'extra' steering?

While watching a large show last year, I saw several riders using dressage whips in both hands along with their reins. Is this 'extra steering' or what? My daughter has been an aspiring dressage rider for years, hence many shows for many years, but this past year is the first time I've ever seen such a thing. Was a higher level class, not a beginner (horse or rider), and just doesn't seem right to me, let alone allowed in the rules. If someone could give the info to pass on....thanks!

not sure but Total Eclipse is the one to ask.. I check with her.. I know that she often changes her whip from hand to hand when she's riding.. maybe that's why they use two to avoid that..??? maybe

lol .. it's just extra whip, as simple as that sounds. It's more of double the aid.
There are a couple reasons people do it. It's more a personal preference more than anything, it's mostly for schooling purposes.

People may do it so they don't have a switch their whip into their other hand, they will just ride with two instead.
Usually a rider would ride with their whip in one hand (right or left) depending on which side your horse is unresponsive to, but some horses require the aid on both sides so instead of switching their whip to their other hand when they change direction they just chose to ride with two whips.
Another reason may be that the horse just needs a real 'wake up' lol . Dressage whips are long so they can reach farther back on the horses haunches be able to ask the hind legs to engage more. Riding with two whips can increase this responsive.

I would highly doubt that it is allowed in the show ring, but def in the warm-up.

Hey! Thanks for the answer Total Eclipse. Been rattling around the back of my bean for a while now. Was frustrating to the kid, as she spent years on a thelwell pony practising switching her whip constantly and to see someone with 2! Several riders were doing it, and didn't think it would be allowed by the rules. We did try to find out if it was a schooling thing but as they were in the main ring....Thanks again! :study: