Jelka is pleased to have completed a project for Springhill Dressage UK.  We provided a new gallop rail fence for the canter track in order to improve the safety for horse and rider, mitigating the risks of training on the canter track.

The outdoor canter track at Springhill had a small inside perimeter fence (suitable for its previous use).  However, it was so low that a horse would not have been deterred to jump it if frightened. Where the risks of training young (and even experienced) horses are high anyway, steps could be taken to reduce the chances of serious injury to horse and rider.  As with all capital expenditure on improvements to facilities, benefits versus costs have to be evaluated and budgeted for accordingly. It was important to Springhill that we were able to work within an acceptable budget.

Choosing a gallop rail fence for a canter track:

The client specified a plastic gallop rail as their fencing of choice. This type of fence is a lot taller than the existing and looks very professional because this type of fencing is used by many racehorse trainers and racecourses throughout the UK.  Plastic gallop rail fencing is also more cost-effective than wooden fencing.

Meeting the required budget involved changing the style of fencing product from swan neck to upright as shown in the images.   Due to the ground conditions, the gallop rail had to be installed close to the track perimeter.  Therefore if the swan neck system was installed this would have reduced the track width.

In choosing the upright gallop rail we not only met the budget but also made sure the riders had all the available room possible to perform training exercises.

Benefits of the gallop rail:

1. Standing at 1.2 meters tall the gallop rail provides enough height to deter the horse from leaving the track.  This gives the rider a better chance of regaining control of the horse.

2. In the event that a horse did actually jump or strike the gallop rail fence, it would limit injury to the horse compared to a wooden fence.
3. A new gallop rail would improve the appearance of the canter track.