Riding Crops, Lunge Whips, and Dressage Whips
Riding Crops & Whips: When your legs, voice and seat aren't enough, a horse whip or crop may be a helpful supplement to your aids.
Horse riding crops and bats, sometimes called a horse training stick, are available in different lengths, colors and handle styles. The main difference between a riding crop and a riding bat is the leather top tab at the end. A bat typically has a wider, 1" to 2" squarer tab at the end where an English crop tends to have a thin narrow tab about half an inch. Both a horse crop and bat require a rider to bridge the reins in one hand to use the whip on the hindquarters of the horse. Shorter bats are more common with jumpers.
A dressage whip is longer and a skilled rider can tap the side of the horse, behind the rider’s leg, without bridging the reins into one hand. Dressage training whips are available in lengths from 30" to 47" and have various handle designs like pebble-grip, leather wrapped, tacky leather and more. In addition, the button on the handle of the dressage whip can be decorative making them beautiful as well as functional.
A lunge whip or a horse training whip has a long flexible but strong shaft followed by a long lash, with or without a cracker at the end. When a horse is on a lunge line the trainer can help cue the horse to move forward or away with a lunge whip. Available in multiple shaft and lash lengths and often in standard black or fun colors and designs.
Most riding crops, bats, dressage whips and lunge whips are made from a strong but flexible fiberglass core with a nylon or polyethylene covering. Each one has a textured non-slip rubber handle for improved grip and some have a wrist loop to keep them from falling during a ride.