The energiser is the heart of the electric fencing system and the best electric fence energisers for horses depend on your available power supply, the output required and the length of your fence. If you’ve got permanent electric fencing for horses and mains power nearby, a mains-powered energiser is the best option. A cable takes the power from the energiser to the fence – all you need to do is plug it in and switch it on. If your field is more remote and you don’t have access to mains, then a battery or solar energiser is your best option.

When selecting the best electric fence energisers for horses to meet your needs, it’s best to choose the most powerful energiser (highest Joules) you can afford for consistent power. And it’s best to err on the side of buying a more powerful unit than you initially think you need, keeping in mind that advertised power distances are based on ideal conditions and don’t account for vegetation reducing output. Calculate total fence length by multiplying the number of tape lines by the fence length (for example, a 1km fence with four tape lines is 4km of fencing).

Jump to:

• Mains powered electric fence energisers for horses
• Battery powered electric fence energisers for horses
• Solar powered electric fence energisers for horses

Best electric fence energisers for horses: mains, battery and solar

Mains powered energisers

Gallagher M120 Mains Fence Energiser

Distance powered: 8km

Power source: mains

Warranty: 5 years

Reasons to buy

• Easy to install
• Integrated lightning protection
• Indicator light on/off
• Possibility to add a back up 12V battery

Reasons to avoid

• If you are looking for a larger distance look at other models in the Gallagher range

This easy-to-install, entry-level, mains-powered energiser comes with a kit to attach it to a wall and has a pulse energy of 0.47J. It’s easy to use, has built-in lightning protection to prevent short circuits and can have a 12V battery attached to it as a back up – which is useful for yards with unsecured power supply.

XStop EL90 230v Mains Powered Energiser

Distance powered: 10km

Power source: mains

Reasons to buy

• Easy to use
• Weather resistant
• Great value
• Ideal for small to medium sized fields

Reasons to avoid

• Not the smartest looking unit

This weatherproof energiser kit can power up to 10km of fencing tape with 0.5J where mains power is available – just plug it in and off you go. It’s ideal for small to medium electric fence requirements, such as strip grazing. This is a complete kit that includes an earth stake, earth lead, fence connection clip, fence lead and mains lead.

Hotline Super Eagle Energiser

Distance powered: up to 30km

Power source: mains

Warranty: 5 years

Reasons to buy

• High and low power options
• Wall mount included
• LED fence performance monitor
• Can purchase a 12v battery for backup

Reasons to avoid

• Added expense of 12v battery for reliability during power shortages

This energiser is a powerful and reliable choice. It features dual output terminals, including high (2.4J) and low (0.7J) power options, which gives you flexibility.

It features a visual LED fence performance monitor and a 12V battery backup input for increased reliability during power failures (battery sold separately). It also includes a dual earth template for improved efficiency and a wall mount for simple installation. Backed by a 5-year warranty, this energiser ensures long-lasting performance and dependability.

Battery powered energisers

Fenceman B420 9V Energiser

Distance powered: 3km

Power source: battery

Warranty: 3 years

Reasons to buy

• Highly portable
• Ideal for strip grazing
• Complete kit

Reasons to avoid

• Non-rechargeable battery might not suit your needs

This 9V battery-powered energiser is good for smaller enclosures and has a battery-saving mode, which reduces the power but helps it last longer. Although the battery isn’t rechargeable, it’s easy to move around, which makes it good for strip grazing, and is also covered by a warranty.

Fenceman DP350B Energiser

Distance powered: Up to 3.5km

Power source: battery

Warranty: 2 years

Reasons to buy

• Integrated earth stake and stand
• LED indication light
• Can run off D-cell batteries (included) or a 12V battery
• Great for short fences and small areas

Reasons to avoid

• If you are looking for an energiser for bigger areas

This energiser can be powered by either 4 D-cell batteries or an external 12v rechargeable battery. It will power up to 3.5km on 12V (1km on 6V) and the pulse rate can be adjusted between 20–60 pulses/min. There is an LED indication light that blinks on every pulse and flashes rapidly when the battery is running low so you’ll never run out of power. It’s ideal for smaller paddocks and strip grazing.

