Contents
1 Use
1.1
Whip
Whip cracking
2 Stockwhips
2.1 Australian stockwhip 2.2 Bullwhip 2.3 Additional types
3
Florida
Florida cow whip
4 Signal whips
5 Snake whips
6 Equestrian whips and crops
7 Buggy whip and coachwhip
8 Qilinbian
9 As practical weapons
10 Whip-like appendages in nature
11 In popular culture
12 See also
13 References
14 Sources
15 External links
Use[edit] Whips are generally used on animals to provide directional guidance or to encourage movement. Some whips are designed to control animals by imparting discomfort by tapping or pain by a full-force strike that produces pain compliance. Some whips provide guidance by the use of sound, such as cracking of a bullwhip. Other uses of whips are to provide a visual directional cue by extending the reach and visibility of the human arm. In modern times, the pain stimulus is still used in some animal training, and is permitted in many fields, including most equestrianism disciplines, some of which mandate carrying a whip. The whip can be a vital tool to back up riding aids when applied correctly, particularly when initial commands are ignored. However, many competition governing bodies limit the use of whips, and severe penalties may be in place for over-use of the whip, including disqualification and fines.[1] Overuse improper use of whips may be considered animal cruelty in some jurisdictions.[2]
Whip
Whip made in Silesia, Poland, made to enhance its cracking sound, used
in folk Easter celebrations of Siuda Baba
Whip
Whip use by sound never or rarely strikes the animal; instead, a long,
flexible whip is cracked to produce a very sharp, loud sound. This
usage also functions as a form of operant conditioning: most animals
will flinch away from the sound instinctively, making it effective for
driving sled dogs, livestock and teams of harnessed animals like oxen
and mules. The sound is loud enough to affect multiple animals at
once, making whip-cracking more efficient under some circumstances.
This technique can be used as part of an escalation response, with
sound being used first prior to a pain stimulus being applied, again
as part of operant conditioning.
Whips used without painful stimulus, as an extension of the human hand
or arm, are a visual command, or to tap an animal, or to exert
pressure. Such use may be related to operant conditioning where the
subject is conditioned to associate the whip with irritation,
discomfort or pain, but in other cases, a whip can be used as a simple
tool to provide a cue connected to positive reinforcement for
compliant behavior. In the light of modern attitudes towards the
potential for cruelty in whips, other names have gained currency among
practitioners such as whips called a "wand" or a "stick," calling the
lash a "string" or a "popper".
Whip
Whip cracking[edit]
Main article: Whipcracking
The loud sound of a whip-crack is produced by a ripple in the material
of the whip travelling towards the tip, rapidly escalating in speed
until it breaches the speed of sound, more than 30 times the speed of
the initial movement in the handle. The crack is thus a small sonic
boom.[3] Whips were the first man-made objects to break the sound
barrier.
Most stick type whips cannot make a crack by themselves, unless they
either have a very long lash, such as a longe whip, or are very
flexible with a moderately long lash, like certain styles of buggy
whip. But any design can be banged against another object, such as
leather boot, to make a loud noise. Short, stiff crops often have a
wide leather "popper" at the end which makes a particularly loud noise
when slapped against an animal, boot, or other object.
Stockwhips[edit]
An Australian stockwhip
An Australian bullwhip
Drafting whip (or cattle drafter) made by George Woolnough, the famous "Tenterfield Saddler"
Stockwhips (or stock whips), including bullwhips and the Australian
stockwhip, are a type of single-tailed leather whip with a very long
lash but a short handle. Stockwhips are primarily used to make a loud
cracking sound to move livestock (cattle, sheep, horses, etc.) away
from the sound. It is generally not used to actually strike an animal,
as it would inflict excessive pain and is difficult to apply with
precision.
Australian stockwhip[edit]
Main article: Stockwhip
The Australian stockwhip is often said to have originated in the
English hunting whip, but it has since become a distinct type of whip.
