a humane whip for use in horse racing comprises an elongate self - supporting spine of glass fibre , carbon fibre or the like , surrounded by an outer flexible sleeve of rubber or soft plastics material . shock - absorbing members are disposed between the inner spine and the surrounding sleeve , and may comprise internal ribs on the sleeve and the air trapped between the spine and sleeve . the soft flexible sleeve has a reinforcing layer which inhibits stretching of the sleeve at least in the longitudinal direction . the tips of both the inner spine and the outer sleeve are each formed with an enlarged bulb .