The Sports Desk - Is horse racing right to crack down on the whip?
Download Is horse racing right to crack down on the whip?
It’s one of the highlights of the racing calendar but the build-up to this year’s Cheltenham festival has been dominated by controversy over one piece of a rider’s kit: the whip.
So, are new restrictions over its use a necessary step to protect horse welfare and improve the sport’s image?
Or, are they an over-the-top reaction to a non-existent problem that’s forcing riders to reinvent their techniques at the peak of the jump racing season?
Ex Gold Cup-winning jockey Andrew Thornton argues that whip use is "not a welfare issue", while Roly Owers, the CEO of World Horse Welfare, insists that the whip should only be used for safety and training, not to encourage a horse.
Panel: Nesta McGregor, John Hunt, Andrew Thornton & Roly Owers.
Producer: Sam Sheringham
Published on Friday, 17th March 2023.
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