Today, it is used primarily by stockmen. Unlike the short, embedded
handle of a bullwhip, the stockwhip handle is not fitted inside the
lash and is usually longer. A stockwhip's handle is connected to the
thong by a joint typically made of a few strands of thick leather
(which is called a keeper). This allows the whip to hang across a
stockman's arm when not being used. The handles are normally longer
than those of a bullwhip, being between 15 and 21 inches (380 and
530 mm). The thong can be from 3 to 10 feet (0.91 to 3.05 m)
long. Stockwhips are also almost exclusively made from tanned kangaroo
hide.
The Australian stockwhip was shown internationally when lone rider
Steve Jefferys reared his
Australian Stock Horse
Australian Stock Horse and cracked the
stockwhip to commence the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.
Bullwhip[edit]
Main article: Bullwhip
A bullwhip consists of a handle between 8 to 12 inches (200 to
300 mm) in length, and a lash composed of a braided thong between
3 to 20 feet (0.91 to 6.10 m) long. Some whips have an exposed
wooden grip, others have an intricately braided leather covered
handle. Unlike the Australian stock whip, the thong connects in line
with the handle (rather than with a joint), or even engulfs the handle
entirely. At the end of the lash is the "fall" and cracker or popper.
The fall is a single piece of leather between 10 to 30 inches (250 to
760 mm) in length. During trick shots or target work, the fall is
usually the portion of the whip used to cut, strike, or wrap around
the target. The cracker is the portion of the whip that makes the loud
"sonic boom" sound, but a whip without a cracker will still make a
sonic boom, simply not as loud.
Additional types[edit]
A whip made of balatá, made prior to 1939.
Whip, possibly Native American, Plains, late 19th century, horsehair and rawhide, Brooklyn Museum
There are other variations and lengths of stock whips. The yard whip
is a type of smaller stockwhip. The yard whip is used on ground in
cattle yards and other small areas where speed and precision is
needed. The yard whip is also used by younger children that are not
strong enough to handle a large stock whip.
The cattle drafter (or drafting whip) is a cane or fibreglass rod with
a handgrip, knob and wrist strap. The cane length is about 75 cm
(2'6") and the flapper length is about 30 cm (12") long. These
whips are used in cattle yards and also when moving pigs.
The bullock-whip was used by an Australian bullock team driver
(bullocky). The thong was 8 to 10 feet long, or more, and often made
of greenhide. A long handle was cut from spotted gum or another native
tree and was frequently taller than the bullock driver's shoulder. The
bullocky walked beside the team and kept the bullocks moving with taps
from the long handle as well as using the thong as needed.[4]
The Rose whip is another variation of the stockwhip that was pioneered
in Canada in the early 19th century, though it largely fell out of use
by the 1880s. The Rose whips were effective in animal yards and other
small areas. It was pioneered by an American farmer, Jack
Liao[citation needed].
The Raman whip is a similar variation of the stockwhip which closely
relates to the Rose whip. This variation was pioneered in the small
Ontario city of Hamilton in the early 20th century, though it largely
fell out of use by the 1920s. Raman whips were effective on horse
farms, horse derbies, and in other rural areas. It was pioneered by
the South African inventor, Delaware Kumar.
Florida
Florida cow whip[edit]
The
Florida
Florida cow whip used by Floridian cowboys is a two-piece unit
like the stockwhip and is connected to the handle by threading two
strands of the thong through a hollow part of a wooden handle before
being tied off. The cowwhip is heavier than the Australian stockwhip.
Early cowwhips were made mostly of cowhide or buckskin.
Modern cow whips are made of flat nylon parachute cord, which, unlike
those made from leather, are still effective when wet. Most cowwhips
have handles that average 16 inches, and thongs that average 12
feet. A good cowwhip can produce a loud crack by a simple push of the
handle. This can make it more convenient to use than a bullwhip in a
thick vegetated environment with less swinging room. The Tampa Bay
Whip
Whip Enthusiasts give demonstrations of the
Florida
Florida Cracker
Cowboy
Cowboy in
costume at the annual Heritage Village Civil War Days festival,
located in Largo,
Florida
Florida every year in May.
