No Whip debate

Craig Eudey wrote: I think hitting behind the saddle should go as many jockeys hit too low and hit the horse's flank which is extremely sensitive. A tap down the shoulder to urge him on and to straighten him would be as far as I go.

Garrick wrote: Couple of points with regard to horse care :

1.) As mentioned in another post - spurs were used on racehorses until well into the last century. I am sure there was a loud whinge from the usual morons when they were outlawed.

2.) The 'Horse Whisperer' has taken the 'break' out of 'breaking in' horses and shown that the previous, inhumane but widely accepted method of rendering a horse compliant can be achieved in a caring fashion.

3.) I have no problem with 'showing the whip' to guide a horse.

4.) I have a big problem with the uncontrolled panel beating going on in South African racing at present; an issue which I first started commenting on after the 2016 July meeting. I have lost count of the number of jockeys I have observed flailing away on a horse which is clearly tiring and dropping away through the field. Consequently I endorse Louis Goosen's very valid questions regarding who, if anybody, is actually regulating racing.

I only have one horse left in training. It will be my last as the 'game' is now a grubby, uncontrolled, over priced circus offering almost no pleasure and certainly no pleasant social interaction and camaraderie. My personal rules are simple:

a.) 'Rest' is not a four letter word.
b.) You had better have a very good reason if you administer any/most medications to my horse.
c.) The use of the whip ( yes - it's a WHIP) on my animal is strictly prohibited. Jockeys are under no obligation to ride for me if they cannot comply.
d.) No horse of mine will ever race as a two year old & may only debut as a late three year old. I'm not in this game to fatten up vets and even the brain dead should know that a horse only reaches maturity at 5. So what's the hurry?

My source influence in 'how to treat horses' was formulated in the 1970's by the Countess Of Kenmare. She imported and raced a number of Australian fillies in the Cape. Older racing fans might remember [b]Miss Lindeman[/b], Miss International & Marysa to name a few. The Countess had a strict 'no stick' policy which didn't stop her horses winning a slew of Grade 1 races.