# Corral panels are DANGEROUS



## Easyrider64

There seems to be a great movement toward corral panels to solve all known stall and confinement problems. Just FYI I recently purchased a yearling and his two year old brother, quarter horses, and quickly put them in 10' sturdy corral panel stalls 10'X20. The very first day, the yearling was lying down in his, and caught his leg in between the lower two rails and almost broke his leg in the ensuing panic. He limped, and bruised his leg but survived intact.

Today his beautiful brother began to paw at a panel while I was grooming him and got his front leg stuck between the lower rails. He panicked and pulled the panel into both himself and me. My shoulder is severely bruised, but not broken. He bruised his front leg badly, and somehow sustained a three inch laceration, probably from the locking hardware on the end of the panel, which was being used as a the gate to the stall and was only fastened at one end.

This could have ended very badly in both cases, with broken legs and severe injuries to me. The horses were not acting up, but acting normally. Of course their reaction to being stuck in the panel rails was severe,, possibly due to their age, but do you know how your horse might act if he got stuck? None of us do until it happens.

I'm now walling in my stalls with Hardi plank, and removing the panels. I'm hoping they will fare better as a round pen. This was very close to a disaster in both cases. I love these guys, but they can't always be trusted to do the right thing. But I can. NO more corral panels for confinement of horses on my property.


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## trailhorserider

I don't know what I would do _without_ corral panels. My whole horse set-up is made of corral panels. 

When my gelding was a foal he would sometimes roll out of them since there was such a big gap between rails. And sometimes I would worry about him getting a foot under the lowest rail (which sometimes, on our uneven property was very close to the ground). But he survived foal-hood and I haven't had any kind of problems since. He certainly isn't afraid of the fencing and I think I would have had the same issues no matter what kind of fencing I had.

I am guessing your guys aren't used to corral panels, hence the panic reaction. For horses that are used to them, they are great fencing. 

Now I will say that the kind that are rounded on the top corners can be dangerous. I know a lady whose foal (maybe even two of them) got hung up in that "v" shape between panels. One injured his leg badly from hanging there for who knows how long (he must have reared up to get his foot caught like that). So I would be leary of that kind. But the kind that clamp together and are 90 degrees at the top are pretty darn good. 

If not for corral panels, I don't know what kind of fencing I would have, but it wouldn't be nearly as good. This is what ours look like:


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians

Pretty much, once a foal gets his foot/leg hung in the corral panels and pulls it out, he figures out that it was a very bad idea and doesn't do it twice. Kind of like Jeff Foxworthy and his, "Hurt like H*LL, bet you won't do THAT again." bit. I've used many different kinds of corral panels from 3 rail to 6 rail, 5ft tall to 7ft tall and had babies and youngsters try to kill themselves by doing dumb stuff in them. None have succeeded in killing themselves and they've all learned that if they get a leg hung, to either stand still and wait for a rescue or they learn to slowly pull their leg out until they can bend and free themselves. As much as I love 'em, I've kind of learned that if they're too stupid to figure out how to survive corral panels then they're stupider than I want to try to train. They've got to have SOME sense of self preservation.


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## Malice

I don't know want I would do without paneled fencing either. Our setup is a bit different, not individual panels but welded continuous fencing that still has the panel like gaps. As long as the panel bars are rounded and firmly secure so if the pull back the fence doesnt come with them then I honestly don't see the problem. 

My gelding paws and gets his foot stuck through the fence, often as high as his shoulder level, and it has taught him to think instead of freaking out. A type of desensitizing that I feel is quite crucial. I'd rather have horse that learned the hard way on his own if we ever come up on something on a trail that causes his foot to be stuck. And honestly if they can't learn from it, well what else are they going to have trouble learning? 

Now what actually scares me is when they somehow stick their head through the fence!


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## squirrelfood

What about pasture fencing? Can you board all that up too? Panels will hurt them far less than a lot of other fencing and its good for them to learn not to do that with the least damage possible. In spite of what some think, bubble wrapping a horse is NOT an option that works well.


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## Foxhunter

I do admit that I have seen this panelling and wondered about a horse being able to easily get a leg stuck through it.

It strikes me that no matter what we do, some horses will do their best to injure themselves! 

I had solid gates separating a large barn into two. Top held four yearlings. There were two gates across and a post in the centre which the gates bolted into so the whole barn could be opened up.

I had seen all four yearlings as I led the brood mares in. I put the mares in their stables picked up the yearlings feed and walked up to feed them. One had rolled and got her hind leg caught between the gate and the slamming posy, no more than an inch, if that, in width. 

Her leg was a real mess but she did survive it.

I am very safety conscious and would never have deemed it possible for a leg to get trapped in such a small gap.


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## anndankev

I'm thinking the OP wasn't talking about using them as a corral, but as stall dividers. 

Most stalls I've seen have solid walls, at least at the bottom. Even then a horse that kicks can break out a plank, put his foot through and get badly hurt.


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## squirrelfood

No one has ever come up with a completely foolproof way to keep a horse. They WILL get hurt on the darndest things. I saw one cut his lip open pretty badly on a piece of really tough grass (we call it wiregrass around here) because it got stuck between his teeth, and he threw his head up. Doesn't mean I'll pull them all off pasture.


