Riding crops and whips are often used as a training or communication aid between horse and rider. In the racing industry, the employment of riding crops and whips is regulated to prevent overuse or misuse. A recent study by the New York Institute of Technology evaluated differences in force between crops with flat leather poppers and soft, padded poppers.
Two flat nylon thread leather poppers and one circular, foam-padded popper were evaluated with crop rods that varied in flexibility. Each crop was secured above a flat target plate, bent upward reaching its limit, and released. Force upon impact to the plate was measured and recorded by a digital scale. The face and side of the flat leather poppers were tested. This procedure was then repeated 30 times per crop.
Researchers found that the force exerted by the individual popper depended on the flexibility of the crop’s rod. Therefore, the circular, foam-padded crop could exert more or less force than the flat leather popper depending on the material of the rod. As a result, selecting a crop based on the type of popper is not sufficient when attempting to minimize potential force to the horse. While this study is not a complete representation of crop use during riding, these findings provide useful insight to factors that can influence force from riding crops.
For more information read the abstract in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Sciences.
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