Whip

For other uses, see Whip (disambiguation).
A type of whip known as a riding crop
A leather cat o' nine tails pictured with a U.S. dollar bill for size comparison.
A set of romal reins, featuring a quirt at the end of the romal

A whip is a tool traditionally used by humans to exert control over animals or other people, through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities whips can be used without use of pain, such as an additional pressure aid in dressage. Whips are generally of two types, either a firm stick device designed to strike directly, or a flexible whip which must be swung in a specific manner to be effective, but has a longer reach. There are also whips which combine both a firm stick (the stock or handle) and a flexible line (the lash or thong), such as hunting whips.

The majority of whips are designed for use on animals, although whips such as the "cat o' nine tails" and knout were designed specifically for flagellation of humans as a means of a corporal punishment or torture. Whips can be used on oneself as part of a religious practice, or as part of BDSM activities.

Use of whips

Whips were primarily designed to inflict pain, with the objective of obtaining pain compliance to the wishes of the user. In modern times, the pain stimulus is still used in some animal training, and is permitted in many fields, including most equestrianism disciplines, some of which mandate carrying a whip. The whip can be a vital tool to back up riding aids when applied correctly, particularly when initial commands are ignored. However, many competition governing bodies limit such use of whips, and severe penalties may be in place for over-use of the whip, including disqualification and fines.[1] Socially, the use or over-use of whips may be considered animal cruelty in some jurisdictions.[2]

Whip made in Silesia, Poland, made to enhance its cracking sound, used in folk Easter celebrations of Siuda Baba

Whips can also be used without painful stimulus, as a tool that is an extension of the human hand or arm, used as a visual command, or to tap an animal, or to exert pressure, in order to indicate a certain command. Such use may be related to operant conditioning where the subject is conditioned to associate the whip with irritation, discomfort or pain, but in other cases, a whip can be used as a simple tool to provide a cue connected to positive reinforcement for compliant behavior. Such use is sometimes accompanied by practitioners renaming the whip with alternative, softer terms such as a "wand" or a "stick," calling the lash a "string" or a "popper".

Another use of the whip is to make a loud sound (the 'cracking' of a whip) which induces a fear response in animals, especially those conditioned to the pain stimulus of the whip, and this technique is often used as part of an escalation response, with sound being used first prior to a pain stimulus being applied, again as part of operant conditioning. This loud noise can be used to drive or direct livestock or teams of harnessed animals, such as oxen or mules.

When some types of flexible whip are swung in a certain way, a loop in the material may move down the whip, rapidly increasing in speed, until the tip moves faster than the speed of sound, or more than 30 times the speed of the initial movement in the handle. This creates a small sonic boom, described as a "crack".[3] Whips were the first man-made objects to break the sound barrier.

Most stick type whips cannot make a crack by themselves, unless they either have a very long lash, such as a longe whip, or are very flexible with a moderately long lash, like certain styles of buggy whip. But any design can be banged against another object such as leather boot to make a loud noise. Short, stiff crops often have a wide leather "popper" at the end which makes a particularly loud noise when slapped against an animal, boot, or other object.

Stockwhips

An Australian stockwhip
An Australian bullwhip
Drafting whip (or cattle drafter) made by George Woolnough, the famous "Tenterfield Saddler"

Stockwhips (or stock whips), including bullwhips and the Australian stockwhip, are a type of single-tailed leather whip with a very long lash but a short handle. Stockwhips are primarily used to make a loud cracking sound to move livestock (cattle, sheep, horses, etc.) away from the sound. It is generally not used to actually strike an animal, as it would inflict severe pain and is difficult to apply with precision.

