Brennan On Whipping

Let's be honest drivers have changed the way they position their hands.. nearly behind their backs because they are using this tactic to get a better crack at their mounts. They are not satisfied with merely 'tapping' their mounts they want to hit them as hard as they possibly can. Denying this fact is like sticking your head in the sand. There has always been abuse in harness racing from the backstetch, training centers and on the racetrack. It needs to change, I for one do not want to see it and many, many others see it the same way. Those that favor the whip are in a definite minority when it comes to the general public. I would imagine that if you only polled horsepeople the results would favor the whip, but the sport cannot survive with the handful of horse people involved. It needs the general public to provide finanical stability. And I must point out that there are a certain number of us 'horsepeople' that do not favor the whip either. It is an unnecassary device, creative people have better ways of 'teaching' a horse and fear is not the answer. Try a bit of patience and develope a little trust.

Remember, its not the driver who makes this industry possible it the bettor and the fans. And what the bettor wants, he will get or all will come crumbling down.

week after week when you look in (fines and suspensions) a lot of the same drivers over and over, now even a lot of new drivers are getting fined every other week .time to clamp down on repeat offender;s ,if they don;t understand go get a job somewhere in the real world

I just shake my head everytime i read a comment with regards to the use of a whip in breaking and training horses.I have worked with horses in all disiplens, from dressage to racing and the whip is a tool. As one person put it it is an extension of your hand, used properly it teaches the horse where to go and what to put where. Go watch a jumping competition if you want to see some colourful use of the whip! Go to any fairground horse show and watch those kids use their crops, that upsets me more than the boys coming down the strech. The public needs to understand that the noise they hear is NOT whip on horse hide but usually the pop of the saddle pad, shaft or popper on the end of the whip. Maybe some one should display a driving whip in the grandstand and show that they are longer than a riding crop because the driver sits back further and are designed to make noise rather than inflict pain; if they are used properly(as stated in the rules).

I cannot help wondering at what point in our sport did we start catering to the gambler, comments such as where would harness racing be without the gambler (Handle)?
I for one think we would be a sport and we would be able to throw away about 90% of the rule book.
In reading about Brennan’s comments about whipping as in the gambler’s eyes wasn’t George suspended a while back for cheating the public and the owners from whom he receives 5% of the horse’s winnings, horse racing was there long before a handle (Para-mutual) was established and if the gamblers think our sport can exist without Owners they should speak to the many Trainers, grooms, drivers, feed men, vets, blacksmiths and etc. that the owners support directly or indirectly. Also in racing, especially the Overnight Racing Trainers who often rely on the owners for a living will admit that overall at the end of the year as many as 90% of the owners lose money on their initial investment.
Oh yes there are the ones that everybody read about like the stables that win championship races but what about the ones that year after year pay up into steak racing program and never succeed. I’ve know a lot of owners and trainers over the years. And most of the owners who often have a lot of money bet a couple of bucks on their horses mainly for luck.
It has also been my experience that legitimate trainers would prefer their owners not to be gamblers for obvious reasons.

Wayne

Driving a horse properly in any driving venue requires the use of a whip. It is a cue to indicate to the horse (that is 3 feet out in front of you) that it is not OK to back you down a ravine or over the hub rail. After all you have no legs on them to cue forward motion. However this does not give anybody the right to take their frustrations out on the horse or beat him indiscriminately to go faster when he's already flat out. I agree some horses do need a wake up call or attention getter if they lose sight of the prize but a tap gets your point across just as well and it doesn't discourage them from trying next time. What's the point if they're going to get a beating anyway!!!

Well, let's try this. For those trainers and owners who don't want there horses whipped, ask the drivers to leave it in the barn. No complaints after a race either. For those of you who want your driver to carry a whip, talk to your driver and lay the ground rules on how you want your horse treated or say nothing at all. Judges, ENFORCE THE RULES. And a side note, if the whips are staying in the barn each track will have to hire more outriders to help out the drivers, there should be more and SOME anyway as a few tracks have none. Done.

