Posted by: Jonathan Upton on 25/11/2025

Breed Society and Showing Whip Rules: What you need to know

Introduction

Showing has its own culture, traditions and unspoken rules, and the way you carry and use a whip (or more correctly, a show cane) is very much part of that. Unlike eventing or showjumping, where equipment rules are highly technical, most showing and breed societies rely on a mix of simple length limits and judges discretion, backed up by the Welfare Acts.

This guide looks at how whips and canes are treated in the UK showing world, with a focus on the major organisations such as the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) and the British Show Horse Association (BSHA), along with a general overview of how the main breed societies approach whip use.

Rather than memorising every rulebook, the aim here is to help you understand the shared principles behind most showing whip rules, so you can walk into the ring looking correct, confident, and well within the welfare standards expected today.

Whips, Canes and Showing Culture

In showing, the word “whip” is often used in the rules, but in practice most riders carry a show cane, not a schooling whip or dressage whip. The cane is part of traditional turnout: slim, elegant, and carried quietly. It should compliment the picture, not dominate it.

Across almost all showing and breed societies, you’ll see the same ideas repeated:

• the cane is there for safety and guidance, not punishment
• visible “whacking” or repeated tapping will be heavily frowned upon
• maximum lengths are set to keep canes short, neat and discreet
• welfare always takes priority over style or tradition

So while the exact numbers (75cm, 81cm, etc.) vary slightly between organisations, the overall message is the same: a short, tidy cane, used very quietly, fits the showing ring. Schooling whips, long dressage whips and exaggerated use do not.

British Show Pony Society (BSPS)

The BSPS rulebook gives a good example of how many societies approach whip use. Rather than pages of technical specs, the emphasis is on purpose and behaviour.

Key points from the BSPS rules include:

• Members must not ill-treat ponies at any time, including misuse or excessive use of a whip, bit or any item of saddlery.
• A rider or handler may carry a whip for safety and guidance purposes only, and it is limited to the backhand position.
• When lunging, a lunge whip may be used, but again only for guidance, not punishment.
• Whips must not exceed 75cm (30″) in any BSPS class.
• Hunting crops are permissible.
• Whips are not considered “tack” in their own right, but misuse may lead to action under the Welfare Acts.

What’s important to notice is that BSPS deliberately keeps the language broad. There are no detailed rules about padding, weight, or shaft diameter. Instead, they rely heavily on judge discretion and wider welfare legislation. If your whip is under 75cm, looks appropriate for the class and is used quietly, you are unlikely to attract the wrong kind of attention.

British Show Horse Association (BSHA)

The British Show Horse Association is a major influence in the UK showing world, especially for hacks, hunters and cobs. Their approach is similar in spirit, but they are more explicit about the type and length of cane expected in the ring.

In BSHA classes, the usual standard is:

• Show cane only for most ridden and in-hand classes.
• Show canes should not exceed 81cm (32″) in any class (ridden or in-hand), except certain Ladies’ classes.
• Hunting whips are permissible in some adult ridden championship or hunter-style classes, where they match the type and turnout.
• Where lunging is permitted, a lunge whip may be carried but must not be used “against” the horse, only for direction and encouragement at a distance.

Again, you can see the pattern: a short, neat show cane is considered correct, with clear limits on length, and any sign of forceful or aggressive use will count heavily against the overall impression of manners and horsemanship.

Other Showing & Breed Societies: Common Ground

There are more than fifty recognised breed and showing societies in the UK, and each publishes its own rulebook. It wouldn’t be practical (or very interesting) to list every single one here, but there is a strong consensus that runs through most of them, including:

• The Showing Register (TSR)
• UK Ponies & Horses (UKPH)
• National Pony Society (NPS)
• CHAPS and other coloured horse societies
• Breed societies such as Welsh, Arab, Connemara and native pony groups

Although the wording varies, the themes are very similar:

• A whip or cane may be carried for safety and guidance only.
• Misuse of a whip is a welfare issue and may lead to removal from the ring, disqualification or disciplinary action.
• Excessive, repeated or angry use is not tolerated and can be reported under the Welfare Acts.
• Show canes or traditional in-hand canes are preferred; schooling or dressage whips are usually not appropriate for the show ring.

Many breed societies do not state a precise maximum length in centimetres, but in practice they follow the same general limits as BSPS and BSHA. Keeping your cane under about 75–81cm, slim, plain and traditional will keep you well within what most judges expect to see.

Ridden vs In-Hand: What Do People Actually Use?

In day-to-day showing, you will normally see two “types” of cane in use:

• Ridden show cane — short, neat, usually under 75–81cm, carried in the backhand position. This is what you would carry in hack, hunter, riding horse, cob, show pony and many other ridden classes.
• In-hand cane — sometimes slightly longer and more traditional in style, especially in native or M&M classes, but still used sparingly and never as a punishment tool.

In both cases, the ideal is the same: the cane should sit quietly in the hand, barely used, while the horse shows good manners and schooling through correct training rather than force.

Typical Length Limits in UK Showing

To put the different rules into perspective, here is a simple comparison of typical maximum lengths in the UK showing world:

Organisation / Context	Type	Maximum Length	Notes
BSPS	Whip / show cane	75cm (30″)	Backhand only; for safety and guidance. Hunting crops permissible.
BSHA	Show cane	81cm (32″)	Show canes only in most classes; hunting whips permitted in some adult ridden championships.
Most breed societies (general practice)	Show cane / in-hand cane	Usually ≤ 75–81cm	Traditional, slim cane expected; schooling whips and long dressage whips usually discouraged.

How Judges View Whip Use in the Ring

Because so many showing and breed society rules are deliberately broad, a lot of whip-related decisions come down to how things look in the ring:

• A single, quiet tap behind the leg to reinforce an aid is generally accepted.
• Repeated tapping, visible frustration, or jabbing with the cane will almost always lose you marks.
• Any strike in front of the saddle or towards the horse’s head or neck is taken very seriously.
• In-hand, the cane is usually there as a visual guide and for balance, not for physical correction.

Remember that judges are looking for a polished, harmonious picture. If your cane becomes the centre of attention, it’s usually a sign that your use has crossed the line from “guidance” into “correction” in a way that doesn’t sit well in the show ring.

Practical Tips to Stay Within Showing Whip Rules

To keep things simple and safe, you can use a few easy rules of thumb for showing and breed society classes:

• Choose a short, traditional show cane rather than a schooling or dressage whip.
• Keep the length under 75cm for BSPS and under 81cm for BSHA and similar classes.
• Carry the cane in the backhand position and use it as little as possible.
• Never strike in front of the saddle or towards the head or neck.
• If you need to touch the horse, keep it to a light, discreet tap behind the leg.
• In-hand, think of the cane as a balancing and guiding tool, not a stick.
• When lunging at a show, use a lunge whip only for direction and encouragement, not to chase or “drive” aggressively.

Conclusion

Showing and breed society whip rules in the UK can look vague on paper, but the underlying principles are consistent: a short, smart cane used quietly, with the horse’s welfare always at the centre. BSPS, BSHA and the various breed societies may differ slightly in their maximum lengths and wording, but they all expect the same thing in the ring: good manners, correct turnout, and minimal, considerate use of the whip.

If you choose an appropriate show cane, keep within the typical 75–81cm limits, and use it only for safety and guidance, you’ll be well within the spirit and the letter of most showing whip rules in the UK.