I’m going to tag @Janet here - I have a student who is jump judging at Great Meadow for the Old Tavern HT - she just finished the JJ’s meeting, and apparently they said “whip can only be used behind the rider’s leg, not on the shoulder.” This is news to me – as far as I know, it has always been. “whip cannot be used in front of the shoulder.”
Is this a brand new rule? TIA to anyone who knows the answer!
According to the current rules, you can use it on the shoulder as an aid to go forward, but NOT as a reprimand (after a refusal, etc.) So maybe that was the confusion?
EV 112 WHIP. The use of the whip must be for a good reason, at an appropriate time, in the right place, and with appropriate severity.
a. Reason: The whip must only be used as an aid to encourage the Horse forward, or as a reprimand. It must never be used to vent an Athlete’s temper. Such use is always excessive.
b. Time: As an aid, the only appropriate time is when a Horse is reluctant to go forward under normal aids of the seat and legs. As a reprimand, the only appropriate time is immediately after a Horse has been disobedient, e.g., napping or refusing. Instances of inappropriate use of the whip include the whip used after Elimination, after the last fence on course, and/or multiple times between Obstacles
c. Place: As an aid to go forward, the whip may be used down the shoulder or behind the Athlete’s leg. As a reprimand, it must only be used behind the Athlete’s leg. It must never be used overhand (e.g., a whip in the right hand being used on the left flank). The use of a whip on a Horse’s head, neck, etc., is always excessive use.
Thanks, and I figured it was something to that effect - probably what they meant!
I always worry that (newer) jump judges will get a bit overzealous about the rules if and when they don’t know any better, or don’t have sufficient context.
They also emphasized the “no jumping from a standstill” rule, which of course only applies to obstacles with height.
As Gardenhorse said, under USEF rules, you can the whip on the shoulder ONLY as an aid to go forward, not a punishment after a disobedience. As a reprimand after a disobediance, you can only use the whip behind your leg.
But bear in mind the FEI rules may be different- I am not currently in a position where I can easily check them. But I don’t think Old Tavern is running FEI divisions.
FEI Rules are as follows:
Excessive and/or misuse of the whip maybe considered abuse of Horse and will be reviewed case by case by the Ground Jury according to but not limited to the following principles:
a) The whip is not to be used to vent an Athlete temper.
b) The whip is not to be used after elimination.
c) The whip is not to be used after a Horse has jumped the last fence on a course.
d) The whip is not to be used overhand, (i.e. a whip in the right hand being used on the left
flank).
e) The whip is not to be used on a Horse head.
f) The whip is not to be used more than two times for any one incident.
g) Multiple excessive uses of a whip between fences.
h) If a Horse’s skin is broken or has visible marks the use of whip will always be deemed to
be excessive.
Yes, all of these rules are very clear – I’ve been to many many JJ meetings, and though they don’t go over every single detail, they do familiarize the judges with pretty much everything they will need to know.
I always try to keep abreast of the rule changes every year! The new rule changes (effective 10/1) actually dropped into my email box today, and it was right before my student told me about the mention of the whip on shoulder thing; I went back and double checked just to make sure that this has not been a new rule that we were unaware of, and that went into effect today. Nope!
So anyway, – I suspect it was just a little bit of emphasis on the “punishment after the fact“ aspect of the rule.
Or, “only fences of less than 30 cm height may be jumped from a standstill”.
Always worth stressing that jumping from a standstill is one of the most dangerous things a rider may decide to try.
(Like ditches or drops with revets), and I definitely agree!
I don’t get the in front of the saddle thing: I was always taught you use the stick to reinforce the leg, behind the leg. Using it on the shoulder seems to me to be contradictory
I’ve seen a tap on the shoulder used as a heads up cue. As in leaving the startbox ‘attention it’s business now - see the fence ahead’
I curiously have seen William Fox Pitt use it in a triple combination to alert his horse ‘not done yet!’. I started noticing this when I watched them thru an into water to water with a turn to a fence after out of the water.
Horse learns this as a cue with timely training repetitions. It’s NOT done as a smack and distracting the horse but a tap.
Agree - and have seen many riders of all levels use it this way.
It can be awkward in the moment to take the reins in one hand and tap the horse behind the leg, though I have done this on (appropriate) occasion. Harder to hit the horse behind your leg with the whip hand holding the rein since you kind of have to pull out and back with the rein while doing this - unless you slip it first.
I’ve seen it, far be It for me to question someone like WFP, but I just don’t get it: I prefer not to do it
I use it on the shoulder very often, not really a smack but a light tap or just pressure when I feel my horse going out the shoulder. It’s really just a reminder of “stay straight we have important stuff ahead of us”.
Yes, exactly. I really think that’s what the majority of people use it for!
This is how I was taught as well. I was taught that using it in front of the leg (i.e., on the shoulder) would discourage forward movement, which makes sense to me. I see it a lot when I watch the big events and I assume it’s a function of wanting to use the whip but not rearrange the reins in that moment. It still seems counterintuitive, if not counterproductive, though.
The most common use of “on the shoulder” is with green rider who has not yet learned how to steer with the reins in one hand. So they need to keep both hands on the rein on the approach, and it is hard to use the whip behind the leg while still holding the rein (and using it to steer) in the same hand.
I use a tap on the shoulder as an “Oy, pay attention” and behind the leg as a “Get on with it”. I very, very rarely use a whip but always carry one: the horse knows it is there.
Same.
OK - lowly amateur here – but with my own horses, I’ve used a tap on the shoulder versus a smack behind the saddle for very different things. I always carry a whip on XC, but rarely use it - I can’t remember the last time I smacked behind the saddle. My horses are mostly OTTBs - just holding the whip in periphery is usually enough to send them packing, and sometimes whacking them behind the saddle is counterintuitive to their confidence. However, many of them have seemed much more amenable to a shoulder rap - which I have always used to signal “HEY! Pay attention” versus “GIT!”. Very few of my horses have really needed the “GIT” – but several of them, especially when green or not quite confident on XC, have definitely needed a rap on the shoulders to keep them straight and communicate we mean business.
Then, of course, comes the “carry your whip in the correct hand” to assist with straightness and changing hand as necessary.
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