I can not see were using a whip on breaking a colt or filly is going to make them any better. Maybe if you took the time to teach the horse what to do rather than beat them
into it. Hitting only scares them into something that they don't understand, take the time
to show them.
If the horse has been trained properly then they know when to turn on the speed.
I understand the Thoroughbreds have come out with a crop that does not harm the horse
maybe we should be looking at something like that if the driver feels he needs something in his hand.
Maybe we should put all the drivers on the track and when there coming down the stretch we should start hitting them, lets see how much faster they can go!!

i believe that mr brennan is partially correct but if the judges enforce the rules of racing that is better but drivers are not catching on so maybe stiffer fines will help. A $100 fine in a race with a $500,000 purse is ludacris, the penalties no matter what the purse should be relative to the purse.
kevin siever

A different approach may be to create a device that each horse gets mounted somewhere and could be activated to "enhance" its performance (if so desired & agreed upon as to not exceed allowable levels).
Just a thought ....

To start I have to say I love reading the comments to the articles. Browsing through these and the statements from Mr. Brennan, there is something in common. It seems to be open season on the ORC and in particular the judging. Is it fair to pick on them?, everyone has an opinion. My opinion is that whipping has come along way from what it used to be. Back when I used to train horses you could lose count at all the welts after a race. I no longer race horses but still know people who do and often frequent the races and help after the horses are done racing. More often than not there are no welts. Now don't get me wrong, I watch racing almost everyday of both standardbred and thoroughbred and some of them do take a licking. In saying that, watching this happen in front of your face you would expect to see a fine and there is nothing, then another guy takes two or three shots at the horse and are fined? It is inconsistent at best but it is where you hit them that counts. Maybe the judges should count the one handers as a guide to fining somebody. One other quandary I have is that some guys have multiple violations and are still racing and Trevor Henry watches from the side lines. If you are trying to set a precedent I would suggest you suspend more than one guy. I would suggest that the ORC draw the line in the sand for their judges on whipping and make them enforce the rules and be done with it. There are more important issues than whipping that are keeping people out of the stands. Maybe we all should spend our energies on say, a contract with WEG or ALL of us portraying to the public that horse racing is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon or evening with family and friends and spend a few bucks and watch well cared for and well treated majestic animals race. To show them integrity really matters and we have their best interests in mind at all times. As I stated earlier, everyone has an opinion and this is mine. Frankly, I think we have all come along way in trying to promote racing. We are all in one respect an ambassador to the industry whether we like it or not, one persons actions can be extrapolated as to how the whole industry runs be it whipping, inconsistent judging whatever. There are a lot of eyes watching, let's keep it positive, for all involved.

Georgie Brennan Is 100% correct......Let the judges do there job and punish the slashers. I as a driver myself used to be too aggressive in my mind and now people say I am not aggressive enough anymore and no longer catch drive. The public now with the economy so bad want the drivers even more aggressive for there money!! If anyone feels the Gamblers love this idea are not thinking straight..The Gamblers are what we should be looking to accommodate. The Animal activist do not bet!! If you invite them to the track after such rule would take place they would just find something else to cry about and never come back again! Whips are a necessary tool for the driver. Not only for the race but could be a factor in the post parade and scoring down of horses. Even in cars you need a Gas peddle!!!

I agree 100% with Mr. Brennan. It is up to the Judges to enforce the current rules. I have seen that in Canada there are fines and suspensions for whipping violations. In the U.S. they don't seem to exist. I am totally against any kind of abuse to the horse. If the whips are used properly, they are not harmful and in some cases helpful depending on the situation. If a driver is using the whip in an harmful manner he or she should be fined and suspended. Too many times the judges are not held accountable for not enforcing the rules.

I have been betting on horses for 39 years and the only time I hear other bettors complain about whipping are:

Whipping on a horse that is obviously done and backing through the field.

Whipping a horse after the race.

Whipping a horse non-stop, as fast as they can, from the head of the stretch to the wire.

