The History of the Carriage Whip
Since man first domesticated animals and used them to help with his daily work, some form of "carrot and stick" have been used.
The use of the horse has always been associated with some form of goad or whip. The whip being used to signal the horse forward by touch or sound.
When man first started driving the horse to a wheeled vehicle, a whip was employed. At the start it was probably no more than a stick found by the side of the road. Through necessity and man's ingenuity, that simple stick evolved into a rustic contraption consisting of a wooden handle and leather thong, long enough to be able to reach any of the horses being driven. No matter how the vehicle was driven, whether from the vehicle, sitting on one of the horses or walking beside the horse and vehicle, a whip of some kind was used.
Through the 17th century, most driving was done with carts or large wagons used mainly to transport goods from field to market. During the 17th century carriages began to appear more frequently in Europe due to their growing in popularity with the upper classes. Through the 17th and 18th century the whip retained its original design of a stick with a leather thong, known as a drop thong whip. Ironically, the favorite leather to use for these thongs was horsehide.
At the start of the 19th century, the whip began to evolve into a design that is more familiar to us today. Its transformation began with a transition to a one piece whip with a quilled top, the juncture of the whip was strengthened by the presence of goose quills and the into the first part of the thong was inserted a section of whalebone, making it strong and flexible and giving it the familiar half loop look that we see today.
As the carriage traffic increased, so did the production of whips. Quality and detailing as well as the type of wood used varied greatly. The most popular type of wood used was holly in Europe and hickory in the United States. Some manufacturers produced whips with your choice of gold, silver, ivory, brass or nickel on the butt. Elevating the whip to a symbol of status for the wealthy.
The American Industrial Revolution also impacted the world of whips. During the 19th century and into the 20th century, 90% of the world's whips were made in America. Over 200 variations were produced at a rate of 20 million whips a year, ranging in price from .25 cents to $25.
With the onset of mechanization, the whip industry all but disappeared. But now with the re-emergence of combined driving and its great popularity as a World Championship event, whip makers are back in business designing a vast array of whips for any type of competitor. And all these whips can trace their ancestry back to that first stick picked up by the side of a road.
Photography by Ronni Nienstedt and John Unger.