Dressage Whips

Inside or outside...

Ok, I was getting really confused, so I asked my instructor. And she told me to hold it on the outside. I don't know why hers is different from what everyone else says, and what you guys are saying about the horse shooting ino the ring makes sense(although I have never had that problem).

She has competed at national levels, so she must have an idea of what she is talking about. But now I am going to have to look it up somewhere. It's really annoyning me. Grrr.
 
Wow, I didn't know people actually rode with those. I thought they were only used in lessons to make the horse go faster,etc. Dressage riders use them while riding? I would think that would look odd.

1. Why are they so long?

2. Are you allowed to use them in shows?
 
Dressage whips are so long because you want to be able to touch the horse behind your leg or on the flank without changing your hand position.
It is used to back up the leg aids - so not necessarily for going faster, but to encourage the horse engage his hindquaters, back up the rider's inside leg in turns, help move the horse's rear end over in lateral gaits or turns on the forehand,....
In Austria you are allowed to use a whip only in the lowest dressage class, then you have to use spurs.

[Edited by Silvia on 16th Apr 2001 at 08:15 AM]
 
I use a crop, and I have to use it on the flank and/or hindquarters as well. Why is it so important to not change hand position?
 
you can change you hand...when you change direction but the dressage whip allows you to still maintain contact with the horses mouth/head with both hands and at the same give an encouraging aid at the same time without having to let go of one of the reins...
if you are trying to do a complex move that requires alot of attention from your hands with the contact to the horse then a long whip that you can use without letting go of the horse is more preferred (otherwis eyou will loose the contact)..only other alternative is to wears spurs...like silvia mentioned depends on the horse...some horses i ride in spurs..others i ride with just a whip...
:)
 
BUT.....

Spurs aren't for beginner riders! They can hurt the horse if not used properly! Experienced riders wear them because they are so skilled with their leg- they can use them when necessary, and use just normal leg aids without spurs when necessary.

New Q: When I ask my horse to do something (with the dressage whip, natural aids) and he doesn't do it, do I keep on continually "flicking" him with the crop, and using natural aids, until he does?

Hope I Explained It Clear Enough!
Maci :)
 
by all means spurs are not for the beginner riders...but i would would classfy myself as an experienced rider incapable of exlpaining riding good in english :D
there are horse i ride that are so sensitive it taks the lightest of movements to make them go and then there are the ones that only require a wake up call just looking briefly at a whip and there are others that i need to ride in spurs but i have already said in this thread that spurs are not for beginners and that they can hurt a hrose if not used properly!

you question...it depends on the horse..'my' horse can be quite lazy in responding to my natural aids...you at the same time that i use my leg on the horse i use the whip behind my leg and it wakes her up..
it also depends on what you are trying to do..if its a question on the gaits...i would try without the whip first using my leggies and my voice..and if that doesnt work i'll try again with a little bit more pressure with my legs and back them up with a flick of the whip and if that doesnt work you have to make that flick a little bit more than a flick..try the whip either behind your leg or on the horses bum.
also make sure that you are certain you are giving your horse the aids clearly..if it doesnt work slow him down and try again...i woudl try first in walk to quicken his stride up and see what sort of encouragement he needs!
but if its a question of doing turns etc make sure you hrose understands what he is trying to do...otherwise he wont know why you are forcing him with your legs and flicking him with your whip..
i hoep that makes sense...im terrible at explaining this stuff in english and leaving things out!
:)
 
Makes Sense!

It was a question on different gaits. I just wasn't sure if I should keep tapping until he does what is being told. Silly question, but oh well!

Thanks!
Maci :)

PS- I wasn't saying that YOU were an unexperienced rider (I'm sure you great at riding), I was simply stating to Liz E. that spurs require experience.
 
HeeHee, I love this thread!

Ok, well I was just wondering something. When Pal is being a butthead and I have to ride him with a dressage whip, is it ok for me to hit him on the shoulder?