H&H’s Georgia Guerin has been using this energiser for a number of years. She says: “I mostly use this for strip grazing, but I’ve also used it to electrify smaller individual paddocks within my three acre plot. I’ve use a 12V battery that is charged by a solar panel and kept in a box to make sure it’s watertight and easy to carry. The energiser is small and easy to move around when I need to, and I love how easy it is to change the pulse frequency.”

ShockRite SB120 Battery Powered Energiser

Distance powered: 6km

Power source: battery

Warranty: 3 years

Reasons to buy

• Complete setup with clips and earth stake
• Low battery indicator warning
• Built-in lightning protection

Reasons to avoid

• More crocodile clips to connect it up than others

This 1.5kg 1.2J energiser can power up to 6km of fencing tape. It has a low battery indicator and is made for permanent outdoor use with a special weatherproof membrane that protects the on/off switch. It has a three-year warranty.

T-Mech Electric Fence Energiser

Distance powered: 10km

Power source: battery

Warranty: 1 year

Reasons to buy

• Earth stake provided
• Compact size
• Powered by 12v battery

Reasons to avoid

• You want to use D-cell batteries

This energiser is powered by a 12V car or leisure battery, has a pulse energy of 1J and can cover larger, or multi-wire paddocks – up to 10km. It’s easy to set up and can be mounted on a fence or wall, it’s waterproof and has built-in lightning protection. It also only weighs 1.2kg, so it’s easy to move and set up in a new location.

XStop BA100 12V Battery Powered Energiser

Distance powered: Up to 20km

Power source: battery

Reasons to buy

• Easy to use
• Complete kit
• LED battery monitor

Reasons to avoid

• If you need a high energy output for your horse to respect the fence

This kit has everything you need to get started if you’re looking to power a medium-sized fence (up to 20km) from a battery. It’s easy to move around (weighing just 0.6kg) so is a great option for strip grazing, but it only delivers 1J so might not be strong enough to deter the most determined horses in all scenarios.

It has a multifunction LED that flashes green to indicate that the unit is operating correctly and flashes red when your battery is running low.

Solar powered energisers

Agrifence S16 Solar Powered Fence Energiser

Distance powered: 1.5km

Power source: solar

Warranty: 3 years

Reasons to buy

• No need to manually recharge
• Ready to use straight from box
• Pulse light
• Built in solar panel

Reasons to avoid

• Not mains rechargeable

The S16 is an ideal low-maintenance electric fence solution for smaller paddocks and dividing fences. The built in solar panel recharges the 6V internal battery allowing the energiser to operate without the need to manually recharge.

Supplied ready to use out of the box the energiser includes all you need to get started with a two-piece earth stake/mount post and connection leads. Complete with three-year warranty.

XStop Solar 0040 Solar & Battery Powered Energiser

Distance powered: 2km

Power source: solar and battery

Reasons to buy

• Complete kit with earth stake, leads and USB charging cable
• Low maintenance
• Durable
• Can top up charge with mains charge if and when needed

Reasons to avoid

• If you need to power a larger area

This weatherproof solar-powered energiser kit can power up to 2km of fencing with 0.4J. It’s also rechargeable via USB if a manual charge is required in times of very dark weather.

Wolsely SX300 Solar Energiser

Distance powered: Up to 20km

Power source: solar

Warranty: 2 years

Reasons to buy

• Combines solar and battery for continuous operating
• Indicator light for solar and battery
• Economical to run

Reasons to avoid

• Earth stake is not supplied with energiser you have to purchase this separately

The SX300 seamlessly combines solar power, rechargeable batteries, and backup “C” cell batteries to ensure continuous operation, even at night and on cloudy days.

With its ability to power up to 20km of fence line and run economically for 12 months without changing the C-cell batteries, it is an efficient and reliable choice. Key features include nighttime energy saving, indicator lights for solar output and battery condition, and a robust two-year warranty.

