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Whipping Doesn’t Affect Race ResultsBy Kentucky Equine Research Staff · April 12, 2011
A study funded by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and carried out with the assistance of Racing New South Wales in Australia concluded that whipping Thoroughbreds in the final stages of a race had no effect on the race's outcome. Instead, the study found that the most critical factor in racing success was how the horse ran in the first part of a race, and whipping a tired horse in an effort to encourage greater speed did not affect the probability of finishing in the top three placings.
Dr. Bidda Jones, a scientist working for RSPCA, commented, “This study has found that jockeys use whips just as people would expect: to try to make their slowing horses recover speed in the closing stages of a race in the hope they will get a place. What is surprising is the finding that whipping doesn't make any difference. Jockeys may as well save their energy, keep their hands on the reins, and head straight for home.”
