I have reached a point where I need to add the whip as a tool in my riding. As a previous hunter rider I am quite comfortable carrying and using a standard short riding crop but I would love some feedback on the correct use and carriage of the dressage whip. I have a lovely horse but he can be the laid back sort and I can exhaust myself if he is not listening to my leg aids. My coach is excellent and I have been using the whip in my last few lessons. As soon as I pick it up there is an immediate difference just by carrying it.
I find it long though and it seems to stick out way to the side from what I am used to. My horse seems to be watching it out of the corner of his eye so even though I get a more immediate response I don’t feel that comfortable with it yet. I didn’t help that I hit the wall of the arena with it either. I want to train my horse to react to light leg aids and would eventually like to not have to ride with a whip at all.
If the whip is sticking out too much to the side, then your hands probably are doing something weird. The whip should sort of rest against your thigh.
My current guy goes insane with whips. When he’s acting lazy, my trainer will hand me a short crop. I literally hold it in my hand for about 30 seconds then drop it on the ground and he’s OFF. It’s wild. I miss having a horse that I can sanely use a whip with sometimes, it would be so helpful to just hold one in my hand on days when he’s more lazy. 
Fleck is my brand of choice. I own two whips - one is soft and has more swing (the one linked below), the other is harder and gives a more clear response. It would be useful for you to experiment with how different whips feel. Flecks are generally well balanced in the riders hand. I haven’t used too many whips outside of Fleck that I liked.
This is a GREAT whip to start with I feel - http://www.dressageextensions.com/feldman-whip/p/1616/
Your guy probably just needs to get a little more used to you holding a whip. Maybe if it seems too distracting, you hold is long enough for a reaction, then drop it and go. That could be his reward?
I’m in the same boat because I always feel like my whip sticks out too far. I have short arms and although I feel fortunate to have a fairly long femur, I do have chubby legs and the more I try to keep my hands close together and not spread too far apart, I feel like the whip sticks out even more!
My horse also has great disdain for the whip. I’m not even kidding when I say that he tries to “eat” it when I’m at the mounting block. He’ll almost always make an attempt to reach around and bite at it as I’m trying to get on. The crazy thing is that I rarely even use it on him! I tend to carry it in my left hand more often than the right and use it against his left shoulder to help guard him a bit since he loooooooooves to see how much he can get away with popping that shoulder out. Once in a while I will ride him without it, but I do prefer to carry it just in case I DO actually need it.
Like emipou, I love Fleck whips. This one is my whip of choice. I have it in the deep red which looks more maroon and tends to coordinate with a lot of my clothing and tack:
http://www.dressageextensions.com/fleck-ultra-light-carbon-dressage-whip/p/1661/
I had two issues to deal with. My left hand always seemed to open at the pinky and ring fingers and the whip ended up slipping down. I got this whip https://www.doversaddlery.com/fleck-perfect-balance-whip/p/X1-1462/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwiJncBRC1ARIsAOvG-a7H6aMCpVsyVlA4Yq-CqSHD618JmQ_fx4i7XtVYO4kkPlckx7Qeh20aAjWCEALw_wcB and the change in the shape of the handle seemed to enable me to keep it in my hand. Like it a lot except that in either hand, because I have meat on my thighs, if I have my hands less than a foot apart my thighs push the whips out. In order to use them I have to open my hands and that interferes with contact.
Then I got this whip http://www.dressageextensions.com/d-cue-curved-whip/p/16281/ which really does work. The handle is more oval shape than round, so you can easily keep the position that allows the curve to drape over the thigh. I do not have to move my hand way over to the side in order to touch the horse. If only it had the bumps that are on the Fleck perfect balance whip!
Something I notice a lot of riders new to dressage/dressage whips do is hold the whip close to the cap/top. I prefer to hold the whip where the grip meets the shaft. Whips have a balance point to keep it comfortable in your hand and pointing the direction you want without it flying to the outside and sticking out each time you move your hands. I find especially for “whippier” whips, you want to hold at the base of the grip so there’s less unintentional movement in the whip.
I prefer a stiffer whip so I can really feel the different contacts I want to make with it - laying it against the horse, a bop or a bounce, a tap, multiple taps, and a whack. This is my preferred whip for the last 8 years or so - I like the triangular grip a lot and the little thumb rest is in the palm of my hand when riding so I know I’m holding it at the right spot.
Agree with holding the whip more down the shaft near the balance point. Go to the tack store and pick up whips and flick them around. Even in the same model you will find variations in “whippiness”. “Soft” whips may dance around as you ride - personally, I like a medium stiff whip with an end cap - helps me not lose it.
Interesting! Sometimes I’m not sure if I’m getting my horse or just my own leg…
Even though it says it’s show legal I think I would feel a little funny using it at a show. Have you?
I have this ^^ curved whip too. I had seen an article about a para-dressage rider from the US who uses a whip in each hand as her legs are paralyzed. The photo was her using the whips at the Para Olympics, so I figured it must be OK! And unless you hold the whip out, you can’t really notice the curve since it rests over your thigh.
Have not used it in a show - I haven’t shown for quite a while. Hoping to do so next year!
Don’t want to hijack but which whip do you use that is harder? My horse is nigh impervious to the two whips that I have. One is a super flexible Fleck whip and the other is a stiffer Doebert whip with a leather tab at the end. She mostly ignores both of them. And it’s hard to shop for whips on the internet. 
This would be the whip. I am locating it by the lash and the distinct black/white pattern it has. I love this whip and pretty much just use this now (though I rarely use it since my main horse is terrified of all whips).
https://www.bitofbritain.com/Fleck-Superflex-Dressage-Whip-p/9423.htm
If your hands are held correctly . thumbs up, reins held by thumb and forefinger, you will have a small circle between the thumb and forefinger. The cap of the whip rests within that circle.
The shaft of the whip is not gripped! It lies loosely within your softly curled fingers. If your hand and elbows are working properly the whip will lie quietly across your thigh.
Activating the whip takes a mere flick or twist of the wrist. Done well it will barely affect your contact. There is absolutely no need to move your whole arm.
To practice, sit your self on a stool, in as close to riding position as you can get, and practice.
The whip like spurs is not a blunt instrument, but a fine aid.
What are everyone’s recommendations for a light, well-balanced whip? I am kicking myself for not buying one I found at Saugerties that I loved. My horse is sensitive, so too “pliant” would be bad… no accidental touches desired. Don’t want extremely rigid either though because id have trouble tickling him with it. Something in the middle would be great
Dover carries a no-name whip that I really like. It’s very lightweight, stiff, and easy to control. There’s no actual handle, just the whip and a cap. The core is covered by weaving that looks a bit like very fine candy-striping. And the last one I got was under $20 (pre-tax).
Take a field trip to a nice tack store (or show) and try them all, is my advice, or order a bunch from a web store that takes returns. As far as name brands, Fleck hands down!
MCR whips. I drive as well and changing to an MCR whip was life changing. So light and balanced and just the right amount of flick.