Signal whips[edit]
A 4' (1.2 m) signal whip
Signal whips (or signalwhips) are a type of single-tailed whip,
originally designed to control dog teams. A signal whip usually
measures between 3 and 4 feet in length. Signal whips and snake whips
are similar. What distinguishes a signal whip from a snake whip is the
absence of a "fall". A fall is a piece of leather attached to the end
of the body of the whip. In a snake whip, the "cracker" attaches to
the fall. In a signal whip, the cracker attaches directly to the body
of the whip.
Snake whips[edit]
Snake whips (or snakewhips) are a type of single-tailed whip. The name
snake whip is derived from the fact that this type of whip has no
handle inside and so can be curled up into a small circle which
resembles a coiled snake. They were once commonly carried in the
saddlebag by cowboys of the old west. A full sized snake whip is
usually at least 4 feet in length (excluding the fall and cracker at
the tip of the whip) and around one inch in diameter at the butt of
the whip.
A pocket snake whip can be curled up small enough to fit into a large
pocket, and ranges in size from 3 feet to 6 feet in length. The pocket
snake whip is primarily a whip for occasional use, such as in loading
cattle. Both of these types of snake whips are made with a leather
shot bag running approximately three quarters of the length of the
whip.
Blacksnakes are the traditional whips used in
Montana
Montana and Wyoming. The
blacksnake has a heavy shot load extending from the butt well down the
thong, and the whip is flexible right to the butt. They range in size
from 6 feet to 12 feet in length. Some types concentrate a load in the
butt (often a lead ball or steel ball-bearing) to facilitate its use
as improvised blackjack.
Equestrian whips and crops[edit]
Top: A dressage whip. Bottom: a hunting crop
Horse
Horse whips or riding whips are artificial aids used by equestrians
while riding, driving, or handling horses from the ground. There are
many different kinds, but all feature a handle, a long, semi-flexible
shaft, and either a popper or lash at the end, depending on use.
Riding whips rarely exceed 48" from handle to popper, horse whips used
for ground training and carriage driving are sometimes longer.
The term "whip" is the generic word for riding whips, the term "crop"
is more specific, referring to a short, stiff whip used primarily in
English riding
English riding disciplines such as show jumping or hunt seat. Some of
the more common types of horse whips include:
Dressage
Dressage whips are up to 43 inches long, including lash or
popper, and are used to refine the aids of the rider, not to hurt the
horse. They generally ask for more impulsion, and are long enough that
they can reach behind the rider's leg to tap the horse while the rider
still holds the reins with both hands. The shaft is slightly flexible
and tapers to a fine point at the tip. A similar, but slightly longer
whip is used in saddle seat style English riding.
Longe whips have a shaft about 4–5 feet long and a lash of equal or
greater length. They are used to direct the horse as it is 'moved on a
circle aroung the person standing in the centre, a process known as
"longeing" (pronounced /ˈlʌndʒɪŋ/) The whip is used to guide and
signal direction and pace, and is not used with force against the
horse. Taking the place of the rider's leg aids, the positioning of
the longe whip in relation to the horse gives the horse signals.
Occasionally, due to the long lash, it may be cracked to enforce a
command.
Longeing
Longeing whip
A plaited show cane
Driving whips have a stock about the same length as a longe whips, but a short lash, often no more than 12 inches. They are used specifically for driving horses in carriages or carts. A crop or "bat" has a fairly stiff stock, and is only 2-2.5 feet in length, with a "popper" - a looped flap of leather - at the end. Because it is too short to reach behind the riders leg while still holding the reins, it is most often used by taking the reins in one hand and hitting the horse behind the rider's leg, using the crop, held in the other hand. Less often, it may be used to tap the horse on the shoulder as a simple reminder to the animal that the rider is carrying it. It is to back up the leg aids, when the horse is not moving forward, or occasionally as a disciplinary measure (such as when a horse refuses or runs out on a jump). Crops or bats are most commonly seen in sports such as show jumping, hunt seat style English riding, horse racing, and in rodeo speed sports such as barrel racing. A hunting whip is not precisely a horse whip, though it is carried by a mounted rider. It has a stock about the same length as a crop, except its "stock" is stiff, not flexible. On one end of the stock it has a lash that is several feet in length, on the other end it has a hook, which is used to help the rider open and close gates while out fox hunting. The hunting whip is not intended to be used on the horse, but rather the lash is there to remind the hounds to stay away from the horse's hooves, and it can also be used as a communication device to the hounds. A quirt is a short, flexible piece of thickly braided leather with two wide pieces of leather at the end, which makes a loud crack when it strikes an animal or object. They inflict more noise than pain. Quirts are occasionally carried on horses used in western riding disciplines, but because the action of a quirt is slow, they are not used to correct or guide the horse, but are more apt to be used by a rider to reach out and strike at animals, such as cattle that are being herded from horseback. A show cane is a short, stiff cane that may be plain, leather covered, or covered with braided leather. Traditional canes are made from a stick of holly, cherry or birch wood, which is dressed and polished. They are rarely used now except in formal show hacking events.
