I’m watching some harness racing on TV, and those guys are really letting fly (it appears) with their long whips in the final stretch. Does this really hurt the horse badly? Are race horses ever injured by the whipping?
In NY State at least, there are rules about the proper use of the whip. This article from the NY Times quotes several jockeys who say that it can be effective when used in moderation, but can be counterproducive when used too much.
This source gives the British Horseracing Regulatory Authority rules on whip use and specification.
Riders have been suspended for excessive use of the whip on many occasions in the past. The duration of the suspension depends on the severity of the offence and the rider’s past record.
Some horses do not respond to this kind of pressure so there is no point in applying it. They would simply down tools. Other horses definitely respond to the whip and I have personally witnessed animals winning races they would have otherwise have lost. It’s also important to understand that what looks bad from the stands, to the uninitiated viewer, is not necessarily the case. Sometimes the jockey will just ‘show’ the whip to the horse and not actually hit it.
I’m still looking for cites but I’m sure that, with the tightening up of the whip rule in this country over the years, instances of horses being injured are very rare indeed. Very occasionally they are hurt and they show the marks to prove it after the race. In such cases the stewards will come down very hard on the rider.
It’s worth noting also that excessive force could sour an animal for future races. I have seen this happen personally as well.
Whip regulations obviously vary from country to country.
Just yesterday I saw a race where the winning jockey had dropped his whip en route, however he was flapping his “whip hand” up and down as though he was using the whip - the horse ran on quite nicely for him