I agree 100% that whips are necessary for breaking, training, and racing horses. Some horses need it, some don't, some more than others. I agree with Brennan about the solution in search of a problem. Trainers, grooms, and drivers have to work with these horses every day. Their input should be considered ahead of an 80 year old grandmother celebrating her birthday in the clubhouse. After all, we are talking about racing horses here. If the trainer or groom has a problem with the condition of their horse after the race, get the track vet or judge to look at it and report their findings. Same with the judges in the grandstand, if they see something that they are concerned about, have the vet look at the horse after the race. And educate the public and tell them that this is being done, and the welfare of the horse is of utmost importance. All we ever see is fine after fine listed in programs or on the "fines/suspension" list, but I would bet that very few of these horses were checked over by the track vet after the infraction. Perception, instead of fact, is the basis on too many of these decisions.

anyone that has trained a horse knows you need a whip.excessive use should be punished at all times.

harness racing is about gambling.no gambling no racing.gamblers want the horses they bet on to be whipped.people bring newbys to the track that are appalled at the whipping.those people don't bet..you could have 10,000 of those in the stands,if they don't bet,what good are they.to make you feel good.bring a gambler to the track,see if they are appalled,they'd want two whips.face facts,racing is what it is.whipping included.

I agree 100%. You're absolutely right George. This whipping ballyhoo is a solution in search of a problem.

The ORC in Ontario haven't done a good job of policing the rules for the past ten years and now they're going over board about it. Every night three or four drivers get nailed for some kind of whipping violation.

Track owners want to portray slumping attendance and deflated wagering as a public out cry against whipping, when in reality the betting public in Ontario are simply feed up with boring race cards.

Look at Woodbine. Who wants to bet as many as 6 trot races on single card? I'll tell ya who, the two dollar bettor or the 25 cent super fector player. What a crock. Give me a brake!!!

The real problem in Ontario is the lack of good quality pacing horses. Competitive fields that actually race, go the distance. Drivers and horses that put out an effort the entire mile not just the first and last quarters of the race.

Lets call a spade a spade. The product on track at Woodbine has suffered severely. It's second rate racing with a world class purse structure.

Whipping isn't the problem it's merely a smoke screen sent up by people who want to mask the real issues.

I have noticed all or almost all of those in favor of the whip are horsemen. You need to realise that you need people that are not presently horsemen to get involved. You will find very few that are not presently involved that will tolerate whipping horses. You need these people. We need these people and there is only one way to win them over and that is to show that we don't tolerate whipping or abuse of our horses. Drivers that believe they need a whip is no different then a child that believes he needs a soother.

I don't sign my name because I feel it unnecessary as do many others but that dosen't mean I like many others don't have an opionion. I have been involved and supported harness racing for many years are those suggesting that you don't need me and the many others like me that post anonymously?? I think that is a very thick attitude as is beating a horse to win a race is. Harness racing needs as many people as it can possibly get.. take a look at the empty grandstands and sanely argue differently. I am presently''teaching' a two year old colt how to be a racehorse and he hasn't seen the whip nor will he. I use patience and positive encouragement maybe others that have such belief in the whip might give it a try sometime...but if you prefer broken jog carts and injured yearlings by all means keep on keeping on with your old caveman attitudes.

I would simply say that a significant amount of time appears to be spent, one could argue wasted, on those items that presently have a governing body or are now currently subject to an official's review. I, for one, agree with George Brennan and the other individuals who believe that "whipping" should, as it does now, fall under the jurisdiction of the judges.

While it is recognized that "rules" need to be reviewed, based on the comments and the position that is being taken with regard to proposed changes, it would appear that the rules are not being followed. Perhaps we should ask:
If there is a rule why do we have a problem?

If those in the position of judging do not want to enforce the rules, make tough decisions or take a position, perhaps the time that is being devoted to this subject would be better utilized and have greater impact if it were spent on how to properly train those that enforce, or are deemed responsible to enforce, the rules.
What happens if we change the rule and once again they are not enforced properly?

