# What's the deal with using a riding crop?



## shimmlight (Nov 1, 2015)

I started horse riding recently, so I'm quite a novice at the whole thing. In the lesson before mine, I was watching this girl trying to get her horse to canter. The horse wasn't responding, so the instructor told her to "smack her" with the crop to make her go. I was under the impression that the crop was supposed to be used for tapping the horse rather than smacking it. Do horses have a high pain threshold or is this just cruel? It made me feel kind uncomfortable that's all.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Some horses will not go faster no matter how hard you kick them. It is a training issue. Trained right, they will go faster with a light touch. But a lot of lesson horses are pretty sour or dull. 

When I took lessons, there was one horse there who you could NOT get to trot no matter how hard you applied leg. Take a crop, whack him hard once, and the rest of the ride he would obey light cues. Training issue, but it happens.

That is why I like owning my own horse.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

Crops have a large surface area on the "hitting end" that tends to produce a lot more sound than anything else. Not to say the horse doesn't feel it- he certainly does- but the way it is usually used it wouldn't be painful if used on your own leg.

Without seeing how the crop was being used, it's hard to say if it was being used correctly in this case. I've been taught, and find that my horse responds best, to light leg cues only and then if I need to resort to the crop (or usually in my case a dressage whip) to reinforce my leg cues I don't fool around with using it softly. The leg cues were the warning that the crop/whip was coming. I don't, however, use it any harder than I would be able to tolerate on my own leg.

It gets a bit into semantics when you discuss what word to use for describing how to use the crop properly. To me, "tapping" sounds too gentle, like it wouldn't even make a sound. You'd end up nagging the horse and the horse would learn to ignore it very quickly. "Smacking" also isn't a great word because it implies using a lot of strength and perhaps even getting some emotion into it. Perhaps "swatting" is a better term?


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

I sometimes carry a crop when I am schooling and I use it lightly to enforce my leg aid, my mare had a habit of leaning in going to the right and I had to keep my right leg on to correct her, eventually she began to ignore that leg so I started carrying the crop and if I used the leg and she didn't respond properly, I tapped her shoulder and got instant responce. After a few times she didn't need the touch of the crop and got in the habit of listening to my leg again.
All it took was a touch with the crop and we were good, but if needed I would have increased the pressure of the crop until I got the desired responce.
Sometimes with a well trained horse they can become a "little ho hum do I have to" with light leg aides, if the horse knows well what I am asking and chooses to ignore me, he will get a good wallop with the crop and then I ask nicely again and you will be surprised at how nicely he responds.
I do belive that one good swat to get my point across is much better than a hundred little nagging taps. When the instructor said to smack the horse I think she may have been thinking along this line.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Once a horse has received a smack he never forgets. Often times a mere suggestion of using it inspires the horse to listen to leg. It can also be laid against the horse behind the rider's leg to help it understand a request to side pass.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I ask new riders to slap their own leg with the crop while on the ground before using it on a horse. It really doesn't hurt with average use. It does make noise, as *verona* pointed out.

With my own horse, I have only to hold it out to the side, I see him move an ear back on that side, and I know he's seen it. In those cases he knows, too, that he will be asked for speed with seat and leg. I don't have to ask twice.

There are times I will use it on the shoulder if a horse and I are headed into a possibly dangerous situation to get a turn and leap out of the way. Like when working bulls or playing polo with beginners.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

FWIW, with my horses, I've often carried a leather whip on my saddle horn. About twice a year, I use it. To use it, I take it off the horn and hit MY leg with it. Mia, Cowboy and Bandit all acted as if THEY had been walloped - but it was MY leg that actually was hit! 

Mia jumped forward like she had been shot in the butt. After the first time, I never had to actually hit my leg again with Mia. I'd just take it off the saddle horn. That would be three cases of horses responding totally to the sound of it.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

I often carry a whip when I ride, my last two horses were energy conserving geldings, so it would get to me 'nagging' the whole time, squeezing, harder squeezing, nudge, kick, tap....Horses same as people easily ignore nagging, so one day my trainer had me ride on a loose rein, squeeze and if I got no reaction, HIT him with the whip, it only took a couple of transitions before he was moving off a nudge again.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

You know that loud sound when you "pop" a toddler on his diaper? That's kind of like using a crop on a horse. A lot of noise but not much pain. Now it can sting, just like popping a toddler on the diaper can sting if enough force is applied. But just like the surprised wail of the toddler when they hear the POP on the diaper, a horse will frequently jump forward in surprise that you actually dared to POP him. Frequently, all it takes is a POP or 2 and the horse decides it's a lot nicer to go off the leg than to wait for the POP.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Oh with experience you will discover that you become more comfortable doing more things.

