January 2007

Whips Should Match The Job At Hand

A whip or bat is an extension of your hand or leg. Learn to choose the right one for you and how to use it properly.

Crops, bats, and whips are artificial riding aids. Beginners should use caution with any of these, because they may be used to punish horses rather than guide them. It’s all too common to see a child repeatedly slapping a pony with a crop when both pony and child need to focus less on correcting and more on training.

A whip should be used to cover space otherwise unreachable as an extension of your hand when longeing and an extension of your leg when you’re in the saddle and used with firm, but gentle, pressure. …