Power sources energisers: the specifics

Mains powered energisers

Pros

• Reliable power source with no battery concerns
• Stronger output
• Suitable for larger areas of fencing and multiple horses

Cons

• Must have a mains power source to run it
• Limited portability

9V/12V battery powered energisers

Pros

• Portable and flexible
• Quick installation
• Energy source is not reliant on mains power

Cons

• Batteries need recharging and need regular check-ups

Solar powered energisers

Pros

• Compact design ideal for temporary fences
• Solar cells keep your battery charged
• Low operating costs

Cons

• Not as powerful as mains energisers in the same price range

Battery vs solar energisers

If you don’t have access to mains power, you’ll be choosing between a battery or solar-powered electric fence energisers for horses. Solar-powered energisers do have a battery, but this is charged by the sun rather than requiring you to replace the batteries.

Battery-powered electric fence energisers are a popular choice for strip grazing and temporary fencing as they are very portable. Some are powered by dry-cell 9V disposable batteries, so you will need to consider the cost of replacing them as they run out. Others are powered by rechargeable 12V batteries, which can power longer fences at a higher voltage. You could use a car battery, but a purpose-designed leisure battery is designed to give a steady output over time, while a car battery will dwindle quite quickly. The higher the Ah of the battery, the longer you can leave it between recharges.

Solar-powered energisers use energy from the sun to power your fencing setup. They tend to have a higher initial cost but are cheaper in the long run and assuming they’re in a good position to receive enough light, you don’t have to worry about making sure they’re charged.

How many Joules should an electric fence have for horses?

Electric fence energisers for horses work by delivering an electric shock to any horse that touches the fence the energiser is attached to. Joules represent the energy output of the energiser and put simply the higher the joules the stronger the shock will be.

It’s essential to strike a balance between effectiveness and safety, ensuring that the fence provides enough deterrent for the horses without causing harm.

The ideal number of Joules for an electric fence for horses can also vary depending on factors such as the size of the pasture, the behaviour of the horses, and the level or type of vegetation growth in the paddock.

However, generally, electric fences for horses typically have an output of around 0.5–1.5 Joules.

How many Volts should a horse fence be?

Voltage is a measure of the electric potential energy per unit charge between two points in an electric circuit. A higher voltage will provide a stronger shock, but it also relates to the distance over which the electric shock can effectively deter horses. Higher voltage levels typically allow the pulse energy to travel greater distances along the fence line.

The voltage of electric fencing used for horses should typically be between 2,000–10,000 volts to effectively deter horses.

The exact voltage required can vary based on factors such as the length of the fence, the type of insulators and conductors used, and the energy output of the electric fence energiser.

It’s also important that regular maintenance and testing of the fence system are carried out to ensure consistent voltage levels and proper functionality.

You might also like:

Electric fencing for horses – everything you need for a temporary setup or strip-grazing

Strip grazing – all you need to know to get started

Best grazing muzzle options to help reduce your horse’s daily intake

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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Electric fencing for horses is typically used as temporary fencing, for strip-grazing or to protect existing fencing, which is a more permanent fixture. You may also be looking at setting up a track system with electric fencing as it can be easily moved.

If you’re setting up electric fencing for horses for the first time or need to make some upgrades, read on to find out what you’ll need…

What you need for temporary electric fencing

Electric fence starter kits

If you’re setting up your electric fencing for horses from scratch, an electric fencing starter kit could be just what you need. They usually include an energiser, batteries, fence posts and tape, but may also include conductors, ring insulators, a gate handle or a warning sign.

Energiser

The electric fence energiser is the heart of the fencing system and the best option for you depends on the power supply, output required and fence length. If you’re looking for a new energiser and the options below don’t fulfil your needs, we’ve written a specific guide to the best electric fence energisers, too.

Nine-volt battery energisers are a popular choice for strip-grazing and temporary fencing as they are very portable. They are powered by dry-cell 9v disposable batteries, so you will need to consider the cost of replacing them as they run out.

12v battery energisers are ideal for semi-permanent electric fences or where no mains power is available. These are powered by a rechargeable 12v battery and are able to power longer fences at a higher voltage. You could use a car battery, but a purpose-designed leisure battery is designed to give a steady output over time, while a car battery will dwindle quite quickly. The higher the Ah of the battery, the longer you can leave it between recharges.

Solar-powered energisers use energy from the sun to power your fencing setup. They tend to have a higher initial cost but are cheaper in the long run.