I do it during lessons to keep him on the rail, and I hit him with the middle-ish side of the whip and not the end. I never do it hard, I'm too scared.. ;) but I do do it... Is this normal? Do others do this too? Is it just some strange thing my trainer let's me do?

Thanks people,

Jacki
 
jacki - i've never done this (except for the times when i was using a crop), but i don't think it's bad. although your whip might break fast (like the ones without a lash at the end) if you're using it's middle part. so i would say use it on the butt instead.

maci - to my mind, using a whip is supposed to be a punishment. i use it like that:
1)give light leg aids
2)if the horse doesn't respond, i give him a little tap and then apply the aids again. that way he's punished for not being responsive the first time.
 
JackiAH- How can you hit your horse on the shoulder with a dressage whip? A dressage whip is a long whip, so you must mean a crop, because a dressage whip would be touching the ground if you use it on his shoulder. Anyways, it's okay to lightly tap your horse on the shoulder with your crop for encouragement, but anything harder should be on the butt.

Hope This Helps!
Maci :)

PS- I'm off to get Heather's opinion on holding the dressage whip on the inside or outside! Will let you guys know!
 
No m'dear I mean a nice, long dressage whip. I simply turn hold the whip like normal, then when I need to hit his shoulder I just move my wrist forward and I hit his shoulder. I end up not using the end of the whip, like i tried to say but I can't explain things all too well!

Err, basically, when I hit his shoulder the end of the whip goes far past the shoulder and I tap his shoulder with the middle-ish part of the whip, not he middle-ish part of the lash at the end.

Hope that helps!
 
wellt he purpose of the dressage whip is to allow a rider to use it ont he flanks or on the butt withoutloosing contact with the horse...
if you use a dressage whip on the shoulder you may consider to get yourself a smaller whip :)
i dont think there is anythign wrong with using ont he shoulder..but i would imagine that usign the middle of the whip rather than the end of the whip would be more hard on the hrose? i dunno looking at my dressage whip the end is a wee bit flexible with a little dangly piece of string on it..but the middle is some what hard...so i htink it would be kinder to use the end or?
i look forward maci, to hear what heather has to say :)
i knwo you were referring to me about the spurs bit :)
 
HeeHee, just wanted to add something more to help clear this up (although I am positive it will end up more confusing!)... I also use the whip on his hindquarter to get him to wake up and smell the roses when he needs it, but when I do hit his shoulder, I make it light because I'm very aware that it's a bit hard in the middle....

Sorry If I'm too confusing!
 
Using a whip ont the shoulders

I have always read and always been told that it is improper form to use a whip on the shoulders. It is meant to be applied to the hind end of the horse.

This is just form, it's not like anything awful is going to happen if you use a crop on the shoulders. However, I would avoid that because you can't do it in a competition, and if your horse gets used to you appyling the whip at the shoulder for an aid, then you will have problems in competetition.

Also, the shoulder sare haas alot more bones you could hit that aren't as "padded" with muscles or fat. The hind end has alot of muscle where you usually apply the whip.
 
i always use the hwip on the flanks or the bum...the only time i give my hrose a little tap ont he shoulder is if she tries to bite my feet :D
but have you ever tried riding in the rain in a long riding jacket with a short whip and tried to give your hrose a tap ont he bum?!?!? i always end up tapping my rain coat..not to mention riding with a western saddle that the saddle pad takes up most of the horse :D..me whip is too short or my jacket is too long :D


by the way why do they make jumping whips soo small?
 
Just Incase You're Lazy...

Heather said the inside hand, but I, Maci, can understand why it would help to ride with it on the outside. For canter work, and all.

Maci :)
 
for canter work i would still hold the whip on the inside..especially when doing circle because you horse is more round and to use it on the outside would be a stretch because you wouldnt reach the horses bum so easily..and if youa re cantering and the whip hits the sid eof the arena the bolt you would get out of that would be far more powerful..but that is me :)
i accept other people that find it easier with the whip ont he outside with canter work..im just talking from my experience on mental horses :D
 
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