Officials at the Minnesota Racing Commission have announced new rules applying to use of the whip they say will be among the “most stringent” in the country.
According to the new constructs, jockeys are bound not to use the whip “indiscriminately” and may not strike a horse more than three times consecutively without pausing to hand urge the horse and give it ample time to respond before using the whip again. Jockeys are also forbidden from striking the horse:
(1) on the head, flanks, or on any part of its body other than the shoulders or hind quarters;
(2) during the post parade except when necessary to control the horse;
(3) excessively or brutally causing welts or breaks in the skin;
(4) when the horse is clearly out of the race or has obtained its maximum placing;
(5) persistently even though the horse is showing no response under the riding crop; or
(6) after the race
Tom DiPasquale, executive director of the MRC, sees these steps as necessary to make the racing product more appealing to the public.
“Excessive whipping is unappealing to the public,” he commented. “This rule emphasizes use of the riding crop for control and safety purposes and limits use of the crop to the least sensitive shoulder and hind quarters. It's a rule whose time has come.”
Fines will be assessed on a progressive scale, with $200 for a first offense, $400 for a second violation and $800 for a third. Additional suspensions will be handed out for a fourth violation and beyond.
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