the possibility of change until the autumn.

    https://www.racingpost.com/news/late...&utm_term=Null

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    Quote Originally Posted by Len Madeiros View Post
    If it isn’t a welfare issue, then surely the horse won’t be encouraged to run faster?
    That would certainly appear to be the case with most of the ones I back, Len.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

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    Quote Originally Posted by Grasshopper View Post
    That would certainly appear to be the case with most of the ones I back, Len.
    Yes, I suffer from the same “bad luck” every Saturday!

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    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.
    tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito

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