It’s one of the highlights of the racing calendar but the build-up to this year’s Cheltenham festival has been dominated by controversy over one piece of a rider’s kit: the whip.

So, are new restrictions over its use a necessary step to protect horse welfare and improve the sport’s image?

Or, are they an over-the-top reaction to a non-existent problem that’s forcing riders to reinvent their techniques at the peak of the jump racing season?

Ex Gold Cup-winning jockey Andrew Thornton argues that whip use is "not a welfare issue", while Roly Owers, the CEO of World Horse Welfare, insists that the whip should only be used for safety and training, not to encourage a horse.

Panel: Nesta McGregor, John Hunt, Andrew Thornton & Roly Owers.

Producer: Sam Sheringham