It is not cruel. Horses who do not respond need some encouragement. Some are more sensitive than others. I have one mare who in her younger days would often stall. IN the rare occasion I'd have to really get after her - Oh boy, I had a big long leather whip and I had to really whack her. I mean, HARD. She barely even blinked an eye at me. Now THAT'S frustrating - Lol.

I have also ridden horses who if I even thought about going forward they would jump to it. I barely had to even twitch my leg.


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## Clava (Nov 9, 2010)

The crop backs the leg up and teaches the horse to respond to the leg the first time it is asked with a squeeze, this way they learn to respond from a small ask and less nudges with heels.

I have seen an instructor smack a reluctant horse who was used to being constantly kicked and to teach it that one nudge of the heel is the aid not constant kicking and no further reminders from the crop were required.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Correctly trained a horse will respond to anything that is flipped towards them, and most often we start with a whip, like a Dressage or buggy whip, and then build on that by lunging. Properly trained your horse should move away from the whip as if it is second nature and immediately.
Horses learn when they can disregard cues and many lesson horses or those owned by beginners learn to disregard the leg and not respond. CORRECTLY applied, behind the leg, the whip or crop should be smacked the 2nd time your ask, if your horse tunes you out with just your leg cue. A crop will raise a welt on a human, but won't hurt a horse.
After awhile my lesson horses responded as soon as my student raised their crop to use it, therefore they didn't need to smack them with it.
If your horse doesn't listen with a crop, it's time to dismount and retrain on the ground. There is never an excuse to beat a horse. What you witnessed was not a beating, but randomly hitting a horse just anywhere, like on the head, creates fear.
Still, when you are learning and cannot really control your lower leg, a crop is just the thing to carry, although the strap is EXCLUSIVELY for hanging in your tack room. If your horse spooks at a crop, you can drop it on the ground. They are hard to break. If you spur a horse accidentally because you do not have an educated leg, you can have a rodeo on your hands.
MAKE SURE to SHOW your crop to a horse that you have never ridden to be sure that there is no fear reaction. Even stroke his neck with it. Your horse shouldn't be bothered by it. If he acts spooky around a whip, do NOT carry it. The horse has the quickest reaction time of any domestic animal and riding a frightened horse is very dangerous.


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## shimmlight (Nov 1, 2015)

Thanks everyone, it makes a lot more sense now. Perhaps just not the best choice of wording on the instructor's behalf


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

shimmlight said:


> Thanks everyone, it makes a lot more sense now. Perhaps just not the best choice of wording on the instructor's behalf


Instructors will overstate things with students who are timid. Some thinking they are being kind. Some are afraid of a reaction they won't be able to handle.

Much better that the horse get a clear message, than to have a rider tap, tap, tapping with a crop or bumping with their calves and the rider get frustrated. 

The horse gets frustrated too. I've seen frustrated horses spook, bolt, rear, and/or buck to get rid of a rider who nags them.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

shimmlight said:


> Thanks everyone, it makes a lot more sense now. Perhaps just not the best choice of wording on the instructor's behalf


Now that we don't know, it may have been just the right words.....again, that one day is was,

"right now put your reins in one hand, have your whip in your free hand, and when you ask, if he doesn't respond HIT him, and DO NOT jab him in the mouth if he goes forward" 

Very much the emphasis was on HIT, not tap, rap, tickle, or any other word, I was riding a big old part draft, who would happily slip into 'ignore' mode because he was so used to beginners riding him. He was also, I learned later, starting to buck if people used the whip wrongly, or at the wrong moment. It was my task to fix that in one step, and I did, and that was all it took. 

