Using whips in Thoroughbred flat racing???

Question

I would like to know the pros and cons of using whips/crops on horses during races........sources and experience specific examples appreciated.....

Answer 1

Pros: It gets the horse to go.

Cons: It strips the horse of its dignity- not only is it forced to run around a track for hours a day, but now they're being whipped. I'd be embarrassed in that situation.

It hurts.

Answer 2

Did you know that a lot of the times they don't use the whip. Its more of a threat. In training they use it but in a race, you'll see a jockey wave it, so the horse can see it. The jockey is basically saying "lets go, or else I'll give some encouragement"

Cons with a whip is that other jockeys will  tap other horses with the whip. Its the same for any horse event. I was showing english pleasure one time. I had my mare nice and collected. A woman passed me and she waved the whip 3 inches from the mare's eye. My mare freaked but hey who wouldn't.

Answer 3

A whip or crop in the hands of an experienced rider, such as a jockey, is used more as an aid to their legs and hands.  It is a very useful training tool.  The crop or whip does not hurt the horse, and there are restrictions as to how many times a jockey can use the whip in the race.

Answer 4

Whips are used to encourage the horse to run faster and harder.  It gets the horse's mind more focused on the rider and the race.  The only con is if the whips were mis-used to actually hurt the horse or to interfere with another rider.

I have been riding horses my whole life and have used whips in a variety of circumstances.  They are very helpful when used correctly.  They are not used to abuse or punish the horse in an abusive manner.  They are used as training aids and reinforcements.  You can hit the horse as hard as you can, and you still won't injure the horse.  It might sting if you hit him hard enough, maybe even leave a little welt if you're strong enough, but an average person cannot "hurt" a horse with a whip.  Sure, if you smack them in the face with it you can scare them.  Horses are sensitive about their faces.  But on the neck, shoulder, or rump is not "cruel" in the least.

ETA: A jockey has his stirrups VERY short!  He cannot use his leg to encourage the horse to go faster, as a normal rider would.  A jockey's rear is in the air, so he can't use his seat to encourage the horse to go faster (as a normal rider would).  The only thing he has left is his whip.  The whip is used to remind the horse to run his fastest, or speed up if the jockey has been holding him back.  The whip is used in place of his legs, similarly to how a sidesaddle rider uses her stick on the side without her legs (usually the right side).  A disabled rider without much lower leg control also uses a whip in a similar manner.

Think about it.  Horses kick each other full out with those back hooves!  They bite and strike too.  Most horses come away without any injury from those little herd scuffles, with maybe some missing hair if a shoe scraped the skin.  How on Earth could we as little humans, 1/5th their size/weight, hurt a BIG TOUGH animal with a small leather covered stick?

Answer 5

There can be no pros. Whiping an animal to make it perform better is cruel.

Have someone hit you once with a crop and you'll have your answer.

Do we use whips on human runners? No, we'd be shocked to see it done.

I love horses and all animals.  BUT, forcing an animal to perform for our entertainment and profit is not a sport.

Horse racing ranks along with circuses and rodeos. Making animals do things for our enjoyment, and their humiliation, pain and death.

Answer 6

Well, the whips don't actually hurt the horse. They are used more as a device for encouragement. I use a painless small whip for one of my horses when I ride. Its just the sound that makes him go. I don't know if it is the same for racing, but I know it is more of a training device to push the horses into going faster. Its not a painful or cruel thing though. I don't really see any cons to it, other than before the jockeys have used it to whip other riders or other horses, but now they are very strict on those types of things.