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 Veteran
Posts: 173
 
Location: Wyoming- where its always windy! | Just wondering if racers prefer to whip their horse or just kick, and reasons for your decision. There seems to be almost an equal number of those who do whip or use the over and under and those who just kick. If you do whip, which do you use and why?
Thanks! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: lone star state | Great post!
I try watch a lot of pro runs. Pick people who u like their style and youtube them or watch them.
I think a lot depends on your horse and running style. I like sherry cervi dena kirkpatrick and others who ride quiet. In my opinion you don't see a lot of people who "flog" their horses kicking and whipping have much long term success.
Personally I use a soft leather over and under - its outa my way til I need it. I want to encourage my horse to run and not force them to run. Also I try to whip my pant leg and boot top more to hussle and not cause my horse to dread being pushed but to enjoy the game as much as I do. |
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  Independent Cuss
Posts: 3977
  
Location: Dearing, GA | If I can pull my stuff together during a run, I'll use an over under on the way home from third. Otherwise I just kick. I rarely carry a quirt/crop/over under with me, even. That was on the last horse I ran though, I've got an up and coming horse who I may work differently. It will all depend on how he feels. |
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Tell It Like It Is
Posts: 22025
Location: Wyoming | Only if I feel him quite me. I have found less is better.
It is a pet peeve of mine to watch people trying to whip that would do so much better if they would just concentrate on their riding. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| realitycheck - 2014-01-26 2:06 PM Only if I feel him quite me. I have found less is better.
It is a pet peeve of mine to watch people trying to whip that would do so much better if they would just concentrate on their riding.
This ^ |
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Veteran
Posts: 173
Location: Wyoming- where its always windy! | Totally agree. I don't whip my mare, she's so sensitive I think it would crush her. She does great with just kicking and hissing. I guess I just wonder if people really get that extra little bit out of whipping as opposed to not, assuming of course their horse isn't trying to cheat them |
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Veteran
Posts: 297
| I forget where but there was a study done that showed that whipping a horse would not make it go any faster then just kicking. I saw the article on this study last year.. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 304
Location: Up and over to the right | I sit and kiss and my horse takes off like a bat outta hell! Depends on the horse I'd say.
At my first race I kicked my horse harder than usual and he stopped dead in his tracks.... Sensitive pansy that horse is…. |
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 Queen Boobie mascot
Posts: 706
Location: Mayerthorpe Alberta | i should just whip myself and maybe i would ride correctly! lol
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 Chicken Chick
Posts: 3562
Location: Texas | I didn't whip my old guy (even before he was old). I felt like he was giving me all he could give anyway and I think whipping would have just made him lose his head.
There may be some horses that need that extra incentive to get off their butt, but some I think are willing to give you all they have without it. |
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Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I wish I could find the video of my daughter on one of her step up horses. He would flat out fly through the straights but would not dig like that in the barrels. He was 3d at big shows and she was determined to crack the 2d. She knew not to over whip and popped him 1 time between barrels and once going home. His tail swished each time but he never sped up once-same pace the whole run. It was pretty funny, he was going to run his race :). No more whipping after that.
Edited by rodeomom3 2014-01-26 8:09 PM
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| On the way home in pens where we have room I will whip a couple times. It brings out the TB in him and he'll flatten out and fly.
I prefer the over and under, but usually have better luck getting to the whip faster with a quirt... |
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Regular
Posts: 87
| lurker - 2014-01-26 7:07 PM
i should just whip myself and maybe i would ride correctly! lol
Did that (not on purpose though!!) still didn't help much, I still rode like a monkey that day LOL.
On my horse I use a whip, especially in deep sand, I'll give him a smack in between every barrel and going to first since he doesn't like to run as hard always in that stuff. I find it helps him, or at least then I stay off his face and let him turn the barrel right. My times are definitely better when I use one (at least when I use it right) I prefer an over n under on him.
That being said, when I run my mom's horse, she hates being whipped in any way. We haven't tried one with her since she's fast enough without one, but the lady who we bought her from who trained her said she hated whips. She does best with lots of kissing and hissing, and coming home a slap on her neck with my hand is all she needs to be winning fast.
But it drives me crazy when you see people who don't know how to whip right and do more harm than good, even though that was me a couple years ago too. They only work is used right, on the right horse. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | When I was a teenager, I for some reason thought I needed a whip for during my run. Not sure why it wasn't yanked out of my hands and thrown away, because all it did was slow everything down. Not sure why the trainer I had at the time didn't throw it away for me, because bettering my timing and horsemanship would have shaved way more tenths off than what I was attempting with that whip. I looked pretty goofy and can't stand to watch old runs because all I end up saying is- WHY WAS I ALLOWED TO RUN WITH THAT STUPID WHIP?
I prefer to NOT whip during a run, and just pick up an over and under on the way home. I started whipping in-between my barrels on Tank, and honestly I felt him rate harder at his barrels so I think I will stop. Also, I couldn't find my over and under running home a couple runs back and I swear he ran out just as hard as when I whip him. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1031
Location: Oklahoma | I have one, big AAA race bred horse that rates way too hard/early on the 1st and 3rd even if im still kicking like crazy. He responds much better to a lil spank. My other horse is straight cow bred but runs so hard, I just hold on until I get to my spot and try to stay in the middle. |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I carry a whip of some kind on every one of my horses. How I use it varies with the horse though.
On Clifford, I am carrying a dressage whip in my right hand so I can tap his inside shoulder if he starts to shut down early going to the 2nd or 3rd barrel (he runs left at the present time). I don't think I used it today and he was 11th out of 94 with a wild loop on our way to the third. He loves to run so doesn't need much encouragement. The whip is just a reminder to me to not sit down and quit riding just yet. If I think about tapping his shoulder, then I stay square and don't inadvertently cue him to rate early.
On Chance & Joker, I carry a leather over & under, banded to my belt. I will use it between barrels and on the homestretch if they aren't really hustling. When I head to the alley with Chance, I swat my leg with the whip to make noise and help get him wound up to run. Joker doesn't like being hit with a stick whip and since I can only swing an over & under once or twice, he doesn't get mad and I actually get a response. I have used stick whips on Chance too but I have a tendency to over-use it and the over & under limits me. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 372
Location: Missouri | I won't use a whip but not opposed to people who use them correctly and effectively. One swat between barrels and one home is reasonable to me. But I hate nothing more than seeing rider's relentlessly whipping their horse every single step of the way home. |
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 More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | realitycheck - 2014-01-26 2:06 PM Only if I feel him quite me. I have found less is better.
It is a pet peeve of mine to watch people trying to whip that would do so much better if they would just concentrate on their riding.
Amen sista |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | Not really a fan. I tend to think if they like it enough, they'll run on their own. I don't like to run one who doesn't like the pattern. If they are slowing down for some reason, they probably need a vet check or some time off. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | I use both......I use a dressage whip......for in between and an over n under for home.......I do not always use them but if I need them they r handy...M |
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