The Whip

I ride with a whip at home and no whip but spurs at comps.

I have no issues using my when required. Ginger is lazy gives only what he can get away with. Out hacking he can be nappy and plants I always ask nicely first but think nothing of smacking him on the bum when he is being stupid. Far safer to get him forward then running backwards or planting.

I remember reading years ago about someone whose horse would just stop and plant sometimes on the road. They would try and wait it out or nudge them along. Totally dangerous you are in a road,

Your horse should respond to you aids if they don’t you shouldn’t be hacking them out in public. I will not hack ginger on his own because he plants and rears when pushed on. However, with a friend I tell them to just go on to which he panics as left behind and follows with no issues.
 
Hogan needs one sharp tap occasionally, I agree, it's dangerous if they plant then go backwards or sideways (that's Hogans speciality). Like you, I ask first, with voice and leg, then it's a tap - usually works.
 
I refuse to use whips on my ponies.... they are carried when in shows a required but my rider know not to use them on my ponies.

have you tried long rein your horse to get more confident and forward ?
What would you do on a pony that isn't listening to you when you are on board?

Mine moves off the leg but it's her warming up, next to nothing shuffle. After she's done that I ask her to collect herself up, be more active and if she doesn't, or she loses the rhythm the whip is to remind her, nothing more.
It's the equivalent of another horse nipping her.
 
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There are two many badly behaved horses that have been left to do as they want because people are to scared to train them properly off the leg or to use an aid like a whip.


Training a horse is not for Novices if you are to scared to ride a horse forward with leg or whip you need to go back to a riding school. It’s not a game or a bit of fun they are big animals with a mind of their own you either learn to respect but ride them or learn that a riding school horse is all you will ever ride
 
To be fair, it is perfectly possible to ride and train a horse without a whip. There's plenty of people doing it & doing it well - Connection Training is a great example and they both ride at a higher level than a lot of people will.

There are plenty of 'badly behaved' (personally, I feel misunderstood is a preferable term) horses that are ridden with a stick and are just as dangerous IMHO.

I do carry and use a stick (mainly out having to keep the brambles away from me :D ) but have had also had great success using a target to encourage more freely forwards at liberty (and I could introduce it under saddle if I felt I wanted or needed to - but at the moment, have no need to).

ETA: Obviously, it's a bit different at a riding school where you are unlikely to have the freedom.
 
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