Australian stockwhip

Main article: Stockwhip

The Australian stockwhip is often said to have originated in the English hunting whip, but it has since become a distinct type of whip. Today, it is used primarily by Australian stockmen. Unlike the short, embedded handle of a bullwhip, the stockwhip handle is not fitted inside the lash and is usually longer. A stockwhip's handle is connected to the thong by a joint typically made of a few strands of thick leather (which is called a keeper). This allows the whip to hang across a stockman's arm when not being used. The handles are normally longer than those of a bullwhip, being between 15 and 21 inches. The thong can be from 3 feet to 10 feet long. Stockwhips are also almost exclusively made from tanned kangaroo hide.

Australia's John Brady is an internationally renowned exponent of the art of whipcracking (an expertise he demonstrated during the live musical production The Man from Snowy River: Arena Spectacular). The Australian stockwhip was shown internationally when lone rider Steve Jefferys reared his Australian Stock Horse and cracked the stockwhip to commence the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.

Bullwhip

Main article: Bullwhip

A bullwhip consists of a handle between 8 and 12 inches in length, and a lash composed of a braided thong between 3 and 20 feet long. Some whips have an exposed wooden grip, others have an intricately braided leather covered handle. Unlike the Australian stock whip, the thong connects in line with the handle (rather than with a joint), or even engulfs the handle entirely. At the end of the lash is the "fall" and cracker or popper. The fall is a single piece of leather between 10 and 30 inches in length. During trick shots or target work, the fall is usually the portion of the whip used to cut, strike, or tie the target. The cracker is the portion of the whip that makes the loud "sonic boom" sound, but a whip without a cracker will still make a sonic boom, simply not as loud.

Additional types

A whip made of balatá, made prior to 1939.
Whip, possibly Native American, Plains, late 19th century, horsehair and rawhide, Brooklyn Museum

There are other variations and lengths of stock whips. The yard whip is a type of smaller stockwhip. The yard whip is used on ground in cattle yards and other small areas where speed and precision is needed. The yard whip is also used by younger children that are not strong enough to handle a large stock whip.

The cattle drafter (or drafting whip) is a cane or fibreglass rod with a handgrip, knob and wrist strap. The cane length is about 75 cm (2'6") and the flapper length is about 30 cm (12") long. These whips are used in cattle yards and also when moving pigs.

The bullock-whip was used by Australian bullock team drivers (bullocky). The thong was 8 to 10 feet long, or more, and often made of greenhide. A long handle was cut from spotted gum or another native tree and was frequently taller than the bullock driver's shoulder. The bullocky walked beside the team and kept the bullocks moving with taps from the long handle as well as using the thong as needed.[4]

The rose whip is another variation of the stockwhip that was pioneered in Canada in the early 19th century, though it largely fell out of use by the 1880s. Rose whips were effective in animal yards and other small areas. It was pioneered by an American farmer, Jack Liao.

The Raman whip is a similar variation of the stockwhip which closely relates to the rose whip. This variation was pioneered in the small Ontario city of Hamilton in the early 20th century, though it largely fell out of use by the 1920s. Raman whips were effective on horse farms, in horse derbies, and in rural areas. It was pioneered by the South African inventor, Delaware Kumar.

Florida cow whip

The Florida cow whip used by Floridian cowboys is a two-piece unit like the stockwhip and is connected to the handle by threading two strands of the thong through a hollow part of a wooden handle before being tied off. The cowwhip is heavier than the Australian stockwhip. Early cowwhips were made mostly of cowhide or buckskin.

Modern cow whips are made of flat nylon parachute cord, which, unlike those made from leather, are still effective when wet. Most cowwhips have handles that average 16 inches, and thongs that average 12 feet. A good cowwhip can produce a loud crack by a simple push of the handle. This can make it more convenient to use than a bullwhip in a thick vegetated environment with less swinging room. The Tampa Bay Whip Enthusiasts give demonstrations of the Florida Cracker Cowboy in costume at the annual Heritage Village Civil War Days festival, located in Largo, Florida every year in May.