There is far more damage done with someone being ineffective with a whip, as there is over using it. I have little patience for someone hitting a horse multiple times, as a punishment, but if you are going to carry it and use it, it needs to make an impact.

Last thought, every horse reacts differently, I have a feeling that with my new horse carrying it might well be enough, if she has been ridden with one before. If she hasn't then I don't think that it will take more than a tap to sharpen her up a little.


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## Fantelle (Oct 26, 2015)

Having to use a crop can be the result of bad training as the horse was young .. but mostly it is just a help for riding just like a saddle is. I find my crop most useful when straightening my horse as she's very lopsided, but it also helps when sidestepping for example. ^^


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

shimmlight said:


> Thanks everyone, it makes a lot more sense now. Perhaps just not the best choice of wording on the instructor's behalf


As someone who has come into a long line of timid young girls recently, I bet the wording was not an accident.

When I ride my lesson horses, they go. They know me better than any other rider, and they know that when I ask they better move. The kids? Not so much.

My one mare in particular will totally check out. She won't respond at all if the kid isn't determined, so I tell them - MAKE her. Ask her with that leg and if she doesn't go, come out of your skin. Do whatever you have to do. Kick, whip, kiss to her, cluck, make SOMETHING happen. Teach her there are consequences for not listening.

If another horse is out on the pasture and the alpha mare comes over and asks them to move by pinning their ears, and the horse doesn't move out of the way, what do you think alpha mare is going to do? Ask nicely and gently push little fluffy out of the way? I don't think so. Alpha mare is going to kick, strike, bite, and come undone. Does that make her mean? No. It is her establishing dominance in the herd.

A horse seeks leadership, and if you don't become the leader, they will fill the role themselves - This is something you do not want to happen. Because if they become alpha horse and you become subordinate horse - What's gonna happen? This is how people get in trouble, and that's how people get hurt. They become subordinate horse, and then alpha horse thinks it's okay to push you around. 

I want my kids to KNOW they are alpha horse. No doubt in their minds. If they are definitive, strong, and make it clear who is in charge - That horse will follow them anywhere. That's all there is to it.


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## SummerShy (Aug 3, 2014)

Saying that any horse that is 'correctly trained' will perfectly respond to light cues, and that one who doesn't has 'training issues' isn't all that fair, or accurate, is it? Not ALL horses will bend to even the most impressive training, and at that point it's NOT an issue of an untrained/improperly trained horse but of an unwilling animal. Sometimes there is just no good human fix for this.


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## Clava (Nov 9, 2010)

SummerShy said:


> Saying that any horse that is 'correctly trained' will perfectly respond to light cues, and that one who doesn't has 'training issues' isn't all that fair, or accurate, is it? Not ALL horses will bend to even the most impressive training, and at that point it's NOT an issue of an untrained/improperly trained horse but of an unwilling animal. Sometimes there is just no good human fix for this.


So you are saying some horses are untrainable?

Fortunately, although I have met many, none have been that (although a few had other issues), but I accept they exist.


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

I've never needed one with my own horses. the horses that need them often are the ones that have been spoiled by ineffective riding. 

I did carry a crop with a young mare and taught her to move by hitting my leg. 

The thing with horses is that if they are ignoring you and your aids to get their attention you're better off going big than small. It's better to hit them hard once and get the result than twenty times softly and spoil them further.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Saskia said:


> The thing with horses is that if they are ignoring you and your aids to get their attention you're better off going big than small. It's better to hit them hard once and get the result than twenty times softly and spoil them further.


I agree


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## Jan1975 (Sep 7, 2015)

Our riding instructor always says to ask nicely first, then use the crop if they don't respond. I also agree that it doesn't hurt. I've hit myself with it on bare skin and it's not that bad, and the horses do have a layer of hair there.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Prior to buying my mare she knew what a crop could do. When she'd have an attack of laziness, all I had to do was move it an inch and the laziness would disappear.


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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

1. as others said, smack yourself it's more noise than anything

2. a lot of horses learn it as a visual 

my mare if I smack it against my leg/boot/saddle is all she takes to re-focus on me. also if she see's it that also changes her trying to butt heads just a quick flash off to my side and that will also tune her back into the world we are working in


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