Driving
Celine Rickards owns Carriage Driving Essentials in Mariposa, Calif. She says that the aristocrat of show whips for driving competitions is the holly whip with a braided leather lash (one is made by Fleck and retails for $395) and possibly an engraved antique silver ferrule at the joint and on the butt end cap.
Historically, the holly whips contained a whale bone that comprised the "bow" of the drop lash. Bamboo whips are quite popular for show as they are reasonably priced and look like holly from afar. Fancier whips have silver ferrules and braided soft white leather lashes.
For driving, the end of the whip lash should be able to reach the front horse's shoulder to be effective. Many experienced drivers use a very practical and inexpensive whip, usually fiberglass wrapped in plastic, for their everyday driving. Rickards sells these for $27.95. The drop lash length may vary by personal preference, but usually are between 18 and 30 inches long.
Longeing
No matter the sport, all riders and drivers may find themselves in need of a longe whip when it's time to put a horse on the longe line for training. Longe whips are often five feet in length with a six-foot lash. Deluxe models have leather wrapping.
But we like a basic whip, such as the Spiral Longe Whip, which retails for $19.95 from Dover and, like the nylon crops, is probably available at your local tack or feed store. These also come in an economy model with loud colors so you can find yours among all the black ones at the barn at $10, available at most tack stores.
The one time you may want to splurge on a longe whip is if space is tight. Then consider the Telewhip, a widely available fiberglass whip ($64.90 from Dover). The "tele" is because the whip telescopes, with the shaft retracting into the handle.
On a budget, you can get a two-piece longe whip for closer to $12, but these are notoriously unreliable-it's so easy to lose one half, and if you make too strong a motion, the top half can come out. It's best to stick with a economy model that is one piece, although you're still at about $12.
The longe whip should act as an extension of your arm, making any gesture more emphatic. If you need plenty of underlining, the lash should be cast outward. Avoid snapping or popping the whip, especially if you know there are other horses in the arena or nearby.
To find products mentioned in this article, you may contact your local tack store or catalog outlet or: www.doversaddlery.com 800-406-8204; www.hartmeyer.com 800-225-5519; www.nrsworld.com 800-467-6746; www.showstoppertack.com 800-285-0645; www.statelinetack.com 888-839-9640; www.tackstop.com 800-298-8884; www.englishridingsupply.com 866-569-1600.