Posts

Plastic posts are the most popular for temporary electric fencing for horses – especially for strip grazing – because they’re cheap, lightweight and easy to set up and move. But choosing the right type for you could save you money and hassle in the future. You should consider the…

• height – for some horses, the visual effect of a 3ft post with a couple of lines of tape is enough to command their respect. However, in general, the taller your fence the better – especially if you’re enclosing larger or more determined horses – so 4ft6in fence posts or 5ft fence posts are likely to be a better choice.
• footplate – some posts have a single footplate and if this snaps, it can be hard to replant the post again, while others have a double footplate and some have a stirrup, which is typically more sturdy.
• colour – posts come in a variety of colours (most commonly white, green or black, but you can also get pink, purple or orange). Green is the least lurid and can blend into the surroundings more easily, while some people believe that horses are most respectful of a white fence. Ultimately it’s down to your preference or that of the landowner.

Electric fence tape/rope

Horses need to be able to see your fence for it to act as a deterrent, so the thinnest twines are not suitable. The most popular options for electric fencing for horses are tape and rope.

Electric fence tape is a great choice for plastic posts. It is subject to increased wear in windy conditions, so it’s best not to choose a tape that’s too wide – 20mm tape is suitable for most situations and the most common choice with plastic posts.

Electric fencing rope is visible, very strong and less prone to becoming caught in the wind. It comes in a variety of specifications and strengths – polyropes with stainless steel conductors are ideal for short/medium fence lines, while ropes containing tinned copper conducting lines are better for longer fencing and higher powered energisers. Rope is most commonly used in conjunction with wooden posts.

Connectors

It’s best to avoid cutting your tape where possible. If you need to connect two lines of fencing tape together, you should use tape connectors to ensure good conduction rather than tying the tapes together.

Insulators

Insulators direct your conducting tape or rope and are vital to an efficient electric fence. They’re essential if you have wooden posts as, unlike plastic, wood is a poor insulator. If your fence isn’t insulated properly, the power will leak into the earth and your horse will learn there is no need to respect the fence.

Ring insulators are the best option if you’re using polyrope (but can be used effectively with tape, too). They can be used to direct the rope to run above the fence, which prevents cribbing and chewing, or just inside the fence to prevent horses from scratching or leaning on the fencing.

You can also get distance/offset insulators, which are longer, that keep your horses further away from the fencing. Tape insulators are flatter to accommodate the shape of the tape, while combination insulators can be used for rope or tape.

Handles

Handles are essential for creating safe gateways to the field. They allow the current to pass through and complete the circuit while the gateway is closed, while giving you something safe to hold when you need access.

Warning signs

If your field has a public footpath running through it or alongside, it’s a legal requirement to place warning signs on your fencing to alert people to the potential danger.

Fence testers

Fence testers allow you to check the voltage of your fence to make sure everything is working correctly.

How does electric fencing work?

An energiser unit converts power high voltage split-second pulses that are emitted once every one or two seconds. If your horse touches the wire that carries the pulse, the current will pass through him to the ground and he’ll receive a shock. Horses quickly learn to stay away from the fence and it becomes a physical and psychological boundary.

Essential parts of temporary electric fencing

An electric fence is made up of four essential components…

• An energiser converts power from the mains or a battery into high voltage pulses that are emitted once every one or two seconds.
• The conducting tape makes up the actual barrier and carries the current along the fence. If your horse touches the wire that carries the pulse, the current will pass through him to the ground and he’ll receive a shock.
• Insulation stops the power being lost to the earth – if your tape is touching anything other than the posts or insulators, such as a tree, the fence will lose power.
• An earth stake that takes the current back to the energiser.

You might also like:

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The 10 commandments of electric fencing

Do electric fences make horses stressed?

A Swiss study has looked at the effects of electric fencing on horses

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

The owner of a Connemara who racked up a +£3,000 vet’s bill by getting himself tangled in electric fencing has spoken up to alert others to the possible dangers.

Catherine Arden’s 23-year-old gelding Charlie cut an artery and spent 10 days in hospital as the wound, which went down to the bone, had to be thoroughly cleaned and treated.

Catherine told H&H one of the liveries at her yard in Lincolnshire texted her to say Charlie had gone through the fence and fallen over.

