N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-20.15

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 12, June 17, 2024

Section 13:71-20.15 - Restricted use of whip and prohibition of goading devices

(a) No person shall possess or use a goading device, chain, or mechanical devices or appliances, other than the ordinary whip, as permitted at N.J.A.C. 13:71-20.14, upon any horse while in a race, training, or at any other time on property subject to the Commission's jurisdiction. The brutal use of a whip or blunt spur, kicking a horse with a foot, striking a horse with the whip under the seat of the sulky, or indiscriminate use of a whip shall be considered a violation.

(b) The whip cannot be used on a horse in an excessive, indiscriminate, brutal, or unnecessary manner, as determined in the discretion of the judges, including, without limitation, that the driver shall not:

1. Cause an injury, visible or not, to the horse with the whip;

2. Use the whip more than three times in succession without giving the horse time to respond to the whip;

3. Repetitively use the whip when a horse is not responding;

4. Continue to use the whip when a horse is not advancing its position in the race;

5. Use the whip on a horse that is out of contention; or

6. Use the whip after the finish of a race.

(c) A driver may use a whip only in a conventional manner, as follows:

1. The driver must keep a line in each hand, except as may be necessary to adjust equipment (that is, pulling plugs, dropping blinkers) beginning when the horse is behind the starting gate and continuing through the finish of the race;

2. One handed whipping is prohibited at any time during the race;

3. Whipping shall be restricted to wrist action only and the whipping arm shall not be raised above the driver's shoulder height;

4. Drivers shall not move their whipping arm in an exaggerated manner and the lines shall remain reasonably taut during the race;

5. The driver shall not strike, jab, or use the handle of the whip on a horse; and

6. The driver shall not strike another horse or driver with the whip or use the whip in a manner that interferes with, or causes disturbance to, another horse or driver.

(d) The location where the whip is used is limited as follows:

1. The driver shall not use the whip below the level of the arch or shaft, or forward of the race bike's wheels;

2. Above the level of the shaft, the driver may use the whip only in a sliding, gliding, or tapping manner; and

3. The driver shall not place the whip between a horse's legs.

(e) Under the supervision of the judges, there shall be a visual inspection of each horse following each race for evidence of excessive or brutal use of the whip.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-20.15

As amended, R.1982 d.109, effective 4/5/1982.
See: 13 N.J.R. 820(a), 14 N.J.R. 347(a).
Section substantially amended.
Petition for Rulemaking.
See: 40 N.J.R. 5857(a), 40 N.J.R. 6660(a).
Petition for Rulemaking.
See: 41 N.J.R. 1275(c).

Amended by 52 N.J.R. 1940(b), effective 10/19/2020