HY EVENTING, JOCKEY, RIDING CROP, WHIP - BLACK

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In other countries like Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and France, strict rules regulating whip use during racing are also enforced.

In the public’s eyes, excessively repeated whipping of a horse during the race is likely to be perceived as animal cruelty, particularly when it seems a horse is giving its everything to win the race. Therefore, whip rules are in place to protect the horse and public perception. A friend of mine who was a soldier wanted to have a look at one of these. He wasn't involved in racing at all and his whole perception changed in one second by looking at one of these new whips and realising that they're padded and they don't hurt. Potential offences are now referred to a Whip Review Committee rather than being dealt with by racecourse stewards on the day. https://www.espn.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/30011569/more-restrictive-use-whip-california-horse-racing-taking-effectA BHA review in 2011 concluded that "the whip stimulates a horse and should not cause pain", although the independently-chaired Horse Welfare Board (HWB) said three years ago that "scientific evidence relating to the welfare impacts of the whip remains inconclusive". The palm of your hand is one of the most sensitive parts of your body," Crowley said. "You wouldn't want to have a tattoo there but, when you're hit with one of these whips, you hardly feel it. As well as the number of times the whip is used, The Whip Review Committee will look at the force with which it is used, whether it was used from above shoulder height, whether the horse has been given time to respond, the purpose for which the whip was used, whether the horse was in contention or clearly winning at the time it was used, and whether the whip has been used in the correct place (i.e. on the horse’s hindquarter rather than flanks)

One of the core recommendations proposed by the Whip Consultation Steering Group was for disqualification to be introduced for offences in which the whip has been used four times or more above the permitted level in all races . The next meeting of the WRC will be on Friday 31 March, covering rides from Monday 27 to Wednesday 29 March. The World Horse Welfare charity, which was part of the consultation on the subject, said it supports use of the whip for safety but not for 'encouraging' horses to run faster.The Committee meets weekly to adjudicate over any incidents in the previous week. The findings of their meetings are listed here:

Currently any rider who commits three offences of any type is referred to the Independent Judicial Panel. However, on an interim basis, the rule has been changed such that:

Whips are carried first and foremost as an essential aid to horsemanship and safety. This is consistent across all equine activities which involve exertion on the part of the horse. The use of the whip in British racing is restricted to safety and encouragement. By “encouragement” we mean using the whip as an aid to activate and focus the horse, so the horse realises its potential by giving its best. Use of the whip to coerce is not permitted, and the rules are designed to reflect this. Rules and limits on use Last week, Lunar Discovery, who finished second in an Ayr bumper, became the first horse to be thrown out under Britain’s toughened new whip rules after conditional rider Charlotte Jones used her whip 11 times, which at four strikes over the permitted seven in jumps races triggered an automatic disqualification and a 14-day ban. Germany: Germany allows 7 whip strikes throughout the race if the horse finishes in one of the first three places. Less than 7 strikes if the horse is not responding and not amongst the winners. Conclusion It is a line that has been heard many times in the debate over the use of the whip, not least during the current controversy over the British Horseracing Authority's strict new regulations on its use. It is also an argument that many people, perhaps, still find a little difficult to believe. If it doesn't hurt, they say, why use it at all?