whipperin

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun In hunting, one who keeps the hounds from wandering, and whips them in, if necessary, to the line of chase.
• noun In the game of hare and hounds, one who leads the hounds, sets the pace, etc.
• noun Hence, in British Parliament, same as whip, 3 .
• noun In racing slang, a horse that finishes last, or near the last, in a race.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• noun A huntsman who keeps the hounds from wandering, and whips them in, if necessary, to the of chase.
• noun Hence, one who enforces the discipline of a party, and urges the attendance and support of the members on all necessary occasions.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun huntsman's assistant in managing the hounds