Rudyard Kipling's short story Garm - a Hostage mentions a long whip
used by a horseback rider in India to defend an accompanying pet dog
from risk of attack by native pariah dogs. This probably was a hunting
whip.
In Victorian literature cads and bounders are depicted as being
horsewhipped or threatened with horsewhipping for seduction of young
women or breach of promise (to marry)[citation needed], usually by her
brothers or father[citation needed]. Examples are found in the works
of Benjamin Disraeli[citation needed] and
Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope who
includes such a scene in Doctor Thorne. It is also mentioned, though
not depicted, in comic novels by Evelyn Waugh[citation needed] and
P.G. Wodehouse[citation needed]. As late as the 1970s the historian
Desmond Seward was reported by the
Daily Telegraph
Daily Telegraph to have been
threatened with horsewhipping for besmirching the reputation of
Richard III
Richard III in a biography[citation needed].
Buggy whip and coachwhip[edit]
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
A buggy whip is a horsewhip with a long stiff shaft and a relatively short lash used for driving a horse harnessed to a buggy or other small open carriage. A coachwhip, usually provided with a long lash, is used in driving a coach with horses in front of other horses. Though similar whips are still manufactured for limited purposes, the buggy whip industry as a discernible economic entity ceased to exist with the introduction of the automobile, and is cited in economics and marketing as an example of an industry ceasing to exist because its market niche, and the need for its product, disappears. In discussing market regulation, it is often held that the economy would be disadvantaged as a whole if the automobile had been banned to protect the buggy-whip industry. Buggy whips are not entirely gone. A resurgence of interest in the international sport of combined driving and historical carriage driving, sports enjoyed by people of all ages, has allowed some buggy whip manufacturers to stay in business, serving this specialty niche market. Foremost among these is a company in Westfield, Massachusetts.
Qilinbian
Qilinbian[edit] Qilinbian (麒麟鞭, literally meaning "unicorn whip") is a metal whip invented in China in the late 1900s. The 15 cm handle is made from a steel chain wrapped with leather. The lash is made of steel rods decreasing in size linked by progressively smaller steel rings. Lash varies between 150 cm and 180 cm and is attached to a fall and a cracker. Total weight is 1–2 kg. It is used for physical exercise and in performances.[5] As practical weapons[edit]
This section possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (August 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Certain varieties of whip have earned a reputation as a weapon through
popular culture, film and television. In reality only a narrow range
of whip-like instruments are practical instruments in combat. Typical
whips are of little use against armoured targets, as well as those
with means of blocking, intercepting or outmanouvring a whip;
human-on-human whip usage is almost always performed on an immobilised
and exposed target, and when it isn't the user typically has a
defensive advantage in terms of weaponry, armour, manouvreability
(i.e. the target will be manacled) or position (i.e. the user is on a
raised platform).
Short, stiff whips, including crops, are capable of inflicting welts
or painful stings, but, typically, no disabling injuries. The more
martially-designed sjambok can inflict serious wounds and sometimes
even cut through clothing.
Striking a person or animal with a single-tail whip can inflict cuts,
but with a whip made from common materials, these wounds are simple
high-speed abrasions that do not penetrate more than the depth of the
skin. If the whip has sharp barbs or the tip includes materials fine
and strong enough to cut such as Kevlar, there can be more serious
wounds, but even with these, a disabling injury is unlikely. Whips
with these features require an expert whip handler to avoid
inadvertently cutting themselves, the whip, or other people or objects
the whip may contact.
