# Why is it so hard for me to hold a dressage whip/crop while riding? lol



## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

If its waving around its a good sign that your hands are not as quiet as you thought 
How are you holding the whip at the moment?
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## Strawberry4Me (Sep 13, 2012)

Try using a crop first. They are smaller and will "wave around" less. I dont let my students carry them until their hands are quiet enough to not flop it around and scare the horse. Also, if you're just carrying it for the sake of making the horse behave, and not actually using it- your horse needs to respect you more. MAKE him listen to you, with or without a whip.
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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

The best way to learn is to carry it and get used to how it feels. However, it's not the best idea to learn how to carry one with a horse that is very sensitive to it as it sounds like this horse is. 

It also sounds like the whip may be a bit of a "band aid" for training issues that this horse has if he is misbehaving without the whip being there.


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

Also try holding it in your other hand. I started using one in my right hand(since I'm right handed) but I'm useless with it in my right,I can hold it steady, but when it comes to using it forget it lol, when I put it in my left I have no problem using it at all. I have been practicing using it in my right hand but I'm still not as effective with it.


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## thetempest89 (Aug 18, 2013)

My biggest problem is I always end up having longer rein in whatever inside hand the crop is being used in. I haven't really had a chance to work on this yet as my main lesson horse doesn't need one. 

Are you holding it super tight? I found when holding a crop, I tensed my handles more and moved them around more. I had to relax and it helped a bit. I became quieter.


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## Strawberry4Me (Sep 13, 2012)

I remember one of my first lessons with Eric Horgan. I dropped the whip once and that was it. He went outside and picked up 2 marble-sized rocks. I had to hold one in each hand- if I dropped one, I wasn't holding my reins OR my whip tight enough. Its a good little thing to try on your own. Just to help you focus on holding your hands tight enough.
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## Nocturva (Mar 23, 2013)

I do have a crop and I can hold a crop just fine though I want to use the dressage whip because I want to tap BEHIND my leg and not his shoulder because his problem is that he is not listening to my leg aids well, and I know this is sort of a band-aid for a horse with a training issue.

I have a huge problem with keeping him forward, he is the laziest thoroughbred I have ever seen, he walks like hes going to a funeral, Ive corrected this by bumping him with the heels until he walks with the pace I feel is right, BUT here is an issue, when I ask him for the trot He DOES NOT take me seriously and will throw his head in a fit, he does what I ask but I have to get on him for it and this makes him throw his head and offset my hold on the reins, My trainer thinks he does this because he thinks I am going to pull on his face, but it is the exact opposite I GIVE him the rein when I ask him to trot or move forward. How do I correct this? I have found the dressage whip helps with me steering cause he likes to move his hindquarters out and cut corners and also it helps him behave a teeny bit more responsively to my leg if I wave it a little... But he is still not taking me seriously and i have done a lot of groundwork with him, its just he lacks respect when Im in the saddle.


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## disastercupcake (Nov 24, 2012)

I had the same exact problem!

I never used a dressage whip before, and my instructor tells me to use one. Cloud was entirely dead to my leg in any arena situation. The first time I think I banged Cloud 10 times by accident for every 1 time on purpose D; 

So after that I started riding with one every day. I place it on my thigh so that the tip is resting above the saddle on whichever rein we're on. Moving your hand with the bit makes the whip slide a little on your leg, but does not cause a big movement. When I use it, move the hand out and rotate the wrist so your palm is up, twice. This will just tap your horse right behind the girth, and it allows you to remain in contact with the bit. 

Don't get me wrong it takes practice to use one- especially if you're not used to carrying anything!


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Firstly, a crop shouldn't be used on the shoulder. Just as a brief aside. xD

Anyway, it sounds to me like the only thing that is going to fix this problem is time. Are you a Dressage rider? Or? 
Perhaps you could work on the lunge line some, so you could focus solely on the whip and keeping it steady, until you've got the hang of it. Maybe you could ask your trainer for some pointers, too?


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## Nocturva (Mar 23, 2013)

Zexious said:


> Firstly, a crop shouldn't be used on the shoulder. Just as a brief aside. xD
> 
> Anyway, it sounds to me like the only thing that is going to fix this problem is time. Are you a Dressage rider? Or?
> Perhaps you could work on the lunge line some, so you could focus solely on the whip and keeping it steady, until you've got the hang of it. Maybe you could ask your trainer for some pointers, too?


if I am riding with a crop I barely use it, I just hold it as a threat, but if I have to I tap his shoulder otherwise, the crop is TOO short for me to whack him behind my leg, I'm a taller than average, and by the time I would go to reach behind my leg with a crop, my reins are a mess, and he's already on a different train of thought, I am not going to wallop my horse after five minutes of trying to tap him behind my leg with half an arms length crop, thats ridiculous


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

^Firstly, I never said "wallop".