A 4' (1.2 m) signal whip

Signal whips

Signal whips (or signalwhips) are a type of single-tailed whip, originally designed to control dog teams. A signal whip usually measures between 3 and 4 feet in length. Signal whips and snake whips are similar. What distinguishes a signal whip from a snake whip is the absence of a "fall". A fall is a piece of leather attached to the end of the body of the whip. In a snake whip, the "cracker" attaches to the fall. In a signal whip, the cracker attaches directly to the body of the whip.

Snake whips

Snake whips (or snakewhips) are a type of single-tailed whip. The name snake whip is derived from the fact that this type of whip has no handle inside and so can be curled up into a small circle which resembles a coiled snake. They were once commonly carried in the saddlebag by cowboys of the old west. A full sized snake whip is usually at least 4 feet in length (excluding the fall and cracker at the tip of the whip) and around one inch in diameter at the butt of the whip.

A pocket snake whip can be curled up small enough to fit into a large pocket, and ranges in size from 3 feet to 6 feet in length. The pocket snake whip is primarily a whip for occasional use, such as in loading cattle. Both of these types of snake whips are made with a leather shot bag running approximately three quarters of the length of the whip.

Blacksnakes are the traditional whips used in Montana and Wyoming. The blacksnake has a heavy shot load extending from the butt well down the thong, and the whip is flexible right to the butt. They range in size from 6 feet to 12 feet in length. Some types concentrate a load in the butt (often a lead ball or steel ball-bearing) to facilitate its use as improvised blackjack.

Equestrian whips and crops

Top: A dressage whip. Bottom: a hunting crop

Horse whips or riding whips are artificial aids used by equestrians while riding, driving, or handling horses from the ground. There are many different kinds, but all feature a handle, a long, semi-flexible shaft, and either a popper or lash at the end, depending on use. Riding whips rarely exceed 48" from handle to popper, horse whips used for ground training and carriage driving are sometimes longer.

The term "whip" is the generic word for riding whips, the term "crop" is more specific, referring to a short, stiff whip used primarily in English riding disciplines such as show jumping or hunt seat. Some of the more common types of horse whips include:

Longeing whip
A plaited show cane

Rudyard Kipling's short story Garm - a Hostage mentions a long whip used by a horseback rider in India to defend an accompanying pet dog from risk of attack by native pariah dogs. This probably was a hunting whip.

In Victorian literature cads and bounders are depicted as being horsewhipped or threatened with horsewhipping for seduction of young women or breach of promise (to marry), usually by her brothers or father. Examples are found in the works of Benjamin Disraeli and Anthony Trollope who includes such a scene in Doctor Thorne. It is also mentioned, though not depicted, in comic novels by Evelyn Waugh and P.G. Wodehouse. As late as the 1970s the historian Desmond Seward was reported by the Daily Telegraph to have been threatened with horsewhipping for besmirching the reputation of Richard III in a biography.

Buggy whip and coachwhip

A buggy whip is a horsewhip with a long stiff shaft and a relatively short lash used for driving a horse harnessed to a buggy or other small open carriage. A coachwhip, usually provided with a long lash, is used in driving a coach with horses in front of other horses. Though similar whips are still manufactured for limited purposes, the buggy whip industry as a major economic entity ceased to exist with the introduction of the automobile, and is cited in economics and marketing as an example of an industry ceasing to exist because its market niche, and the need for its product, disappears. In discussing market regulation, it is often held that the economy would be disadvantaged as a whole if the automobile had been banned to protect the buggy-whip industry.

Buggy whips are not entirely gone. A resurgence of interest in the international sport of combined driving and historical carriage driving, sports enjoyed by people of all ages, has allowed some buggy whip manufacturers to stay in business, serving this specialty niche market. Foremost among these is a company in Westfield, Massachusetts.

Qilinbian

Qilinbian

Qilinbian (麒麟鞭, literally meaning "unicorn whip") is a metal whip invented in China in the late 1900s. The 15 cm handle is made from a steel chain wrapped with leather. The lash is made of steel rods decreasing in size linked by progressively smaller steel rings. Lash varies between 150 cm and 180 cm and is attached to a fall and a cracker. Total weight is 1–2 kg. It is used for physical exercise and in performances.[5]

As practical weapons

Because of popularity of whips in film and television, people often want to learn to use the whip as a weapon, though in reality only certain types and usages are practical. Whips when applied against a human adversary work primarily through inflicting pain and fear rather than actual force.

