To my mind the use of the whip in horse racing is a minor problem in comparison to the far greater cruelty that takes place within the 'professional' horse competitions as well as greyhound racing.

Thousands of horses and dogs are bred which don't make the grade and have to be disposed of and when the 'successful' animals reach the end of their career very few enjoy a peaceful retirement.

If animals are bred to satisfy the demands of these businesses then their continued care should be a mandatory requirement on the breeders and owners.

The callousness with which these animals are treated never ceases to amaze - even amongst amateur owners.  Horses especially, are treated in many families in the same way that the family car is treated.  Much love and care is taken of them whilst they are of use but as soon as they are outgrown by the children or owners lose interest in riding or competing then they are often sold on or destroyed without a second thought or checks on the buyer being made.  The vast majority of pet owners would never dream of treating their animals in this way but for some reason when it comes to horses it is perfectly acceptable.

Yes, excessive use of the whip should be viewed as 'cruel' but this pales into insignificance in comparison to the far greater cruelty that is hidden from the view of the general public and is caused to far, far more animals.