Poll: Should the current whip rules be even more stringent?

Many changes have been made in recent years, both to the whip rules and the construction of the whip itself. However, the whip issue just refuses to go away. Nine jockeys incurred the wrath of the stewards at the Cheltenham Festival, while on the Flat, Eddie Ahern hit the headlines for the wrong reasons when receiving a three-month ban for a cumulative set of whip offences. 

While the newly designed whips have much morecushioning than their predecessors, the public perception of whip abuse remains something about which racing's administrators are rightly concerned. Should the current whip rules be made even more stringent? If so, what form should this take? Should jockeys receive longer bans, heavier fines or maybe you think that the horse should be disqualified? Should the whip be banned completely?

Please vote in our poll and we would also welcome your comments, which can left in the box at the bottom of this post.

The poll comes in two parts: vote either yes or no to part one, which asks where you think the whip rules are stringent enough. If you do, your work is done, if no is your chosen answer, then please complete the second poll, which asks you about more severe penalties for those jockeys who transgress.

ROB WRIGHT
Racing Editor

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Comments

[alan daly]

The rules are good as they stand.

[Pat]

Yes, certainly more stringent, and banned altogether on the flat, as jockey Edwin Kitchin has recommended. These wonderful creatures need to be treated with the respect they deserve.

[wendy allard]

Yes I do think that current whip rules should be more stringent. A horse can only give of his "Best". No amount of whipping can, or will change that.

[Terence MacManus]

what is done to animals, will inevitably be done to people. Any form of violence is not acceptable

[Elsie van der Steen]

horse racing is part of the animal abuse industry, whip or no whip

[francesca]

I totally agree! Let's ban all whips!

[Adrian Appley]

Whipping horses is a barbaric act carried out by gutless losers.

[lisa everton]

Imagine if human workers were whipped! These horses work hard enough, whipping them is terrible! Please stop this practice at once.

[may]

why is smacking banned for kids when horses/animals can be freely and legally whipped?

[Dhanjisha]

Jocky should know better!

[donna hammersley]

i used to ride racehorses, & now i have my own horses just for pleasure riding. the whip is used excessively in racing. if a horse wants/can go faster he will without being whipped. the term 'flogging a dead horse' comes to mind.no amount of whipping can make a tired horse go faster

[edward dexter]

Keep the existing regulations. ADD:- No use of the whip in the last furlong.Disqualify horses where jockeys are in breach.

[Jaes Anderson]

I think that jockeys should be made to pay for their actions when using the whip. If a Jockey breaks the rules then he should forfeit all monies he would gain from that ride including his riding fee, then perhaps they may adhere to the rules set down

[michael mcwilliams]

edwin kitchin, are you sure you arnt a ex disc jockey? Flat or jumps the leangth you ride is personal and has nothing to do with the whip!but,lazy horses and jockeys has everything to do about abuse of the same. This story is neverending. 30 years ago i was told that I rode to short but never had a whip bann, in the uk or france. Bad horses and jockeys bring nithing to the game.

[Lee]

The whip is an integral part of racing for safety & encouragement. I have personally had experience of horses, especially 2-3 year old flat horses diving left right and centre, just on the gallops never mind whilst wound up at the races.
If the whip is banned the thousands of people who pay for racing to stay afloat will be screaming at their TV's for not getting a run for their money and stop supporting the sport. Not all horses respond to a smack but most do and the times a horse is physically marked by modern whips is a very very low percentage.
Let's all stop getting wound up about something where most people dont have a clue about the full picture.

[Edwin Kitchin]

As a former jockey who rode both over jumps and on the flat I feel that whips should not be used on the flat and only used for going into a jump in jump racing.
If a horse cannot give his best without using the whip in flat races then tough luck.
My advice would be for jockeys not to ride so ridiculously short, this would enable them to ride more vigorously with the whole of their body therefore eliminating the need to carry a whip.