Short, stiff whips, including crops, are capable of inflicting welts or painful stings, but, typically, no disabling injuries. The more martially-designed sjambok can inflict serious wounds and sometimes even cut through clothing.

Single-tailed whips hold a fearsome reputation from popular depictions; the fear of being painfully struck and the loud crack produced by long whips can scare less resolute opponents into fleeing.

Striking a person or animal with a single-tail whip can inflict cuts, but with a whip made from common materials, these wounds are simple high-speed abrasions that do not penetrate more than the depth of the skin. If the whip has sharp barbs or the tip includes material, such as Kevlar, that is fine enough and strong enough to cut, there can be more serious wounds, but even with these, a disabling injury is unlikely. Whips with these features require an expert whip handler to avoid inadvertently cutting themselves, the whip, or other people or objects the whip may contact.

A single-tail whip can wrap around limbs or body or the neck. This is fairly easy to do, but is impractical in most physical combat environments where it is difficult to maintain the necessary spacing between the target and the person throwing the whip.

Some shorter whips are designed with a heavy lead or steel ball woven into the pommel or a shot bag filled with lead shot braided into the body. Other whips have flexible metallic cable or rigid metal rods in the handle. These materials provide mass, making the whip easier to crack during normal use. These weights and rigid pieces also enable the whip to be reversed and used as a bludgeon.

The Chinese Jiujiebian ("nine section whip"), is a segmented metal chain whip designed for use in martial arts. In the hands of someone trained in its uses, it is considerably more effective as a weapon than other whips.

Whip-like appendages in nature

Some organisms have whip-like devices:

The whip is occasionally portrayed in popular culture in various contexts. Whips have appeared in many cartoons, television shows, videogames such as Castlevania, and numerous films, from the original Zorro to Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and Catwoman (2004). Often their usage is dramatic and wildly exaggerated, showing action heroes tripping or disarming an adversary, breaking furniture, or other impressive activities.

One of the more popular portrayals of whips involves wrapping a fixed overhead object and then swinging from the whip across an open space. While it is possible to do so in reality, achieving a wrap strong enough to hold the body weight yet loose enough to disengage once the swing is complete is highly impractical. Further, the strain will damage or break most leather whips. In film, the effect is achieved by braiding the whip over a steel or kevlar support cable and anchoring the tip permanently to a support such as a crane or scaffolding. Many times the whip handle is attached to a concealed body harness on the actor for safety and to make the swing appear more graceful.

On MythBusters, various capabilities of whips shown in the film Raiders of the Lost Ark were tested on the "The Busters of the Lost Myths" episode. When properly trained, it is in fact possible to disarm a pistol-wielding opponent. When there is a log above a chasm it is possible to swing across using a whip and loosen the whip after the swing, but only if the log has sufficient friction. Using a high-speed camera they were able to verify that the tip of a whip can break the speed of sound.

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ "Final decision of the FEI tribunal" (PDF). Fédération Équestre Internationale. 2010-07-09.
  2. ↑ Curnutt, Jordan. Animals and the law: a sourcebook. Contemporary Legal Issues. ABC-CLIO. pp. 260–261. ISBN 1-57607-147-2.
  3. ↑ Graham, Sarah (2002-05-28). "True Cause of Whip's Crack Uncovered". Scientific American.
  4. ↑ Chisholm, Alec H., The Australian Encyclopaedia, Halstead Press, Sydney, 1963
  5. ↑ "麒麟鞭_百度百科". Baike.baidu.com. 2010-09-18. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
  6. ↑ "Physical Aggression in Captive Iguanas". University of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2009-10-20.

Bibliography


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