“I looked out of the window and could see his tail was covered in blood,” she said. “There’s a French and Saunders scene where she cuts her finger off and it’s spurting blood everywhere – it was like that. It was horrendous.”

Catherine said her vet was “quite relaxed” about Charlie’s prognosis.

“She used to work at an equestrian blood bank and said they could stand and bleed like that for up to an hour with no ill effects – but it had an effect on me!” she said.

“I think he’d pushed his way through the fence and got his leg caught in the lower strand. The initial injury didn’t look too bad but it was down to the bone so they had to open it up and really clean it, and that had to be done at the clinic, it was like an episode of Casualty; by the time we arrived at the vets the bandage had slipped and the trailer looked like an abattoir.”

Catherine said Charlie has form as an escape artist, so she had used the rope-style fencing, rather than the flat tape, as advised by her vet to minimise risk of injury. She had only fenced off a boggy part of the field, with two strands of rope both attached to the battery, and Charlie had been left with a pile of haylage.

Warning: graphic image

“I was being a responsible owner!” she said. “It was a new system, and knowing how determined he is, we connected a separate battery for each strand, all the way round. He’d had a few days with his rug off when it was warm, then maybe having one back on gave him the confidence to go through it.”

Catherine was due to collect Charlie from the vets on 21 March, and he will need another month’s box rest to heal, including home vet visits to monitor the healing and change bandages. She said the total cost of his escapade will be about £3,500.

“You don’t think of electric fencing as being able to do that,” she said. “The vet said if it had been any closer to his hock joint, it could have caused permanent tendon damage. They mentioned that a thicker electric rope causes less damage than the typical white tape, and also that the very thin electric fence string can cut in like cheese wire round their legs so that’s worth knowing to avoid.

“They also told me that any injury that goes right down to the bone causes a disruption to blood supply which may ultimately lead to that bone progressively dying off, but this might not be apparent until up to 10 days after the accident. Hence plenty of intravenous and ongoing oral antibiotics to avoid a non healing wound”.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Electric fencing for horses – so useful, yet so infuriating. Whether it’s trying to set up your poles in a straight line, or trying to untangle your tape, these 10 commandments are sure to sound familiar to any horse owner who’s had to deal with it.

1. Do not covet thy neighbour’s electric fence, with its pristine posts and perfectly straight tape without a knot to be seen, for it will not stay like that.

2. However carefully thou coil the electric tape, thou shall find it in what is technically known as a “bugger’s muddle” when thou come to use it again.

3. Should ye try to build a fence with two strands of tape, however hard ye try, ye shall not achieve tautness in both strands. One shall for ever sag.

4. However careful ye shall be in disconnecting the power supply, there shall come a time when ye will get a shock. And it will not be pleasant.

5. Thou shalt always forget the pain of running the tape through thine hands as you coil it, until those spiky metal bits inside make their presence felt.

6. Blessed is he whose post spikes do not somehow bend themselves at 45-degree angles while in the ground, so they can’t then be used anywhere else, for he is truly rare.

7. Whenever ye maketh an attempt to create a fence, the ground into which ye will try to stick thine posts will be in one of two conditions: too hard or too wet.

8. Do not be fooled by thy horse’s innocent face and the fact he pretends not to approach when thou disconnecteth thy battery to charge it. He will charge as soon as the power is off and thine back is turned… straight through the fence.

9. However many posts you have, and however long be your electric tape, you will have just too few of the former and just too short of the latter to make the fence thy desired length.

10. At some point in all horses’ lives will come the moment of realisation: that with a thick rug on, it matters not whether the fence is electrified as they can walk straight through it. So all the above points are academic, anyway.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout major shows, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

Electric fencing for horses – everything you need for a temporary setup or strip-grazing

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Strip grazing involves fencing off a small area (or strip) in your horse’s field and moving it regularly to allow him access to fresh grass. The easiest way to set it up is with temporary electric fencing – how often you move this fencing will depend on the grass growth and how much your horse needs to consume, which will vary throughout the year.

