A Horse That Respects Its Fence Doesn’t Touch It
The energiser is, in fact, a transformer: it takes the 220 volts from the mains (or 12 volts from a battery), multiplies the voltage by 40, and removes the dangerous amperage.
But just like an electric socket, there are always two connections:
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The negative: driven into the ground (the earth rod), turning your pasture into a vast conductor. -
The positive: the tape itself.
So when your horse, standing on the ground (not being a bird!), touches the tape, it “connects” itself for a split second.
The first time the horse touches the tape with its nose—curious but cautious—it receives a strong jolt, either on the muzzle or through the body.
If the energiser is powerful, with a good earth connection and properly installed tape, that jolt feels like being struck with a heavy stick. It is this unpleasant memory that creates the mental barrier. From then on, whenever tempted by grass on the other side, the horse remembers.
A Visual Barrier
Horses do not see clearly. Their vision covers nearly 350 degrees, but with poor depth perception and blind spots directly in front of the nose and behind them.
That is why a horse fence must never be less than 4 cm wide, with at least two lines of tape.
In the instant a horse decides not to respect a fence, its instinct must tell it:
“No, that’s too big a branch. I can’t get through—I’ll go around it!”
The wide tape provides a solid, visible obstacle even when the horse charges forward. For this reason, two or three lines of 4 cm tape are essential.
The Proof in Pictures
This photo shows seven types of fences:
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4 are virtually invisible,
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2 are visible but not always respected,
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and only 1 is both visible and respected: the 4 cm HorseGuard tape.
Strength and Safety
HorseGuard 4 cm tape withstands up to 300 kg of pressure.
That breaking point is more than enough under normal conditions (though no fence can guarantee the behaviour of every horse).
And importantly: any fence must yield before injuring the horse. Even concrete rails cannot guarantee safety if a panicked horse crashes into them.
It is the pain associated with the electric fence that creates the mental barrier.
The stronger the jolt, the more impenetrable that barrier seems to the horse.
Why a Properly Electrified Fence Matters
Horses can be unpredictable, especially when frightened or excited. With a narrow and/or poorly electrified fence (or worse, barbed wire), two risks arise:
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The horse does not see the fence and runs straight into it—leading to serious injuries.
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The horse sees it, but in agitation (for instance, when its companion leaves for a ride), it tries to force its way through with its chest.
Critical moments like these may only happen once in a horse’s life—but the consequences can be severe.
Some owners are fortunate never to face them. But it is always safer to be prepared.
That’s why:
A Fence Must Always Be Properly Electrified
(maintaining 4,000–5,000 volts at all times).