A single-tail whip can wrap around limbs or body or the neck. This is
fairly easy to do, but is impractical in most physical combat
environments where it is difficult to maintain the necessary spacing
between the target and the person throwing the whip. It is not a
practical means by which to significantly restrict or control movement
and is unlikely to throttle a target. It is fairly simple to perform
on a static target, but is impractical in most physical combat
environments where maintaining distance between the wielder and the
target is easily confounded.
Some shorter whips are designed with a heavy lead or steel ball woven
into the pommel, or a shot bag filled with lead shot braided into the
body. Other whips have flexible metallic cable or rigid metal rods in
the handle. These materials provide mass, making the whip easier to
crack during normal use. These weights and rigid pieces also enable
the whip to be reversed and used as a bludgeon. As the incorporation
of heavy, metallic, sizeable and blunt elements in a whip increases,
it shifts towards becoming a flail, morning star or meteor hammer type
of mace.
The Chinese
Jiujiebian
Jiujiebian ("nine section whip"), is a segmented metal
chain whip designed for use in martial arts. In the hands of someone
trained in its use, it is considerably more effective as a weapon than
other whips. The many segments of the whip provide a similar utility
to the dual ends of a nunchaku, allowing the user to firmly grab any
part of the instrument without compromising any piece's striking
efficacy.
Whip-like appendages in nature[edit]
Some organisms exhibit whip-like appendages in their physiology:
Many unicellular organisms and spermatozoa have one or two whip-like
flagella, which are used for propulsion. "Flagellum" is
Latin
Latin for
"whip".
The tails of some large lizards (e.g. iguanas and monitor lizards) are
used and optimized for whipping, and larger lizards can seriously
injure a human with a well-placed strike.[6] The biological names of
some lizards reference this with the terms Mastigo- or -mastix, which
derive from the Greek term for "whip".
The whip snakes are so-called from their physical resemblance, and
were associated with myths that they could whip with their body in
self-defense, since proven false.
Thelyphonida
Thelyphonida arachnids are also known as "whip scorpions" due to the
shape of their tails.
It has been proposed that some sauropod dinosaurs could crack the ends
of their tails like coach whips as a sound signal, as well as a form
of defense against any attackers.
In popular culture[edit]
The whip is widely if only situationally portrayed across many avenues
of popular culture. Whips have appeared in many cartoons, television
shows, videogames (including a central role in the Castlevania
franchise), and numerous films, ranging from the original
Zorro
.jpg)
Zorro to
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and Catwoman (2004). The depicted usage
of whips is often dramatic and wildly exaggerated, showing users
reliably tripping or disarming adversaries under extraordinary
circumstances, breaking substantial objets with normal blows, and use
as a grappling aid among others.
This last usage is particularly common, and specifically involves
wrapping the whip around a fixed overhead object and using the body to
swing across an open space. While this is theoretically possible, the
wrap must exhibit intense strength—enough to hold the user's body
weight for the entire leap— but be made of material loose enough to
smoothly disengage once the swing is completed. Thus actual use in
this fashion is highly impractical; it would require not only a
precisely balanced whip relative to the user, but also to the overhead
fixture, which would not only compromise the whip's efficacy for any
other use or context but require exceptional contrivance of
circumstance. Even granted all of this, the strain of such a swing
will damage or break most leather whips. In live-action fiction, the
visual effect is achieved by braiding the whip over a steel or kevlar
support cable and anchoring the tip permanently to a support such as a
crane or scaffolding. In many instances the whip handle is also
attached to a concealed body harness on the actor for safety, allowing
more dynamic motions to make the swing appear more daring and
graceful.
The popular investigative-entertainment program
MythBusters
MythBusters tested the
various capabilities of whips shown in the film Raiders of the Lost
Ark during "The Busters of the Lost Myths" episode. With exact trained
usage, the show demonstrated that it is possible to disarm a
pistol-wielding opponent with a long whip strike. The episode also
demonstrate that a wood log, with sufficient friction, could be used
as an overhang to grapple with a whip, swing across a chasm and neatly
disengage. Using a high-speed camera they were also able to verify
that the tip of a whip can break the speed of sound.
