How do you choose a whip or stick for your discipline?
How an artificial aid works depends directly on its length, flexibility and balance in the hand. A short jumping whip supports the rider over fences without getting in the way, while a longer one lets you reach the hip or shoulder without disturbing the contact with the horse's mouth or shifting the rider's seat.
- Show jumping and cross-country: Riders go for short, compact models with a wide keeper (the flap at the tip) for a clear, crisp signal. In this discipline, items like the FLECK "Soft" jumping whip or the FLECK cross-country whip offer an excellent grip while staying discreet on the course.
- Dressage: Precision comes first with a fine, light dressage whip held upright on the thigh. A dressage stick lets you act behind the leg without letting go of the reins, like the Fleck " EVO " dressage whip or the models from WHIP & GO and QHP.
- Racing and training: A jockey whip or long whip has an ergonomic design made for quick contact at speed, such as the WHIP & GO long Australian jockey whip.
- Driving: To touch the horse from the reins, the driver uses a driving stick or a telescopic Fleck driving whip suited to the distance from the carriage.
Which model should you use for groundwork and schooling?
On the ground, body language calls for a tool that is clear, light and perfectly measured to protect the horse's trust. Liberty work or lunging requires a safe distance and a faithful extension of the arm to invite movement or guide the shoulders.
- Groundwork and desensitising: Headcollar training is done with a WHIP & GO natural horsemanship stick or a QHP training stick with a flag. This flag stick for horses gives clear visual signals during yielding or obstacle exercises.
- Lunging and liberty: To set the rhythm on a large circle, the lunge whip gives the reach you need. Riders can choose an ultra-light FLECK lunge whip, detachable models or a two-piece lunge whip from TDET or QHP for easier storage in their tack locker.
What should you look for in the handle and stiffness?
How a whip sits in the hand determines how accurate the signal is. A poorly balanced whip tires the forearm and stiffens the wrist, which immediately upsets the tension in the reins. The choice of handle and shaft material is therefore a key consideration.
- Handle texture: Gel, studded, golf-grip style or nubuck coverings prevent slipping in the rain or with gloves. FLECK and WHIP & GO offer a wide variety of grips to suit every sense of touch.
- Shaft flexibility: Depending on whether the shaft is fibreglass or carbon, the response ranges from a lively flexibility to a more marked stiffness, giving a measured action without unwanted wobble.