# long or short whip?



## sophielou10 (Apr 13, 2010)

i wonder if anyone can help me, i currently have two whips a short whip (about 25 inches long) something like the one in the picture and a longer dressage whip (39 inches long) also like the picture. At my riding school i ride a wide variety of different horses and i am unsure of which to use on each.

Cleo and George - these two are generaly forward but occasional need a small tap to reenforce my leg, i don't how ever really want to take my hand of the reins as they can both be sometime rather strong.

hovis- a lazy horse who trips over his own feet and IMO is bored of the same old same old of being a riding school horse.

Marmite- quite chunky ocassionaly needs a tap to wake up and listen.

humbug- quite excitable some days slow until u wake him up, some days raring to go would gallop given half a chance.

Branston- trips over own feet occasional some time ignores leg though he is perfectly aware of what it means slow soomtimes fast others

stanly- lazy ,used to buck whenever i rode him because he got stressed of by lots of leg used to try and get him to move forward, to solve this i tryed asking him for more impulsion with a squeze then a nudge and im he still wasnt respondin then a firm but not hard tap with a crop (before i had the dressage whip)

ollie- havent actualy riddin him yet but have been given the go ahead, have been told he is simular to george but not as stronge.

any help would be greatly appreciated.
if anyone has any more pointed questions id be happy to awnser, 
thanks
x


----------



## sophielou10 (Apr 13, 2010)

if no one can help atm how about what type of whip you use if any and why?


----------



## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

I'd carry the dressage whip on all of them. A dressage whip inforces your leg. The horses that "drag and trip" are most likly not working up from behind and using their backs. You want a horse moving forward with impulsion from their back legs. I only use a short crop when I know I'll be jumping, and even then I usually use a dressage crop. The only time I will always carry a short crop is on the XC and in the Stadium rings at shows


----------



## sophielou10 (Apr 13, 2010)

thanks stormeyblues, i'm just a bit unsure the dressage whip is new , ive never used it before. is it as effective at backing up your leg as a crop?


----------



## speedy da fish (May 7, 2009)

well, it all depends on what you are doing.

i ride with a long whip for schooling (on flat) and dressage and a short whip for jumping and hacking


----------



## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

I would talk to your trainer. Horses that are not used to a dressage whip usually need to get used to them a little. Also, if you jump and show (USEF) anything longer then 30 in is illegal. I use the same dressage/non dressage whip on every horse I ride, big or small. Size of the horse doesn't matter. You need to find a size that's comfortable for you to carry and easy for you to use.


----------



## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

Yes it's better at backing up your leg because it's right there behind your leg on a normal sized horse. But I would be weary, as speedy da fish said, I can't ride Blue really really relaxed with a dressage whip sometimes it just freaks her out. (I'm also fuming because my dad ran over my dressage whip with the mower! Now I have to ducktape the covering together.... grr!)


----------



## sophielou10 (Apr 13, 2010)

the vast majority of the lessons i have are flat work with the occasional jump or hack.
at the two riding schools i ride at the horses are all used to dressage whips.
im gunna use it for the first time tommorow, can anyone give any tips?


----------



## horse mad99 (Jan 8, 2011)

i would ask a trainer the horses could be a little unsure about the dressage whip


----------



## randomequine (Nov 19, 2010)

If they aren't your horses, you should ask the trainer/owner what they want -- even if you're riding them, it's still their horse and their rules 

For me, I use a dressage whip all the time -- probably because I ride dressage, but hey, even when I'm jumping, that's what I carry lol. My reasoning is this: the horses 'motor' is in the rear end, so using a whip on the front end won't do me a lot of good when he's tripping all over himself (he's a bit lazy unless you tell him what's up). That, and it's easier to place a dressage whip behind my leg for accentuation than it would be to carry a bat or crop and use that


----------



## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

As sort of a general guideline, a short bat or crop is designed to be used behind your leg, after putting your reins in one hand, and as discipline or a wake up call for a horse that's not listening to your leg aid. You can also use a short bat or crop to give a sharp tap on the shoulder, sort of a "Hey, pay attention!" but horses, particularly school horses, get dull to that pretty quickly. 

A dressage whip is longer so it can be used behind the leg without you taking a hand from the reins or breaking the contact. A dressage whip is also more flexible in its use; you can just tickle the horse behind your leg with the lash or be quite severe with it. The length of the dressage whip makes it difficult to control when galloping, jumping or going cross country or hacking out.

I tend to use a short bat for discipline and the dressage whip more for refining response to leg aid, since you don't drop the contact when using it.

So, if I'm working in the ring on a fairly forward horse that needs a tune up = dressage whip. 

Lazy horse that's behind my leg = could use either; would probably start with the bat or crop

Jumping, hacking out, cross country = short bat

Something to carry in case of emergency that I can keep quiet and still when I don't need it = short bat

Hope that helps.


----------



## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_I prefer to school with a long bat. It is very much the inbetween of a short bat and a dressage whip. I do not have to move my hand too very far for a smart tap, but do have to move it to about my upper thigh if I want something a bit harder. _


----------