See also[edit]
Bullwhip Cat o' nine tails Crop (implement) Discipline (mortification) Flagellation
Knout Quirts Scourge Sjambok
References[edit]
^ "Final decision of the FEI tribunal" (PDF). Fédération Équestre Internationale. 2010-07-09. ^ Curnutt, Jordan. Animals and the law: a sourcebook. Contemporary Legal Issues. ABC-CLIO. pp. 260–261. ISBN 1-57607-147-2. ^ Graham, Sarah (2002-05-28). "True Cause of Whip's Crack Uncovered". Scientific American. ^ Chisholm, Alec H., The Australian Encyclopaedia, Halstead Press, Sydney, 1963 ^ "麒麟鞭_百度百科". video.sina.com.cn. 2014-01-19. Retrieved 2014-01-19. ^ "Physical Aggression in Captive Iguanas". University of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2009-10-20.
Sources[edit]
Chisholm, Alec H. (1963). The Australian Encyclopaedia. Halstead Press. Dante, Robert (2008). Let's Get Cracking! The How-To Book of Bullwhip Skills. RDante. ISBN 1-4404-0623-5. Edwards, Ron (1999). How to Make Whips. Cornell Maritime Press. ISBN 0-87033-513-8. Largier, Niklaus (2007). In Praise of the Whip. Zone Books. ISBN 978-1-890951-65-8. Morgan, David W. (2004). Whips and Whipmaking. Cornell Maritime Press. ISBN 0-87033-557-X.
External links[edit]
Media related to whips at Wikimedia Commons
v t e
Horse
Horse tack and other equine equipment
Saddles, component parts and accessories
Saddles
Western saddle English saddle Australian Stock Saddle Sidesaddle Pack saddle
Component parts and accessories
Girth (tack)
Breastplate (tack)
Stirrup
Tapadero
Saddle
Saddle blanket
Saddlebag
Pannier
Bits, bridles and hackamores
Headstalls
Bridle Hackamore Double bridle Bitless bridle
Bits and bit parts
Curb bit Snaffle bit Gag bit Kimblewick bit Pelham bit Spade bit (horse) Ring bit Bit mouthpiece Bit ring Bit shank
Component parts and accessories
Noseband
Noseband or cavesson
Bosal
Mechanical hackamore
Reins
Romal
Mecate (rein)
Curb chain
Fiador (tack)
Bit converter
Bit guard
Lip strap
Tongue-tie (tack)
Horse
Horse harness and carriages
Harness and parts
Horse
Horse harness
Horse
Horse collar (includes hames)
Breastplate (tack)
Breeching (tack)
Crupper
Trace (tack)
Terret
Surcingle
Harness bridle components
Blinders
Blinders or blinkers
Shadow roll
Bearing rein
Bearing rein or overcheck
Horse-drawn vehicles
Carriage
Sulky
wagon
Sled
Cart
Horse
Horse and buggy
Naturmobil
Tack accessories and training tools
Martingale (tack)
Whip
Crop (implement)
Quirt
Spur
Surcingle
Bitting rig
Longeing
Longeing cavesson
Side reins
Chambon
Draw reins and running reins
Gogue
Other equipment
Stable equipment
Halter
Lead (tack)
Grooming tools
Horse
Horse blanket
Fly mask
Leg protection
Leg wraps Polo wraps Shipping bandage Stable bandage Bell boots Splint boots Skid boots
Restraints
Hobble (device)
Picket line
Twitch (device)
Cattle
Cattle crush
Historic or ceremonial equipment
McClellan saddle
Barding
Kura (saddle)
Abumi (stirrup)
Frentera
Shabrack
Caparison
Horse
Horse brass
Hipposandal
Farriery (horseshoeing)
Horseshoe Hoof boot Caulkins
Transportation
Horse
Horse trailer
Glossary of equestrian terms
Category:
Horse
Horse tack a