A whip is a tool that was traditionally designed to strike animals or people to aid in guidance or exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities, whips can be used without inflicting pain, such as being an additional pressure aid or visual directional cue in equestrianism. Whips are generally one of two types, either a firm stick designed for direct contact, or a flexible line that requires a specialized swing to be effective and may have less precision in return for a longer reach and greater force. There are also whips that combine both a firm stick and a flexible line, such as hunting whips.