A lot of interesting comments, mr Brennan is probably right and fair with his comments. adding to it just abit, judges that do nothing and inactive governing by the commissions are the main problems we face .the bodies that govern this sport have been creating problems to fit what they believe to be a solution to a make believe problem .I have been around this sport all my life and have been bringing along with me new fans and owners since I can remember. the first question they ask is: doesn’t that hurt " I educate them and move on .the one thing I have never been able to explain properly is how a horse improves 4 to 5 seconds and pays 78 dollars doing it .

To all who think whipping is cruel, yes if in excess, BUT you have not had horses, with commnts like cruelty. Some horses are lazy, they don't need to be beat but do need light taps to keep them going, I am sure all trainers have had such a horse. So whips are needed and the judges should do thier jobs.
But if this is cruel, guess they should ban racing in the cold weather, and not push the horses to go faster than 2 minutes. As this may be cruel to some race track fans.

keith hastie owner, trainer driver

I agree with George that the rules now in place should be sufficient . However I do not think that the penalties are stiff enough. I would like to see them set back out of the money if a whipping violation helps them get money. Owners would not be long in telling their drivers to obey the rules if it was costing them money.

I SEE BOTH SIDES OF THE WHIPPING ARGUMENT. I STILL BELIEVE WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE IN THIS SPORT AND THAT IS, GET REAL ABOUT THE FINES AND SUSPENSIONS. APPLY THEM LIKE YOU MEAN IT. FAR STIFFER FINES AND SUSPENSIONS ARE REQUIRED. TAKE A NO TOLERANCE APPROACH TO THE RULES IN THIS SPORT. IF THE REGULATORS GET REAL - THEN THE PARTICIPANTS WILL GET REAL. RE-WRITE THE BOOK.

At all racetracks with the "red pole" i see so-called professional drivers whooshing their horses along with loose lines until they can gather them up and one-hand them. THAT IN ITSELF IS MORE OF A SAFETY HAZARD THAN ANYTHING ELSE. Any driver worth his salt would have the lines tight as a banjo string when he would one-hand one in a race. Try to tell a driver with a pouty or contrary stud that he cant give him an "attention getter" in the stretch and see how much purse money you make at the end of the race. I AM NOT ADVOCATING CAVING THEIR RIBS IN DURING THE STRETCH DRIVE, but some horses need a little more encouragement than others..We need to find a happy medium here and keep the bleeding-heart tree-huggers out of this discussion..Just my 2c worth...

why do you print letters signed anonymous?
surely if one cant sign their name and be recognised for their opinion they should not even be aknowledged.
george brennan, who is one of the most respected persons in harness racing stated his opinion and let it be known that was his stance.
good for george.
tommy mcleod .lifetime harness racing fan.

I have raised and trained horses all my life. I was always told to get into racing and have a chance to make some money while enjoying the equestrian experience. I avoided it until relatively recently (5 or so years) because of all the illegal drugs and abuse. When the whipping rule became enforced I was ecstatic. My first words to drivers on my horses is be careful using the whip. Tap - don't strike. I spend a lot of time at home teaching my horses to respond to the tap. I sure don't want them to have to endure a beating when they know what a tap means. (not necessary to slacken lines to get a reponse either) I think anyone handling the horses should be aware horses are not dumb and can learn very quickly that the tap means give me more (at any time in the race- not just the home stretch) . This would make the races more exciting for the spectator because it would not just be in the stretch where they look like they are trying. If we want more people to enjoy this sport, let's find different ways to do it.

I see the "keeping the reins in both hands" rule on the CRCCQ all the time. What I have noticed is that it is more dangerous to the drivers and the horses than anything else. Guys are throwing the lines everywitch way and have absolutely no controls of their mounts. We always joke about who is going to cause the biggest crash but it is no laughing matter. Tight reins in one hand is much safer than two loose reins flying about. There should be strict enforcement (and I mean strict) of the whipping rule but no changes.

