The whip, or gaul, is used by preference until the horse is sufficiently trained that the spur can be substituted. should the rider need his hands free to hold a weapon or tool, and at that point the spur was substituted for the whip.

From Craig's book...

The whip is one of the most useful devises, and it is the only artificial aid which I think is totally indispensable. At FEI level the rider is not allowed to use the whip, but must wear the spurs. This is a remnant of military riding, when the whip hand was occupied using a sword, or other weapon. The spur became the only recourse to supporting the aids. The horse had to be well managed by the single hand. If you look at the old etchings illustrating riding from historical times, the rider always has a whip in hand.

The educated use of the whip makes it a veritable magic wand in the hands of an educated handler. The whip is a means of drawing and directing the horse’s attention, and of increasing, decreasing, or directing the circulation of neuro-energy.   It is also a way of relaxing the horse.

As soon as I say the word “whip” many riders recoil; imagining dark images of horses beaten into submission. If one has only seen the whip used as an instrument of abuse, this is natural. When a man raises his hand and the women in his family all cringe, certain conclusions can be drawn. But, while we can infer that one particular man is abusive, it does not follow that everyone's hands should be kept in their pockets lest they cause pain.

The whip is an extension of the rider’s hand, and has as many nuances to offer as does touch itself. The feel of the whip can be as soft as touching a friend’s arm to draw his attention. It can be sharp and sudden—drawing attention as does a sudden clap of the hands. It can be a repetitious and relentless tap, dull as a dripping faucet; it can stroke the horse or scratch his itchy places; it can stimulate him simply with a whooshing sound or startle him with an unexpected sensation on a spot not normally stimulated, such as the croup. The whip tapped lightly but repeatedly on one muscle group, then withdrawn, has the effect of making that muscle “glow” with attention.

The whip works with the mind of the horse, drawing him into the conversation with the rider, opening neuro-pathways that would otherwise stay quiet. The whip engages the emotions. It’s impossible to have a conversation with man or beast in which the conversants don’t care. The whip assures the focus of the horse. It is a powerful tool. The horse should welcome the whip as a lover welcomes the hand, if a horse flinches from the whip, use more tact. The good rider is always welcome, flirtatious, and conscious in the use of the whip. It inspires emotion, but should never be abused.

The Spur:

...the only time to introduce the spurs to a rider is when she can’t imagine she would ever need them.

...a well educated rider has no problem in obtaining willing submission without any artificial device. It would be ideal in upper level riding if the requirement for spurs was eliminated. While they can enhance the refinement of the aids for a correctly educated rider, all too commonly the spurs become instruments of torture and ways of forcing submission.

email any questions or comments to Mary Anne