It’s best practice to move the fencing on both sides of the grazing area at the same time, so that the grazing strip remains the same size as it moves across the field. This creates three areas…

• recovering area – the section your horse has just moved on from
• grazing area – the section between the two fences that your horse can graze
• resting area – the area that your horse will move onto next

Why is strip grazing useful?

Strip grazing can help to…

• protect your field – it allows your pasture to rest and recover, which promotes healthy grass growth and overpopulation of weeds caused by overgrazing
• manage your horse’s weight by reducing his intake
• help your horse adjust to a new field by gradually increasing the size of the grazing area

What do you need for strip grazing?

Temporary electric fencing is the best option for strip grazing because you’ll need to move it regularly. It’s lightweight, easy to move and inexpensive in comparison to more permanent options. We’ve rounded up everything you need to set up temporary electric fencing.

How to strip graze

• Set up your fencing, making sure there’s enough space for the number of horses and that they still have access to shelter and water.
• When the grass has been eaten down, move the fence lines by approximately 1m. This will open up part of the resting section to become part of the grazing area, while allowing another part to become part of the recovery section.
• Continue in this way until you reach the end of the field and then either begin again or work your way back across.
• Tend to the recovering and resting areas with harrowing, topping or reseeding as required.

Strip grazing tips

• Ensure the grazing strip is an appropriate size — too little space will put pressure on herd dynamics, while too much space will make it difficult to manage intake effectively
• Move the fencing regularly
• Have some spare posts and tape handy in case of breakages
• Use the growth of the rested area as a guide to how much your horse is eating on a daily basis
• Avoid designing a setup with too many corners – these put strain on your posts and cause them to bend
• Remove droppings regularly

What is a track system?

A track system usually divides a paddock into a grazing and resting area by marking out a grazing ‘track’ around the perimeter to create a loop with the ungrazed area in the centre. It encourages your horse to move more while grazing, which mimics the greater distances covered in the while. It can also help your horse to burn extra calories.

Track systems typically offer less options for rotating the grazing, but you can add a variety of different surfaces, such as sand, to replicate a more wild environment. It’s likely that you’ll need to provide supplementary forage if you opt for a track system as the grazing area will become over-grazed in time.

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A rider who needed surgery on a horrific burn suffered when she got tangled in electric fence by her spooking horse wants to warn others of the risks.

Lily Tsang has recovered from the injuries she sustained in March 2021, when in an instant, “it all changed”, but she says she was lucky not to have been more badly affected.

“I would never have believed it could happen,” she told H&H. “I feel almost obliged to speak about it because people still struggle to believe it.”

Lily was bringing her horse Horace in from the field as she always did, along a wide walkway between fences, when he got a shock.

“I don’t know why, to this day, but for whatever reason he touched the electric fence with his nose,” she said. “That of course made him shoot back, then he went forwards. I kept hold of him but he reared, and the fence snagged his toe, so of course he pulled it back towards him.

“He was spinning, the fence was attached to his foot, and he wrapped the fencing round my leg. I ended up on the floor and he charged off up the field taking the fence with him.

“As he was going, it was wrapping round my leg – if you picture a ship’s anchor let go, and the rope coiling round, that was it, my leg was in the perfect place for it to wrap round as he charged off.”

Lily said a post came out of the ground and the tape snapped, freeing both of them. At that stage, she did not think she had been badly hurt.

“I was a bit ‘oh my god. Has that really just happened?’” she said. “I was amazed he hadn’t trampled me. I went after the horse – and of course he was in the wrong field and galloping round – and thought ‘That’s going to hurt in the morning’. I thought it was just bruised and grazed.”

Two days later, Lily sought medical advice as her whole leg was looking bruised and blistered, so she went to a walk-in centre.

“The doctors didn’t quite understand how it had happened, but they said ‘Why didn’t you come in straight away?’” she said. “They had to check my heart; apparently any electric shock can have serious implications for internal organs. They said if I’d come in straight away, I’d have been on a drip and had to stay in.”

Lily had a couple of appointments at the centre, then was referred to a specialist burns unit. Some of the skin on her leg had gone black and necrotic, and she had a big haematoma.

She had to undergo two operations; one to dig out the dead tissue, after which she had a portable vacuum pump fitted to drain the wound, then a skin graft.

