Whip hand?

[Risk-Averse Rider]

This question arose at work today when I realized that our Graphics Goddess had flipped a photo left-to-right--it's a photo of 4 racehorses & jockeys, head-to-head, coming towards the camera, and because she flipped the image, 2 of the jockeys have their whips in their left hands. (The whips of the other 2 aren't visible.)

SO... the question is, is there a typical hand to use for carrying the whip?

Does it depend on the jockey? The horse? How close other riders are?

Inquiring (and, I'll admit it, bored) minds want to know...

Thanks!!

[Blinkers On]

Depends on horse, jockey, and comfort. I tend to be right handed but if a horse lugs in or breaks to the left, I will use my left hand. A rider will switch sticks depending on if the horse responds to right or left or lugs in or out. Sort of one of those fly by the seat of your pants things.

[Risk-Averse Rider]

Thanks!

[Jessi P]

I would guesstimate that generally speaking ~75% of the time jocks will use the whip right handed. GOOD jocks can use the left handed whip equally as effectively, but let me stress again that it does take a bit of skill. ;) Sometimes coming down the lane the difference between winning and losing can be the left handed stick.

Once when my ex brother in law was riding as a bug he tried to get sophisticated and go to the left handed stick. Well he missed the horse completely and whipped himself right off the horse. :lol::D:)

[Risk-Averse Rider]

Once when my ex brother in law was riding as a bug he tried to get sophisticated and go to the left handed stick. Well he missed the horse completely and whipped himself right off the horse. :lol::D:)

Gotta ask... what's a "bug"?

[Blinkers On]

Jessie that's a great story!
When I rode cutters and reiners I would occasionally use the overly long reins to get "over and under" a horse.. I would wrap the reins around my head often.. Stupid human tricks??

[On the Farm]

Gotta ask... what's a "bug"?

Apprentice jockey

[asanders]

Gotta ask... what's a "bug"?
Apprentice jockey

An apprentice rider can have a weight allowance in some races. An apprentice or bug rider (or less PC bug boy) would have an asterisk next to there name on the program. Supposedly this looks like a bug (squashed on the program), hence the term. This interpretation also explains the phrase 'he lost his bug' when a rider has ridden enough races and is no longer an apprentice.

[SleepyFox]

GOOD jocks can use the left handed whip equally as effectively, but let me stress again that it does take a bit of skill. ;)

This is so true! I recently read Bob Baffert's book (yeah, I was a little slow to get to it) and the one thing that stood out to me was how when he was a jock he couldn't switch hands with his stick. I never could either and I was happy to see someone else admit it! :lol:

[Acertainsmile]

When I rode races I practiced really hard learning to switch sticks, and having the same coordination and strength in my left as I did in my right (not easy)... I used to have dreams where I could barely lift my left arm with the whip, LOL...

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Don't you have to be able to show you can use the whip in both hands and that you can switch hands in front of the stewards in order to get a license?
To get a jockey's license (http://www.turfclub.ie/site/qrcoverletter.pdf) in Ireland or GB, even to ride in Point to Points (amateur jump races), you have to demonstrate the ability to use the whip in both hands and that you are comfortable switching the whip, among other things.

[Acertainsmile]

Don't you have to be able to show you can use the whip in both hands and that you can switch hands in front of the stewards in order to get a license?
To get a jockey's license (http://www.turfclub.ie/site/qrcoverletter.pdf) in Ireland or GB, even to ride in Point to Points (amateur jump races), you have to demonstrate the ability to use the whip in both hands and that you are comfortable switching the whip, among other things.

Not here in the states... in fact, I rode my first race at Pimlico (back in the mid 80's) and I wasnt permitted to carry a whip... that sucked... my horse finished 4th, if I could have encouraged him a little we would have at least been 3rd...

[Blinkers On]

I had a friend that had to break from the gate and switch sticks for the stewards. I didn't have to do that though. Bush track was just happy to have people to ride the horses. It was still a jock's license.

[DeeThbd]

I remember one bug rider who was really having problems in the skill department - they took her stick away from her!:lol:
Dee

[Acertainsmile]

I had a friend that had to break from the gate and switch sticks for the stewards. I didn't have to do that though. Bush track was just happy to have people to ride the horses. It was still a jock's license.


We only had to break from the gate and work with at least one other horse for the Starter... then the Stewards watched (obviously) you ride 3 races before they you "really" got your license...

The morning I was scheduled to work for the Starter (Bowie was stil runnng but the meet was at Laurel, so the Starter made a special trip), the jock I was working with got dropped right before we made it back to the gate..:mad:

So I had to wait almost 20 minutes on the track before another set of workers came out!

[Blinkers On]

What can go wrong will...?
My first race was almost a 1/4 horse race. Which would heve been a really bad idea as getting out of the gate quickly and not on their mouths was a problem;)