Is horse racing right to crack down on the whip?

It’s one of the highlights of the racing calendar but the build-up to this year’s Cheltenham festival has been dominated by controversy over one piece of a rider’s kit: the whip. So, are new restrictions over its use a necessary step to protect horse welfare and improve the sport’s image? Or, are they an over-the-top reaction to a non-existent problem that’s forcing riders to reinvent their techniques at the peak of the jump racing season? Ex Gold Cup-winning jockey Andrew Thornton argues that whip use is "not a welfare issue", while Roly Owers, the CEO of World Horse Welfare, insists that the whip should only be used for safety and training, not to encourage a horse. Panel: Nesta McGregor, John Hunt, Andrew Thornton & Roly Owers. Producer: Sam Sheringham

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Is horse racing right to crack down on the whip? is an episode from The Sports Desk by BBC.

This episode is 44:39 long.

This episode was published on Mar 17, 2023.

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