Whips in racing
Open your eyes to the reality of what flogging a tired horse actually means
Call for whip-free racing from RSPCA Australia on Vimeo.
There is no longer a place for whips in racing and the RSPCA is calling on the Australian Racing Board to officially ban whips from thoroughbred racing.
Horses are being pointlessly beaten in the name of sport – evidence has shown that whipping does not increase a horse’s chance of placing.
Australian whip rules are neither effective nor enforceable and are in urgent need of review – they are placing horses at serious risk of abuse.
The RSPCA believes a top performance horse needs great genetics, great preparation and great horsemanship. Whipping does not come into it.
Join the RSPCA and call on the Australian Racing Board to ban the whip and introduce whip free racing in Australia.
Background
In March 2009 the Australian Racing Board introduced new rules to reduce the number of times jockeys can whip their horses in a race. After outcry from jockeys, owners and breeders, these rules were wound back twice. Only forehand-style whipping is limited from the start of a race and jockeys can still use the whip at their discretion in the last 100 metres – that means within the rules horses could be struck up to 13 times in a row.
The RSPCA would like to see:
- a commitment from jockeys to adhere to the rules
- a commitment from the racing industry to encourage reduced reliance on whips
- mandatory training programs in place for jockeys to help them adapt
- a ‘hands and heels' series introduced into Australia
- an end of the use of whips as performance aids.
Read more
- What is the RSPCA position on racehorse whips?
- Do padded whips cause pain to horses?
- Australian Racing Board Rules
- Read more on the study Whip use by jockeys in a sample of Australian Thoroughbred races.
- Study reveals unacceptable use of whips in racing