We are often asked about the safety of our Steel Board Fence. It is fencing for horses after all, our most treasured companions who are strong and powerful, yet so delicate. And its horse fencing made of steel, a material generally understood to be quite strong and most horse owners usually equate steel with pipe fencing. So we are asked, "Will it flex?" Yes. "Will it hurt my horse?" No. "Have any horses ever broken through the fence in a panic?" Yes. "Were there any injuries?" No. "Amazing!" they respond.
If you do a Google search for safe horse fencing, it's amazing how often the word "safe" is used when promoting horse fencing. Most of what shows up on the first page is some variety of electric fencing, not necessarily the choice for serious equestrians. There is a lot to be considered when designing a horse fence, much of it revolving around safety. Safety was the top consideration at Buckley Fence in the design of the Steel Board Fence. It is visible to the horse, tall enough to dis-courage jumping, stiff enough to dis-courage testing for strength, and carefully designed to prevent serious injury or major fence damage upon forceful impact. It has no sharp edges or protrusions and is constructed of a material, and laid out in such a way, as to not injure or trap the horse. All of these design elements have been incorporated in the Steel Board Fence and its effectiveness as a truly safe horse fencing system has been proven time and again in the field.
Because of a horse's natural instinct to flee from perceived danger, it is not uncommon for them to bolt suddenly and hit the fence with tremendous force. Two of our customers have experienced their horses hitting the Steel Board Fence with full force and shared their stories with us because they are thankful their horses were not injured. Both have the Steel Board Fence in 4 rail sur-rounding paddocks. In Illinois, our customer's horse bolted when snow slid off the barn overhang and onto its back. He hit the fence at a full gallop and busted through all four rails in the section he hit. He was immediately examined by his caretaker who witnessed what happened and there were no injuries. In Texas, our customer awoke to find all the rails in one section of her Steel Board Fence bent and scattered on the ground (pictured below). All three of her horses had been fenced in this particular paddock for over a year and were fortunately standing nearby. She was immediately concerned about injury and carefully examined each horse. None of them showed any sign of injury. Our customers are thankful their valued horses remain safe and healthy, and relieved their only expense was replacing fence rails, not costly vet bills.
The Steel Board rails did as they were designed to do, buckle under the force of significant impact and fall out without injuring the horse. The posts were intact. Only the rails were damaged because they rest inside the rail openings in each post. Inside the post is a lock spacer that limits the movement of the rails and holds them in place. This is a design feature unique to the Steel Board Fence. There are no nails, screws or fasteners used to secure the rails, completely eliminating the risk of sharp edges or protrusions. The rails will "give" when leaned on by the horse, enabled by the rails length and the rubber grommets lining the rail openings, and will spring back to perfectly straight. However, when hit with enough force, the rails will buckle and fall out before the horse is injured, just as they were specifically and uniquely designed to do.
While every fence company claims their horse fence is safe, the unique design of the Steel Board Fence has been proven to be effective in the field as a safe horse fence, no electricity required! Its design incorporates all the elements that make it safe, not just one or two. Plan carefully and choose the fence that is best for your treasured horses. Be assured that with the Buckley Steel Board, you will have fencing exclusively designed for serious equestrians who care about the safety of their horses and want fencing to prove it and show it!
Visit our website to learn more, or call us at 877-306-4024. We'll be glad to answer your questions and provide you with any additional information.