Secondly, that sounds like a hole in /your/ training. You should be able to reach back, and use a crop where it is supposed to be used, when it is supposed to be used. 

Perhaps, you should start there.


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## Nocturva (Mar 23, 2013)

Zexious said:


> ^Firstly, I never said "wallop".
> 
> Secondly, that sounds like a hole in /your/ training. You should be able to reach back, and use a crop where it is supposed to be used, when it is supposed to be used.
> 
> Perhaps, you should start there.


Sorry I didn't mean wallop literally, just a figure of speech (How I talk). I forget everyone takes things too literally in posts when I'm trying to explain something. I'm just frustrated because I'm looking for advice on how to correct myself, not to insult me and not even explain how you feel I am not using a crop right.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

^I guess you missed the part where I was giving you advice? I'm not trying to be mean, rude (and I don't think my posts appear that way), or condescending. 

I'll repeat it anyway. xD

Perhaps request a lesson (or half a lesson, or ten minutes, or whatever you need to get the job done) on a lunge line. Even the best riders occasionally take lunge line lessons. 
This way you can put all of your focus onto holding the whip (or crop), and using it properly.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

The longer dressage ships have a ferrule at the top end about the size of a silver dollar. This make sit easy to hold onto and won't slip through. A turn of the hand and the whip will touch behind your leg.


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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

Zexious said:


> Firstly, a crop shouldn't be used on the shoulder. Just as a brief aside. xD


I just want to say that this isn't true. It all depends on the use. A crop or whip is simply an extension of your body. Just as putting leg pressure in front of, at, and behind the girth has different meanings, so does using the crop/whip on the shoulder, behind the leg, at the ribs, on the stifle, etc.
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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

^Your words confuse me. I recognize outside aids as an extension of your body, be it a crop, whip, spurs, or any other aid. Since we're both on the same page there, when do you ever apply pressure to the horse's shoulder in the saddle? I am familiar with using a crop at different places /behind/ your leg, but never in front of.

If this is the case, it's never something I have heard of. I was allowed to use the crop on the shoulder when I was a more novice rider, probably for the reasons that OP is mentioning. Causing the reins to get messy, or maybe a balance issue. But as I progressed I was told by my trainers that that was never acceptable, and was just lazy. I'd like to hear your thoughts, SEA.


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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

Zexious said:


> ^Your words confuse me. I recognize outside aids as an extension of your body, be it a crop, whip, spurs, or any other aid. Since we're both on the same page there, when do you ever apply pressure to the horse's shoulder in the saddle? I am familiar with using a crop at different places /behind/ your leg, but never in front of.
> 
> If this is the case, it's never something I have heard of. I was allowed to use the crop on the shoulder when I was a more novice rider, probably for the reasons that OP is mentioning. Causing the reins to get messy, or maybe a balance issue. But as I progressed I was told by my trainers that that was never acceptable, and was just lazy. I'd like to hear your thoughts, SEA.


It's a great tool to use almost anywhere on a green horse. This assumes that the horse isn't terrified of them, of course. Mine isn't and never has. He's always respected it from the start. 

It's a good tool to teach body awareness, discipline for improper behavior, encourage motion, etc. I've used it many times when my horse decides to get pushy with his shoulders/front end or blow through my legs with them. I've also used it for body awareness in his front half to help set tempo and distract from "thinking" and regain his focus. I've used it to tap his rib cage to help him bring it back where it belongs and help him straighten himself out. I can give you more examples of you like. 

Simply using the crop/whip anywhere on the body can be lazy. It's the intent that makes the difference. My 8 year old daughter uses a crop in her lessons because the pony she rides tries to take advantage. She does get lazy and relies only on the crop (behind her leg always) to make the pony go and needs a reminder not to do that. She still uses it behind her leg, is that less lazy than me reminding my horse not to use his shoulder incorrectly in front of my leg? 

my point is that it's about the intent, the use.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

^I'm afraid I'm still in disagreement. I have never encountered a need to smack a horse on the shoulder with a crop where it was "correct". 
You gave good examples, and if that works for you, then awesome.

However, this I didn't get from the post that this is a green horse, only a rider who seems confused about usage/handling.


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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

Zexious, I didn't say that the OP is riding a green horse not did I think it at any point. Only that your statement wasn't entirely correct. I simply responded to your question. I don't expect that you would have the same experiences since I disagreed with your first statement. 

For the OP, it always helped me in the early years to hold the whip/crop between my ring and pinky fingers or my middle and ring fingers. Then, you can still hold the whip/crop and keep your thumb, index, and middle fingers on the rein. Wearing gloves may help you, too.


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