On Grand National Day, it’s time for racing to ditch the whip

Today is Grand National day.

A time when all eyes – from those cheering at the television on their sofa, to those dressed up to the nines in the crammed stands – are on Aintree Racecourse’s annual National Hunt horse race. For many, it’s about who wins and how much.

I also watch with bated breath, but for me, it’s only ever about the welfare of the horses. Will they make it round? And will the tired frontrunners be whipped to the finish?

Over the years, attitudes to animals have thankfully changed, and concern about the welfare of those we share our lives with and derive so much enjoyment from has increased.

As far as we at the RSPCA are concerned, this is a good thing. It has undoubtedly resulted in greater scrutiny of the many ways we interact with animals, including the use of horses in racing and other equestrian sports. 

In animal-loving Britain I would imagine the majority – if not all – would say that hitting an animal, in any circumstances whatsoever, is wrong.

But if that is the case, then why is whipping horses to get them to run faster permitted, openly, on racecourses across the country?

I imagine that there are some who will argue that it’s fine to use a whip, painless for horses, and actually safer for jockeys to carry and use one. Contrary to the claims of these ‘whip defenders’ in the industry, studies have shown striking horses with a whip in the way it is used in racing does cause pain.

This isn’t just common sense though. Studies of videos showing horses whipped during races have shown deformation of skin and muscle – with such deformation likely to be sensed by pain receptors in the skin.

What’s more, even though the lower part of the whip is supposedly designed to be energy absorbing, the aforementioned