Delving into the history and use of hunting whips

Hunting whips have been in use since the early 1900s. They were generally sold as ‘ladies’ or ‘gentlemen’ depending on the size, weight and length of the whips. Since men are larger than women, men’s whips often had longer, thicker, and heavier handles. In general, whips are divided into two types. One type is a firm stick that is designed to strike directly to inflict pain and the other type is flexible, which is designed to swing in a particular way to inflict fear of pain. The hunting whip is a combination of both with a firm stick and a flexible lash.

Hunting whips are not for horses, even if a rider carries them with him. It is used to remind dogs to stay away from horse hooves and also as a communication device for dogs. The whip is similar to a crop except for the material, which is rigid rather than flexible. The stock is generally made of reed, which is varnished to give it a darker appearance, or covered with leather, horsehair, flax or whale. The cover provides a better grip during the rainy hunting season. Modern reed stocks come with a steel line to make them harder to break. The stock features a long silk or cord whip at one end and a hook at the other end. The end of the hook is used to open and close doors during the hunt by the rider and the color of the whip varies from hunt to hunt.

The thong is an important part of the whip, which helps the rider to hold it firmly. It can be wrapped around the hand or wrist to prevent it from falling off. Thong also prevents the hounds from getting too close to the rider and the horse’s legs avoiding accidents. The thong can be hung on the cyclists’ arms when not in use.

Whip handles are usually made from stag, ivory, or silver, representing the lavish lifestyle of aristocrats, however modern hunting whips are replacing this with synthetic or buffalo horn handles. The materials used to make whips are different today as the previous materials used to make whips are no longer practical due to endangered animals and environmental issues. However, there are many hunting whips for sale on the internet or antique stores for those antique collectors.