Dear Horsepeople,

Do you know the reason why Norway and Sweden are so succesfull in harnnessracing and they don't have slotmachines overthere. The reason is that Norway has no whip at all and in Sweden use of the whip is very very limited. In these countries there is respect for the animal and the public doesn't feel ashame for the crazy whipping of the drivers. New public will never be attracted when the American whipping is going on. We are in the business thanks to the slots and thats a risky business, people has to come back to the track, it must be a family day and no cruelty day to the animal. Think about that.

The cavemen days are over forget the whip it is destroying the game. People don't want to see it period. Learn to get on without it.

Horses don't need to be beaten to win races and any horse that does shouldn't be racing. Harness racing is bigger than the one horse that goes for the whip. A smart driver has more and better tools in his inventory than a piece of rawhide (I realise that they don't allow rawhides anymore but I'm using it to make a point...thank god they banned that cruel item)

I am in full agreement with George Brennan.We are creating a solution for a problem, that does not exist. Let the judges at the track do their job regarding the present whipping rule. It's pretty obvious if a driver is abusing the whip.

If the rule is the same for everyone, then whats the big deal. There is nothing more disheartening than to bring some people to the track who have never been before and see the disgust on their faces as the drivers slice and dice the horses. I say get rid of the whip all together. And yes I have trained many babies etc. Want to see who has drivers ability and talent? Then race without the whip.

Mr Brennan should spend less time in the bike and more time in the grandstand. A common thread among people being introduced to the sport is the whip and the sound of the whip as the horse is being hit down the stretch. The majority see it once, grimace, leave and never come back. They can't imagine whipping their dog or cat at home, and don't understand why people would ever want to whip a horse. Even if they are educated as to why the whip is used...they still see a "pet" being whipped. If you were walking down the street and saw someone taking the whip to their dog, you'd call the police. That's how the casual fan sees it...like it or not. If we want to grow the sport, leave the whip at home. If you want attendance to continue to plummet, keeping whipping those animals!

Leave the whipping rule alone and spend more time on the drugging rule where the damage to horses is actually done.

George is 100% correct. The judges have discretion when it comes to whipping. The whipping rules in Canada seem to work pretty well. You don't see drivers whipping and slashing all the way down the stretch! Nor do you see that at the Meadowlands. I agree that some tracks don't seem to moniter whipping as much as others. The problem is not with the drivers but with some judges that don't choose to use their discretion. Enough already about new whipping rules, lets get back to racing horses and let the judges do their job!

Better a few taps with a whip, with lines in a firm hold in one, than loose lines being slapped on the horse, loose lines, no control an causes more accidents.

I don't understand this industry. I have been attending races and have actually worked with horses for almost 20 years, and they seem to target the wrong problems. If they are trying to attract new people to this game, they are definitely going about it the wrong way. If anything, someone who has never been to the races makes a wager and sees the driver "encouraging" his horse down the stretch, the person feels excited and satisfied. However, when they make a wager on a horse and their driver never pulls on the right line and their horse sits at the back of the pack and never gets a call...especially as the betting favourite...he is going to question if this is good value for his betting dollar, and will probably ellect to put his money in a slot machine instead! Start enforcing the rules that are there...all it will take is one or two suspesions for "inconsistent drives" or "lack of effort" and we will see this game become a lot more exciting and may in fact draw new fans. All they are doing now is creating their own bad publicity!

What driver would want to give up the use of the whip in the stretch!It's equivalent to a poker player playing with a ace up his/her sleeve.The whip/ace is not a guarantee of winning but is sure is nice to have when THEY feel like using it.How come the drivers say they need one hand free in the stretch for safety reasons when the first quarter is usually run faster then the last quarter.Think about it,a horse runs for 6 thou at Georgian downs but the trainer has the same horse penned in for Woodbine next week for 17thousand dollars,where do you think the whip is going to be used to it's max?Oh yea,they don't hit the horse they are hitting the saddle cloth and the sulky shaft and the six inch snapper at the end of the whip is a wind chime use to create more noise!!

