Hitting a horse with a whip does not make it faster or easier to control



After going around the final corner of a horse race, when the jockey wants to 'speed up' or 'move more quickly', he often hits the butt of the horse he is riding with a whip. However, research results have been announced that 'actually, hitting a whip does not increase the speed or make it easier to control the horse.'

Animals | Free Full-Text | Is Whip Use Important to Thoroughbred Racing Integrity? What Stewards' Reports Reveal about Fairness to Punters, Jockeys and Horses

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/11/1985

Research shows whipping horses doesn't make them run faster, straighter or safer — let's cut it out
https://theconversation.com/research-shows-whipping-horses-doesnt-make-them-run-faster-straighter-or-safer-lets-cut-it-out-144405

Horse racing has a long history, and according to records, chariot races were held in ancient Greece and Rome, where tanks were pulled to compete for horses. The epic ' Iliad ' by the ancient Greek poet Homer states that a chariot race was held to mourn the warrior Patroclus . It is also believed to have been adopted as a sport in the ancient Olympics .


by

Matthias Kabel

It is said that modern horse racing, which races in a dedicated facility based on the rules, originated in England in the 16th century. Breeding was carried out from the 17th to the 18th centuries in order to produce horses that run faster, and a horse breed for racehorses called Thoroughbred was born, and at the same time, horse pedigree became important in the world of horse racing. It was.

The technique of controlling horses with a whip has been applied since ancient times, and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) said, 'The use of a whip is necessary for the safety of horses and jockeys.' It becomes easier to control so that does not hit the horse, ' claims have been.

However, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities says that animal welfare should also be considered in order to make horse racing a complete sport. At the Saudi Cup held in Saudi Arabia on February 29, 2020, Jockey Mike Smith, who rode in second place Midnight BIZO , earned 60% of the prize due to overuse of the whip, or $ 210,000 (about 2310 at the rate at that time). 10,000 yen) was confiscated as a sanction.

Saudi C2 Jockey Smith is sanctioned and 'highest ever' fine | Extreme Horse Premium



In Japan, the 'Guidelines for the Use of Whips' was enacted in 2011 in accordance with an international agreement, and overuse of whips is subject to sanctions for jockeys.

A research team led by anthropologist Kirrily Thompson of the University of South Australia analyzed videos of 126 races held in the United Kingdom from January 2017 to December 2019. Of these, 67 races were banned from using whips, and 59 races were allowed to use whips. The total number of horses and jockeys that participated was 1178.

As a result of the research team investigating 'how the use of whips affects the development of the race', there is a relationship between improved control of horses, increased speed of horses, improved safety of jockeys and use of whips He said he couldn't see it.

On the contrary, horses that were whipped during the race were more than seven times more likely to fall than horses that were not whipped. From this, the research team concludes that 'the use of whips is one of the potential risk factors for fall.'


by Shelly Prevost

The research team said, 'Our findings scientifically support the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities' claim that we should not use whips. Given the changing social values, we should take a whip-free approach. We believe that the transition is essential for the future of the horse racing industry, which relies on socially recognized forms of horse racing operations. '

in Creature, Posted by log1i_yk