I was comparing driving whips and noticed the bamboo whips that are available. Are these for schooling, showing? If for showing, what type turnout does it go with, Country pleasure?
I have a couple. I have used them with more country type turnouts, but they can be used anyplace you see a holly whips.
I donât now all the details of various turnout requirements, but bamboo whips are very similar to holly whips, but much cheaper. Personally, I keep mine for show and use cheap whips for training.
I would agree with Crista. Bamboo is suitable for showing, a good wooden whip, just a less expensive whip than holly. Just needs to be the proper length for your turnout.
Is it springy, flexible? I have seen them, we just have not owned any bamboo whips.
Thank you for the info! The bamboo whips I saw online were made by Fleck and are described as flexible. I use a Fleck whip for driving and like the fit and feel it provides. Iâm not familiar with the Holly whips either. 
Holly Whips are the gold standard for showing and they expensive, especially of you find an antique.
http://www.drivingessentials.com/holly%20whips.php
https://elasticrods.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/driving-whip-etiquette/
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Fantastic, thank you!!!
Thanks for posting the links, the whip post was interesting reading.
I have been told by older drivers that holly was preferred because of the ânubsâ on stick in helping to catch-up the long whiplash. Lash snagged a little on nubs, not sliding off like a smooth stick allows. Stiffer stick allows that ability to do the hand movement for furling the long lash neatly on the stick. You start learning to furl the lash like in the pictures, but as skill improves you need to do the furling all one-handed because you are driving. Lash has to lay neatly on stick to get it caught up AND then be able to unfurl the lash to use it again! Takes plenty of practice furling, unfurling, along with lash end ACTUALLY hitting what you aim for while driving along in your Tandem or Four horse carriage.
Older holly whips usually have lots of nubs, while modern or more recently made holly whips tend to have a lot less in nub quantity. Old holly growth with lots of branching is not common anymore, so sticks get harvested at younger, less branched growth stages. Other woods also have nubs, but holly was common in older times.
Even now just being careful in hanging your nice whip encourages the graceful bend from stick tip to lash, seems easier to get in proper position for directing the horse.
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Would you elaborate more on this please. I just keep my whip in the socket holder on my cart but now I have the sense there is a better way to store it in between drives. Iâve seen the round whip holder where it looks like you run the lash through and the wooden one with pegs. Do you recommend one style over the other?
Whip should have a gentle bend at tip of stick going on into the lash, before it is worth trying to store it well. The âbowâ is built in on even some inexpensive whips though not all. You probably canât make it bow topped by hanging it up, if whip does not come bow topped.
We are most familiar with the whip reels for storage. They are round, larger radius of 6 to 8 inches across, have grooves on the outer rim for laying the lash into to keep the shape in the bow. Lash comes around the reel, then can hang straight down or is sometimes clipped back on the stick using a method that wonât make a crimp in the lower lash. Older whip reels seem better at holding onto the lash, groove keeps whip in place, doesnât need any clips. Stick hangs from reel straight down to keep the (usually wooden) stick from bending in storage. Whips stored in a bucket holder all get a bend in sticks from lash pulling down over time. I keep our nicer modern whips, single, Pairs, stored this way between competitions.
I have seen the holder with pegs, usually wall mounted. You lay the stick between the pairs of pegs to prevent bending in storage. Pegs hold stick offset to the reel so things stay aligned when not being used. Top with lash are laid over a smaller reel for storage to keep the bow properly shaped and no kinks in the lash. As stated in the link, bow was usually created with goose quills or whalebone, rather fragile materials you had to be careful with. The old type Multiples whips were sticks with finely braided leather lashes, kept supple with conditioner and coiled at the bottom of the cabinet. Those long lashes had to reach the Leader of a Tandem or Four and braiding allowed great lash flexibility without kinking, as you sent the lash out or gathered it up to furl it on the stick. White leather was prefered, it was more fashionable. Still is for that matter. Whip maker could change out the lash on a fancy stick if lash got worn, broke some braiding to unravel or got dirty.
Anytime you can hang the whip, it will stay straighter, both modern and antique whips. For shorter stick whips, your inexpensive, non-bow top whips, you can hang them by the lash popper. Whip holders are fairly cheap if you get the plastic type for riding whips. Whips left on vehicles in holders tend to die fast here. They are unnoticed as you load the carriage and snap it off!! Maybe push vehicle thru a short doorway for storage. I quit counting here, glad they were mostly cheap ones! We have improved, now use other methods than holder to make sure we include the whip with vehicle for outings.
Thank you Goodhors!
New whip length question, bear with me please. At a clinic last fall the instructor recommend I purchase a longer whip. My current whip, sans lash, stops in the center of my donkeyâs rib cage. It allows me to encourage her hindquarters and barrel. If I go with a longer whip, which reaches her shoulder, then how do I use it closer in to tap her hind quarters without bringing my arm back? I have another clinic coming up in a few weeks so perhaps I can borrow a longer one during a session to try it out.
I am wondering if my whip length is okay but maybe a longer lash to reach the shoulders???