“It’s fine now,” Lily said. “But the dressing changes were a little traumatic at times! I’m not squeamish but when the nurse first took it off, I thought ‘Oh god, is that my leg’. I said I hadn’t expected that and she said ‘Sorry, I should have warned you’! But now it’s all good, just a big scar.”

Lily also had to deal with the pain of losing Horace, who suffered colic the day she left hospital. He was taken to an equine hospital but had to be put down.

“That really crushed me,” she said. “He was such a good boy and I’d had so much fun with him. I’d go in for dressing changes and the nurses would say ‘You’re the one with the horse, how is he?’”

Lily has since bought another horse, Isaac (pictured), and has been training for triathlon, in which she hopes to compete this season.

Her main message is to warn other people of the risks of electric fencing, even in situations horses and riders experience every day with no incident.

“It was just so quick,” she said. “It was something I did every day, I had yard boots on, trousers, I’m always careful and it was a freak accident; in the blink of an eye, it all changed.

“Hopefully this doesn’t ever happen to anyone else but I was blown away, and just wanted to shine a light on it. I’m certainly more wary with electric fence now!”

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Electric fences are used in paddocks up and down the land, but what effect do they have on equine stress levels?

The answer, according to a new Swiss study, is none.

The experiment, led by Rupert Bruckmaier of the University of Bern and published in the journal, Applied Animal Behaviour, measured stress responses in 20 horses between the ages of six and 18 years kept in four different grass outdoor enclosures.

The arenas were of two different sizes — one of each size had wooden fencing, the other had electric fencing.

The smaller of the two sizes was 12.25m2 — the size of a modest stable — and the larger enclosure was nearly three times that size, at 36m2. The horses were systematically rotated between the four enclosures, spending 90 minutes in each one.

The researchers videoed the horses to check for behavioural signs that might indicate stress and to determine whether there were any differences in the way horses grazed in the various paddocks. Measurements were also taken of the animals’ heart rate and heart-rate variability, and samples of saliva were obtained for cortisol analysis — all of which indicate stress response.

“The total amount of stress-indicating behaviour did not differ between the two fence types, and it did not matter whether the enclosed area was large or small,” reported Mr Bruckmaier and his team.

But the study did reveal that horses made less use of the available space, and moved around less, in the electrically fenced enclosures and in the smaller of the wooden-fenced areas. They were also less likely to roll in the small paddocks.

Kent-based livery yard owner Sue Wright has five paddocks which are electrically fenced, and said that the results of the study were “reassuring”.

“I use electric fencing because it’s convenient, and although I’ve never had an issue with it, it’s good to know that it doesn’t have an effect on horses,” she told H&H. “I think paddock size is more of an issue — horses that have a decent amount of space to move around in are generally much happier.”

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The RSPCA has urged horse owners to check their electric fencing after being called twice in a week to reports of deer caught in tape fencing.

RSPCA chief inspector Lee Hopgood was called to a fallow deer caught by its antlers in fencing at Dunley, Stourport-on-Severn, on 9 September and to another incident in Halesowen on 12 September.

He said: “I would urge anyone using this fencing to manage the grazing of their horses to check it a minimum of once a day, preferably in the morning as deer can get caught overnight.

“It is essential that it is fully maintained and secure so there is less likelihood of animals getting trapped.”

Both deer were tranquillised and released unhurt.

British Horse Society welfare spokesman Julie Mortlock added: “It’s common sense really, regardless of whether it is a deer stuck in your fencing or your horse, you should be checking it regularly.”

This news story was first published in H&H (24 September, 09)

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A planning inspector has rejected proposals to erect electric fencing across Telscombe Tye common — an East Sussex beauty spot and popular place for riding — following a four-day inquiry. Objections were heard from the British Horse Society (BHS) and others.

Previously, electric fencing obstructing a bridleway across the common was removed after persistent requests from Jackie Rowland, BHS County Access and Bridleway Officer.

Landowner Telscombe Town Council then applied for permission to re-erect and add to the fencing. But the inspector said the fences and gate would provide a physical barrier to access that would impact most upon horse riders and wheelchair users.

This news release was first published in Horse & Hound (8 March, ’07)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now