Whips

[~*sugarlump*~]

Originally Posted by horsefanatic

At my riding school you have to take the reins into one hand and whip your horse behind the girth whether you like it or not . Even my FAVOURITE school horse bucks when i do it !!!!!!

really? the horses at my rs are the complete opposite, they hate the dressage whip, because it isn't as sturdy as the short whips so they just feel like a fly on the bum, so they tend to kick out with their back legs, or do a small buck

vimto- i was taught never to tap them on the bum as you use a whip to back up your legs, so you use it by the girth, or just behind your feet

[vimto92]

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[xXSundanceBayXx]

i use them depending on how big the horse is i am riding, with exception of noggin who totally ignores leg and short stick aids so i have to use a dressage one. Sully has no whips because hed freak. i just say anything bigger than 14hh then i use a long (schooling whip) and anything 13.3hh- short stick.

i do use a schooling stick for jumping unless its comps then i use a short one. i do find that using a long whip makes the horses more responsive to your leg aids just because they know its there.

these whips are exactly the same as mine. sparkly and pink and purple hehehe

[Tnavas]

Gnasher is correct in saying that you use the legs as you sit. If you are on the correct diagonal you sit as the ouside shoulder comes back, use your inside leg and this brings the inside hind leg forward more actively.

Using the stick on the shoulder more often than not teaches the horse to back off the leg, hence the reason for using a whip behind your inside leg! The whip is there to reinforce your leg aids. If the horse chooses to ignore your leg, you ask a second time (just in case he was dreaming about his haynet) and then if he ignores the second leg aid a quick sharp tap with the whip reminds him to move quick smart. Hitting a horse on the bum is very likely to make him buck and really doesn't ask him to move off your leg.

A dressage whip is very useful as you don't have to take your hands off the reins, but you do need to be very good at keeping it in the right place, that is just above your knee. Don't let it lie accross your thigh as the end will keep tickling the horses side around the flank. They get quite annoyed and some will start to work with their quarters turned away from the whip, making the them move crookedly.

When you use the short whip on a circle you need to make sure that as you put the reins into your outside hand that you keep the inside rein at the correct length and tension. Generally novice riders will have the inside rein too tight and the horse fals in on the turn or circle.

[tyson rox]

Originally Posted by Purple Hugs

Aislinn, I sent of for two whips from pony mag.. but haven't received them was thinking maybe there was a delay.

i have sent away for a whip from pony mag to and it still hasnt come im getting really annoyed are you ??

[ajhainey]

hmm - I'm with kedwards? I was taught beginners may find it easier to squeeze as they sit, but that the correct aid was to squeeze on the rise to enable the horse to engage more while your weight is up off their back?

As for whips I'd go with a dressage (long) one - much more generally useful IMO. I do however have both a dressage and general purpose, but no jumping crop, even though nowadays I don't carry them much - moved up to somewhat more forward going horses recently!

aj xx

[Goldie'sGirl]

Hi
I remember the first time a rode with a long whip, and it took me like 5 mins to work out how to swap over the whip when I changed the rein. Even with my RI stood on the ground going through it with me step by step. Ha ha

[laura kevin]

when i do flatwork/dressage, i use a dressage whip. it's easier to get the horse going if he's not responding to your leg aids. when i'm jumping, i use a short whip because a dressage whip gets caught in your saddle and fence (it's happened to me before). hope that helps. get both dressage and short whips.

[Captain Equidan]

The way I do things....

I use a dressage (long) whip for dressage.
I use a Jumping Whip for Jumping.

Sorta makes sense really doesn't it?

The only exception to that rule is when jumping briar - you need something more substancial than a jumping whip for that.

[Megans mum]

dont think much of the school that advocates whipping the horse behind the girth and I don't blame the horse for bucking' I always feel sorry for riding school horses anyway' mind you I am lucky enough to have my own and I ride minus whip' dressage or otherwise'

[Gnasher]

Originally Posted by Megans mum

dont think much of the school that advocates whipping the horse behind the girth and I don't blame the horse for bucking' I always feel sorry for riding school horses anyway' mind you I am lucky enough to have my own and I ride minus whip' dressage or otherwise'

I'm confused, where would use suggest a rider used the whip then? Just behind the girth, where your leg rests, seems the most logical place to me, and you are reinforcing a leg aid. Rather than 'thump thump' with your legs continously to a horse that isn't listening, it seems much kinder to give a tap and encourage them forwards that way instead.

Karen xx

[sidesaddlelady1]

Originally Posted by Aislinn

I didn't actually buy my whip, i got it free with pony mag
I don't like using dressage whips, but thats just because i always feel like i'm going to poke someones eye out
when giving leg when in rising trot, don't think about it, just do it, that sounds strange, but just kick when you rise.
try not to whip unless the horse isn't responding to you, and try not to use it as a punishment, but just to clarify the aids.
i prefer short whips, but you don't nessasarily (sp?) have to take your hand off the reins, just lengthen the rein.

btw do you know if there is a difference between a whip/crop/stick?

xx

"Crop" is an incorrect term for the traditional hunting whip with bone or horn handle and plaited thong - used for keeping the hounds away from your horse's hooves rather than for "encouraging" the horse.