HAMMERING AWAY AT A HORSE THROUGH THE STRETCH WITH THE WHIP MIGHT GIVE THE BETTOR THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU ARE TRYING BUT IN MOST CASES IT IS NOT DOING ANY GOOD. IN MY OPINION THE BEST DRIVERS IN NORTH AMERICA DON'T POUND AWAY AT THEIR HORSES AS THEY USE OTHER METHODS. AS AN OLD HORSEMAN TOLD ME ONE TIME "AS SOON AS YOU START WHIPPING YOUR HORSE TO EXTREAME YOU ARE TELLING THE HORSE THAT HE IS ALL DONE"

Joking here, but I'm sure some of the fans would love to get behind George Brennan, get him to bare some skin, and give him a few one hands with the whip when they think he isn't trying hard enough.

Brennan is so blinded by being inside the industry for so long he doesn't realize that the real world out there does not find this acceptable and change is overdue.

His comment about Pompano and betting is invalid, the economy is bad for racing all over.

as a groom then a trainer and seeing the damage a whip can do to a horse there is a fine line from a drivers point of veiw and the public's point of veiw. no driver wants to hurt a horse for no reason whats so ever. but if they can go alittle faster for a few seconds bye the whip then so be it. i'v seen horses with welths on them from the whip and they were alright after. i had welths on me after dear old dad weltedme with the belt for being bad at some point of my young life. not so bad over all. no abuse of the whip thats all i would like tks former groome/trainer

It seems that most people agree that we wouldn't have this problem or that the problem would be minimized if the judges did their job. How do we get the judges to do their job?

What we need is not more rules here in Ontario or anywhere else.
What we need is for the Judges and Commissions to start doing there job and start enforcing the rules we already have on the rule book. With enforcement, nobody wants to be seen as the bad guy, but sitting in the judges stand accepting a weekly wage is exactly the position the judges signed on for.

I take umbrage with Mr. Gregan's comments. We break a large number of colts every year, and all of them leave the barn with a whip on the jog cart. His comments about other breeds not using whips is incorrect. I have started many different disciplines of horses and they all are introduced to the whip in their early training. Perhaps a little understanding of the use of the whip is in order. Any horse trainer can tell you it is not a device to inflict pain or to be used indiscriminately. It is supposed to be an EXTENSION of the trainers hand. One would not flail their hand about in the early stages of training, however one would use the whip (hand)to encourage forward movement and to discourage dangerous behaviors.
A whip is nothing but a tool, it is the human on the end of the whip who is responsible for its use. And in racing, the Judges who are responsible for enforcing the rules, old rules or new rules. Just enforce them!!

Totally agree with george! Police the current rules and even make the fine or penalty stiffer and more severe and we would have no problem, by keeping a line in each hand you are going to create alot of new problems........ one being no lines on the horse, alot more dangerous then one handing, the rules are there! INFORCE them!!

I ask one question... why is it that most drivers today drive with their handholds behind their backs???... because they are using it as leverage to hit their horses harder!!..bullcrap to beating horses to win races... no sane person with a conscience wants to see that regardless of whether they have wagered on a horse or not. The fact is very few horses will respond to being hit with a whip in the stretch run at this stage in the game they are too tired to even feel the effect of the whip. It's a pointless exercise that has little or no effect on the outcome of the race. Pounding away like a fool on a horse doesn't show that a driver is trying it just shows that he is a fool. There are many ways to lose a race and if a driver is intent on losing he'll make sure he's not in contention and he can pound away and make it look like he's trying when the race is already over. I doubt too many races are being 'fixed' today anyways..what's the point?.. as the handles don't justify setting up races anyways. The purses are a far greater attraction today then stiffing one's horse...that's my opionion anyway.

rules rules rules then there is the 10 c0mmandments who keeps them,we need judges ,whom are not part of this cultish phenomenalism,lots of money invested thats going to go elsewhere.

