Whip, spurs and horse welfare in show jumping

In show jumping the whip and spurs are not tools of force: they are aids. Above them the FISE rules place a non-negotiable principle that applies at all times — horse welfare — with an explicit ban on brutality. Here we explain what the general rule prohibits and how the aids should be understood, separating the code of conduct that binds everyone from the detailed criteria of the style classes.

In short

• A general anti-brutality rule applies before, during and after the round, anywhere and to anyone (Art. 187).
• It is forbidden to rap horses and to commit any act of cruelty or brutality; sensitising or desensitising the legs is also banned.
• Whip and spurs are aids to encourage forward movement, never a punishment: abuse is sanctioned.
• Breaches lead to measures ranging from a warning to disqualification (Arts. 183, 185, 187).
• The fine-grained criteria on whip use described below belong to the Style Classes (Art. 191): useful as a reference, but designed for style judging.
• Source: FISE National Show Jumping Regulation (2025 edition).

The general rule: ban on brutality

The heart of the matter is a code of conduct that the regulation places outside any single round: it applies before, during and after a competition, in any place and at any time, to all members. It forbids rapping horses in any form (deliberately hitting the legs so the animal lifts higher over the fence) and any act of cruelty or brutality. The ban also covers the use of means, substances or devices that cause pain, and the practices of sensitising or desensitising the legs. This is not a course penalty: it is a violation that endangers horse welfare and triggers disciplinary measures (Art. 187).

Whip and spurs: aids, not punishment

The use of the aids is read on this basis. Whip and spurs serve to ask for forward movement and to make the horse more responsive to the leg, not to punish it: they must be used with measure and never in anger. Abuse — repeated blows, automatic use, violent spurring — contradicts both the very idea of an aid and the anti-brutality rule, and is therefore sanctionable.

The detailed criteria (Style Classes)

The regulation describes the correct use of the whip in more detail in the part devoted to the Style Classes (Art. 191), the classes in which a jury assesses the quality of the riding. There it indicates, in essence, that the whip works to reinforce the legs, on the flank behind the rider's leg; that use on the shoulder is tolerated only occasionally and not repeatedly; and that the voice may be used sparingly but not as a running commentary during the round. These are valuable pointers to good riding, but they are written for style judging: in time and penalty classes what counts, in welfare terms, remains the general anti-brutality rule.

The sanctions

The range of measures is graduated. For improper conduct a warning card formalises a reprimand (Art. 185). In the most serious cases disqualification follows, and brutality violations may be referred to the federal disciplinary bodies (Arts. 183, 187). In short, the framework leaves no grey areas: mistreatment is not a technical error, it is an offence.

The commentary. This is the ethical heart of the sport: the horse is not a machine to be spurred on, but an athlete to work with. The rules on the aids do not limit the rider — they point to the only horsemanship that truly works, even at competitive level: cooperation.

Related deep-dives

See licences and riding authorisations and the guide to show jumping rules.

Source and disclaimer

Content verified against the FISE National Show Jumping Regulation (2025 edition): general rule on rapping and brutality (Art. 187), measures (Arts. 183 and 185), whip-use criteria in the Style Classes (Art. 191). Verified on 15/09/2026. Independent, informational guide, unofficial and not affiliated with FISE: in competition the regulation in force prevails, and it updates by season. Horse welfare is also governed by FEI rules and federal codes of conduct.