welfare evidence library • question
What does the evidence say about whether restricting or removing the whip affects safety, performance, or results — and why does the belief persist that it’s essential?
Asked by someone in Irish racing • Published July 2026
The short answer
There is evidence that in many instances, whipping causes indentations in the horse's body. Under current rules, horses can be whipped many times in a race - in Australia
few sentences here about the evidence.
THE PHYSICAL LAYER - what a practice does to the horse's body
60% of whip strikes result in a physical indent in the horse's body (Author name, Year)
Most horses are hit with the whip in the closing sections of the race (Author name, Year)
Whipping can cause horses to slow down (Author name, Year)
Whipping often does not result in acceleration (Author name, Year)
some sentences here outlining the evidence and links to papers.
THE AFFECTIVE LAYER - what the horse experiences
Horse is most likely to feel pain (Author name, Year)
Horse is .
THE SYMBOLIC & SOCIAL LAYER - what a practice means
Whip is a symbol of domination (Author name, Year)
Whip is representative of Write about symbolic and social layer here.
Horse whipping limits by racing jurisdiction
why the belief persists
Write about the structural elements that keep the practice in place,
where change could happen
Write about the structural elements that keep the practice in place,