"Help! Please can you tell me which way to tap a horse with a whip, as one riding school I went to said never to tap on the shoulder, but then the riding school I ride at now, says to tap only on the shoulder! Which one is correct? Also, my present riding school says never put your hand through the loop on the end of whips, whereas my Mum says I need to, as if I end up dropping the whip, the loop will save it from falling. What should I do? Thanks very much, Holly."
Proprietor of Contessa Riding Centre Tina Layton-Elliott BHSI replies: "Dear Holly, thank you for your question. Both ways of using the whip are actually correct. Where you use the whip depends on which part of the horses body you are trying to activate/engage. For example, if the horse is falling in or out, you might use the whip on the shoulder to help control the shoulder. You can also use the whip on the shoulder as a little wake up call! If you are trying to activate the hindquarters or ask the horse to move sideways, you would use the whip behind the saddle. Some people also use it directly behind the leg to reinforce the leg aid.
Some horses can be very reactive when the whip is used behind the saddle and either rush or buck, which is perhaps why your riding school like you to use it on the shoulder. On the other part of your question, if your hand is through the loop it will stop it from falling on the floor if you drop it. However, if you were to fall off, the whip wouldn’t fall away and could cause you an injury.
Hope this helps.
Tina."
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