New-Age Whip Horse-Friendly Whips Are Making Their Way Into American Flat Racing Hoofprints Inc

HUMANE WHIPS TACK & EQUIPMENT New-age whip Horse-friendly whips are making their way into American flat racing Hoofprints Inc. photo by Liane Crossley modified for flat races. The advent of a whip that does not Humane whips HE RECORD books should have harm horses can be traced to Eng- • Harmless to horses closed on the third race at land three decades ago, where James • Will not cause welts T Delaware Park on June 23 shortly Mahon of the Point-to-Point Owners • Make loud popping sound after the mid-level claiming event was Association urged officials to punish • Horse’s response is same as declared official, but when jockey Je- jockeys who beat their horses un- to traditional whip SHORT END OF THE STICK remy Rose cracked his mount in the necessarily. Such beatings caused a • Mandatory in U.S. steeplechase Traditional whips have a small, stiff “popper” that can cause welts or face with his whip near the finish line, public outcry in 1980. Five years later, races and in England and Ireland bleeding, while humane whips have a popper about half the size of the the ordinary race became key evi- Mahon observed an unplaced run- • Used by many leading U.S. jockeys shaft that absorbs the shock while making a firecracker-like sound dence in the debate to ban whips. ner bleed from welt marks and real- ized the whip itself was as much to traditional whip that has a stiff, leather Animal rights activists contend the but was so intrigued that he bor- to be proactive in protecting the ani- blame as the user and concluded that “popper” at the end. Humane whips whip constitutes unnecessary abuse, rowed one for the following race and mals, and they like the padded pop- a humane whip would eliminate the have a popper about half the length while traditionalists say the tool max- won aboard a 9-to-1 longshot. per.” problem. of the shaft so that strikes are ab- imizes a horse’s ability and is neces- “To my eye, the ProCush whips Jockeys’ Guild Regional Manager He began making experimental sorbed by the whip instead of the sary to keep runners from veering are made of good material,” he said. Jeff Johnston said that although the cushioned whips and caused a stir horse. The principle is similar to using off course. In between are those call- “It is like a car with leather seats— Thoroughbred industry in general with one of his early demonstrations large, flat snowshoes that distribute ing for restrictions such as limiting you can tell they are good seats.” is reluctant to change, most jockeys to racing executives in 1992. Mahon weight as opposed to sinking in snow the number of strikes and where a Others brands are coming on the are open-minded to the idea of whips shattered a glass pane with a stan- wearing only boots. horse can be struck such as the stan- market. The LITETOUCH that sells that do not cause harm. He took a dard whip, but demonstrated that his “I have found no difference what- dards imposed in parts of Europe. for about $65 is manufactured by dozen LITETOUCH whips to Ellis innovative model could not. soever,” McCarron said. “The Pro- Another compromise in the whip Cherry Hill, New Jersey-based Whips Park in July and said about 14 riders In 1997, Mahon began manufac- Cush whips are designed to sound debate is humane whips that do not International. used them on a voluntary basis. turing his AIRCUSH whip. The fol- like a firecracker. When you hit them, cause the welts and stings inflicted “We are refining it all the time,” said “I have had mixed reviews,” he lowing year, the Royal Society for the it makes a loud pop. Horses respond by the traditional device. Mandatory Whips International Managing Mem- said. “Some feel the need for change Prevention of Cruelty to Animals rec- to the sound as opposed to being in England and Ireland since 2007, ber James Walford, who has been mak- is unwarranted because the whip is ommended the adoption of humane stung by it.” the whips have been required in Na- ing whips for 30 years. “It is important not as severe as we are led to be- whips following their high-profile use tional Steeplechase Association races to get the feel, the weight, and balance lieve. We are working hard with whip in show jumping and racing. On April Flat race testimonial in the United States since ’04. correct. We will make the whip until manufacturers to get the right spec- 1, 2007, humane whips were made James Lopez is one of many pio- For his whipping violation, Rose you are happy. I have made a whip as ifications, and the jockeys have been mandatory in the United Kingdom. neers who ride with humane whips was suspended 90 days, fined $5,000, many as ten times for people.” very helpful in trying to get this done. in flat races. Among the leading rid- and required to attend anger-man- An early problem with revolution- These whips are softer and easier Steeplechase first ers at Colonial Downs this season, agement classes. ary whips was lack of durability that on the horse, and if it is good for the Steeplechase jockeys in the U.S. Lopez has ridden in nearly 8,000 races can be attributed to track surface. horses and good for the industry, Whip history have made a smooth transition to and said he needed some time to ad- “They are fine on the turf,” Wayne I’m all for it.” using cushioned whips since the Na- just to using a modern whip. The Delaware Thoroughbred Rac- said, “but on the dirt, the sand can ing Commission, which imposed the tional Steeplechase Association “It took a while for me to get used be abrasive and when they are washed _______________________________________ passed a rule mandating their use to it,” he said. “It is stiffer than what penalties, is a pioneer in humane after a race it is like power-washing four years ago. I was used to.” whip use. About three years ago, them.” Matt McCarron, a champion stee- He said despite the loud popping Liane Crossley is a commission member Duncan Pat- Delaware Park has been using the plechase jockey, said using a cush- sound of the whip, other horses in freelance writer based terson suggested that flat jockeys humane whips for two races every day. ioned whip is the same as using a the field do not spook from it. Al- in Lexington. could use the forgiving whips used “The riding colony has been very by steeplechase riders. standard whip. He uses the ProCush though there are anecdotal stories supportive,” Wayne said. “They want _______________________________________ “Jockeys can be stronger than they brand manufactured by Old Mill of cushioned whips lacking durabil- think,” said Executive Director John Whips in Ireland. ity, Lopez rides exclusively with a Wayne, adding that the commission “The biggest difference between single ProCush and has not had to saw no reason for not trying the hu- a ProCush and a regular whip is that replace it. mane whip. it is basically impossible to mark a On June 21, an experiment was After some experimental rides, horse with a ProCush whip,” he said. quietly conducted at Colonial when jockeys concluded that the whips “When I rode early in my career with all ten jockeys in the afternoon’s fifth used in steeplechase racing were too a regular whip, through inexperience race carried ProCush whips. short for flat racing. I would hit a horse in the soft part of “All of the riders liked it, but some “Flat riders need a longer whip be- the flank and leave welts and in some of them said it was too short,” said cause they sit so far forward,” Wayne cases draw blood. With a ProCush Frank Petramalo, executive director said. whip, it is virtually impossible to do of the Virginia Horsemen’s Benevo- A jockey aiming for a horse’s rump anything like that.” lent and Protective Association. will strike the flank instead with a He said horses react the same to Javier Castellano did not partici- shorter whip, so the new whips were a cushioned whip as they would to a pate in the optional claiming event THOROUGHBRED TIMES August 9, 2008 23.

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