Thanks in advance — I really appreciate it! Recently, we had a group discussion concerning why jockeys hit horses, and if it makes them run faster. Although the conversation was thorough, no consensus was reached, so I did some research to learn more. Jockeys hit horses during a race to encourage them to run faster to win their race. Horses have been raced for thousands of years, and their riders have encouraged them to run faster by whipping them.
But is it necessary? Obviously, horses are whipped in a race to motivate them to run faster, but sometimes I see a jockey move the whip without ever striking his horse. This made me wonder if there are other purposes for whips besides hitting the animal.
Jockey use whips to motivate horses to run harder and focus their attention on the race. Whips are an essential aid to horsemanship and safety when used correctly. However, most horses run their best without hitting them. But holding a whip does prompt some horse to pick up the pace even without striking them. The BHA also looked very closely at the animal welfare science behind the effects of the whip on horses in the specific context and this is important of adrenaline-fueled race conditions.
What we found was that under such conditions, when a horse is in a state of high physiological and mental excitement, the use of an energy-absorbing whip does not cause pain if used within strict limits.
In sports science this is often termed 'sportsman's analgesia', and it means that whilse the whip stimulates a horse during a race, it won't cause pain or suffering if used properly. Such research has important implications for racing, and one of the recommendations of our review is that training for jockeys takes into account the latest scientific evidence.
However, there is also a wider debate taking place here between two different approaches to the role of animals in society. An animal welfare approach is based on the idea that wherever we use animals — whether in sport, for food, or in ground-breaking medical research — we should make sure strict rules are in place and that animals are well looked after at all times. In contrast, an animal rights approach is based on the view that animals should not be used in any way by humans.
Those who take this approach feel that sports like racing should be banned and the use of animals in all medical experiments prohibited — even if millions of human lives could be saved through such research. So-called padded whips do cause pain — they may be less painful than traditional contact whips when applied in exactly the same manner. It may be that jockeys are using the so-called padded whip in a different way to overcome the possibility that it has less impact on the horse.
What does a horse feel when it is struck with a whip? There is no evidence to suggest that whipping does not hurt. Whips can cause bruising and inflammation, however, horses do have resilient skin. That is not to say that their skin is insensitive. Indeed, a horse can easily feel a fly landing on its skin. Repeated striking with a whip of any type in the same area of the body has the potential to cause localised trauma and tissue damage, the extent of which will increase with the force of the strike and the number of repetitions.
Bringing safety into the argument is just an attempt to distract people from the real problem — that last m where whips can be used indiscriminately. What are the ARB whip rules? At the time of this study there were no restrictions on backhand whip strikes at any stage of a race.
Following changes made on 1 December , the ARB whip rules now state that jockeys can use the whip in either a forehand or backhand manner only five times before the final m of a race, however these are not to be used in consecutive strides.
Look at our Frequently Asked Questions regarding the consultation. The whip is foam-padded and energy absorbing, comprising a composite spine with a polymer surround, encased in thick foam padding.
There is only one current accredited supplier of whips for use in British racing, to ensure that whips carried by jockeys in Britain conform to required standards. Whips are carried first and foremost as an essential aid to horsemanship and safety.
This is consistent across all equine activities which involve exertion on the part of the horse. The use of the whip in British racing is restricted to safety, correction and encouragement.
Use of the whip to coerce is not permitted, and the rules are designed to reflect this.
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