The word whip describes two basic types of tools:
A long stick-like device, usually slightly flexible, with a small bit of leather or cord, called a "popper", on the end. Depending on length and flexibility, this type is often called a riding whip, riding crop or "bat". It is also sometimes called a "horsewhip" or "horse whip".
The other type of whip is a long tapered flexible length of single-strand or plaited (braided) material (usually leather) with a stiff handle. Some whips of this type include the bullwhip and the stock whip. Each design has many variations and lengths for different purposes, often with different names.
As well as these traditional whip types designed for use on animals, there are whip designs that had historic uses for inflicting pain on humans, such as the "cat o' nine tails", knout and others. These devices are used as flogging instruments, a means of control, corporal punishment or torture.
As a general comment, most of the whips used today by whip crackers and performers, weren't developed for hitting people or animals. They are noise makers, developed for controlling groups of animals by causing them to move away from the sound of the crack.
Cow whips
These whips hail from Florida in the United States. Although quite popular amongst enthusiasts in America, they're extremely rare in the UK.
Cow whips have long handles like stock whips, but the thong is attached by passing strands through the handle, then knotting them. Modern ones are usually made from nylon chord due to the climate, although hide - especially buckskin - used to be the norm. The handle is usually wooden, and left unbraided.
Yard whips
Short stock whips. As the name suggests, they were developed for used on foot in the cattle yard, rather than from horseback. Great for precision target work and energetic routines. A yard whip with a four foot thong has a reach of around 8.5 feet.
Signal whips
Signal Whips are snake whip variants that were originally designed for use with dog sled teams, and are still used by some mushers. They are a surprisingly modern design, having been developed in the 1970's; although the use of permanently attached crackers, which is the defining characteristic of the signal whip, has been around since Victorian times. As the name suggests, they are meant to signal to the dogs to help steer them, and the length is strictly controlled to prevent the musher from accidentally striking the team.
Signal whips used by whip enthusiasts are sometimes up to six feet long. At that length, you have a very elegant, accurate and efficient whip, which is not very suitable for sport whip cracking. Commonest are whips around four feet, including cracker.
Most signal whips are made from kangaroo hide.
Snake whips
The snake whip, blacksnake or shot whip, is a forgotten whip of the cattleman. Historically used primarily on foot while working teams, or in the cattle yard, the snake whip lacks the rigid handle of the bull whip, but is otherwise similar. This allows it to be coiled (hence the name) and put into a saddle bag, or even a large pocket.
Many bull and stock whip owners find that the lack of handle makes the snake whip harder to use; while signal whip owners will find the action of a snake whip to be quite familiar.
Modern snake whips range from about 3 foot long to around 12. Most are under 6 feet long. Short ones are excellent for use where space is limited; longer ones are used like a bullwhip, but require more sensitive handling for technical work.
Most good snake whips are made from kangaroo hide, with 8 to 16 strands in the overlay, although decent 4 plaits can occasionally be found; and there's no reason why cow hide ones can't be good. Higher plait whips are very rare. All good snake whips have replaceable Australian-style falls and crackers. They are almost always shot loaded - hence 'shot whip' - although longer cowhide ones don't need to be, if made well
Bull whips
A bull whip has a solid, or nearly solid, handle, or 'cane'. The handle may be bare or braided over. The thong is permanently attached to the handle. A great many low quality whips are made with a 'swivel handle'. This is a relic of a particular style of whip use from horseback, where the swivel helped to make the action easier. This style shortened the range of the whip, so swivel handled whips tended to be long; and this is still reflected today. There are one or two people still making very high quality swivel handled whips, but they are the exception to the rule: this style of whip has largely fallen out of favour with both SM and sport whip crackers.
Stock whips
Stock whips, are a type of single-tailed leather whip with a very long lash but a short handle. Stock whips are primarily used to make a loud cracking sound to move livestock (cattle, sheep, horses, etc.) away from the sound. It is generally not used to actually strike an animal, as it would inflict severe pain and is difficult to be applied with precision.