Like most horsemen I am on this website daily and find it distressing to see in "FINES & SUSPENSIONS" the same names appearing constantly for excessive whipping I was especially upset when I seen Admirals Express the recipient of excessive whipping. This horse was for me as much an icon as Somebeach'
Excessive whipping is like drunken driving, the fine doesn't stop them but take the car away for six months it smartens them up so put them out there without the stick after the second offense.

there are good points for both sides of this argument but what we overlook is the main reason for these rule changes and that is to bring new people to our sport and then keep them. strangers do not see the whip hitting the saddle cloth just the sound it makes.
there are good rules in place at present but i feel they are not enforced at all tracks to the same degree. i have also noticed that whipping is more exagerated in the lower grade claiming races than the higher end conditions.
fines work for the driver who can ill afford them, suspensions work for the driver who drives everyday. a possible penalty could be confiscation of the whip for a number of drives increasing with regularity of offences.

You talk about the drivers not filling the hole in a race, if there is a no whipping rule how is the driver suppose to get the horses attention to fill the hole.Let's face it all horses react different,some need a little whip to get their attention and some you just have to hell and shake the reins lets leave that up to our drivers.

I think if the judges were more consistant in their rulings when handing out fines and such to drivers would help more also. It differs from track to track.

Finally, somebody who is big enough to make a difference. Let's hope somebody listens.

What driver would want to give up the use of the whip in the stretch!It's equivalent to a poker player playing with a ace in his/up their sleeve.The whip/ace is not a guarantee of winning but is sure is nice to have when THEY feel like using it.

Mr Brennan is correct in stating that virtually everywhere that Harness horses are raced that the judges do not enforce the existing rules.
In my opinion the remainder of his letter borders on pure nonsense. He suggests that the reason that business is down at Pompano Park is because of the recently enacted whipping rule. I ask Mr Brennan what empirical evidence can he present that this is indeed the case? Does Mr Brennan think that the fact that Pompano Park is situated in one of the most over saturated gambling areas in North America including newly enabled table gaming might have something to do with it? Mr Brennan also neglects to mention that not only is horse business down at Pompano, but so is slots revenue. Mr Brennan mentions the declining economy, but neglects to mention that its effect is especially felt in an area like southern Florida with many older people living on fixed incomes.
Does Mr Brennan know that greyhound racing has been banned in Massachushetts because of alleged animal cruelty? With our excessive whipping, especially one handed slashing, can we be far behind? All it would take is for a group of animal rights devotees to spend one evening at virtually any track to get that ball rolling.
Mr Brennan mentions that most of the complaining comes from people who have not owned, jogged or trained a horse. I would be willing to wager that my monetary investment in our business is far greater than his. In addition to paying bills on a significant number of horses, I have also on occasion jogged and trained horses.
In my many years involvement in Harness Racing, I have seen hundreds, if not thousands of drivers. Mr Brennan is one of the greatest natural talents that I have observed.
The irony of his letter in my opinion is that he would be every bit as great a driver and perhaps better with the implementation the suggestion rule changes.

Why would a trainer use a WHIP to begin with -the first time you start training a young colt or filly leave the WHIP in the barn and instead of using a whip talk to the young horse and they will respond the same as using a whip - those that use DRAFT HORSES to work in the woods and on the farm don't use a WHIP - its not the drivers fault that they use a WHIP it falls on those that train a horse - they are the ones that break a 2 year old - leave the WHIP in the barn PERIOD and the horse will follow the trainers instructions--try this method you may be surprized by the results.

Blaine Gregan,
Moncton, NB.

At last a sane voice from a professional driver regarding the whipping rule. Most people promoting this change not only have not trained or driven a horse, many of them don't know how to lead a horse. We have seen them try and it was not pretty.

Thanks for speaking up, George.

The main reason handle is down is that most tracks do not know that they are in the entertainment business and that they are competing with other forms of entertainment. The tracks were handed the biggest bonus ever, slots, and they still can't make a GO of it.

This rule was implemented a few years back in the UK. Not the greatest rule change as we now have drivers throwing the reins around and 'bouncing' the sulky which is far more dangerous than doubling up. Policed properly there is no need to change, the stewards have a job of which part of is enforcing the whip rule, there is also a duty to the betting public. End of.