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## smrobs

All of my fencing for the "stalls" in my barn are made from panels. Sure, I've had a horse bruise or bang themselves kicking or pawing. Sure, I've walked out to find a horse cast with their legs stuck through (thankfully, those horses were smart enough not to fight, but laid there patiently). But, I've never had a serious injury from panel fencing.

IME, the best thing about a horse getting cast in a panel fence is that it's really easy to get them free. All you have to do is take the panels apart and move the one they're stuck in. So much easier than trying to get a rope on their feet and risking being kicked when they get cast against a solid wall.

Like others have said, nearly everything you put around a horse, they will find a way to make it dangerous. I swear that some horses could cripple themselves on a sheet of paper blowing around the pasture LOL.


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## Easyrider64

I see from photos there are quite an array of panel constructions. Mine have three rails within sixteen inches of the ground, and maybe a poor design allowing the leg to get stuck easier. 
I'm thinking a may just have to put up a board or siding covering that sixteen inch gap, and it may solve the problem. I like my horses too much to lett them "self-educate" themselves by breaking a leg.
Looks like the panel industry would be a safe investment judging from those of you sold on them.


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## Easyrider64

Another reason for the walling of my horse stalls is the severe Texas winter we had last season. I can't remember one quite as bad in recernt memory. Panels don't ward off much weather!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians

Easyrider64 said:


> Another reason for the walling of my horse stalls is the severe Texas winter we had last season. I can't remember one quite as bad in recernt memory. Panels don't ward off much weather!


Bottom line is, they're your horses. You can keep them however you want.


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## EquineObsessed

We only have a few pens with corral panels, most of our property is electric wire and tape or wooden panels. I've never had a problem with any horses kept in with panel fencing. I have, however, repaired enough wire fencing, and paid enough in vet bills for horses who have hurt themselves getting out of it and then tearing through the neighbor's barbed wire. We're slowly transitioning to wooden fences, just because the metal panels are so expensive here. Our New Hampshire winters have never damaged or weakened any panels I have ever seen. Keep your horses in what works for you- there are a lot of fencing options for a reason.


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## jenkat86

smrobs said:


> Like others have said, nearly everything you put around a horse, they will find a way to make it dangerous. I swear that some horses could cripple themselves on a sheet of paper blowing around the pasture LOL.


I know a horse at a previous boarding facility who spooked at a plastic bag in the pasture, ATTEMPTED to jump over the gate of the pasture and ended up with 17 stitches in her belly...you could wrap them in bubble wrap and they would still hurt themselves :wink:


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## stevenson

I have had horses roll and get cast under 2 7/8's Pipe. No bending that, no moving that, you have to Drag the horse out . I had one horse jump a portable fence, one of the draft crosses, and thank goodness it was a portable panel, as his hind legs hit, and the panel bent , had it been a solid pipe he would have been injured. 
If there is a way for a horse to get hurt.. it will. No matter how safe you try to make it. I would have used 2 x 8's instead of hardi planks .


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## PaintHorseMares

If not too late, reconsider Hardi plank if you have any chewers. It's not safe to ingest.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## greentree

It really doesn't matter WHAT kind of fencing you have.....The outcome is always the same. If you care about them, they will get hurt. If you don't care, they won't.


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## whisperbaby22

greentree, you have it right. I use pipe corrals, my issue here in California is fire. Don't want any wood on my property at all. I keep electric wire on mine, teaches a new critter pretty fast to stay away from the panels. On the rare winters when we get rain, keeps my old guy from sticking his head in there to get the grass.


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## DraftyAiresMum

The two stalls my gelding has ever been in have been pipe corral. One was a mare motel stall. The other was just panels. It's the only thing I've found that he'll actually respect (don't see a lot of wood fences in my area and he won't go in a barn stall). Electric fence? Psh. He walks through the electric tape fence surrounding his turnout about once every couple of weeks and goes on walkabout around the property. Last time he did it was the morning of the first show of the season at my barn. Yeah, he's a schmuck. 

This is my old gelding in his mare motel stall (he's the shorty on the left :lol: ). The big handsome guy on the right had never been in that type of stall before. He rolled once, got stuck, panicked, then managed to pull himself free. He was a $500,000 imported Holsteiner from Germany (according to his owners). He never tried to roll in his stall again.


As others have said, they'll get hurt no matter where you have them. It's just their nature.

Also, the pawing thing I would have stopped the SECOND it began. That is completely unacceptable, IMPO. I don't care if they're a baby or an old retiree. You paw, you get reprimanded.


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## anndankev

What exactly is a Mare Motel?


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## Shoebox

Here's a question: What ISN'T dangerous to a horse? :lol:


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## anndankev

Carrots


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## JCnGrace

anndankev said:


> Carrots


 
Bad for IR horses and can cause choke so the search is still on for something that can't hurt them. LOL


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## anndankev

Bad for IR horses !?!?!? Oh NO

What can poor Dewey have for a treat now


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## ChitChatChet

My horse found the ONLY T-post in his run and skewered himself on it. He somehow even managed to rip it out of the ground.

The vet said it was done perfectly as it he didn't rip his flesh just rammed it in and it came back out straight.

Life is dangerous to horses


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## Rain Shadow

Padded rooms perhaps?


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## Endiku

Someone else had the answer to that one...can't remember which forum it is, but she had someone tell her that you can try to keep a horse safe to the best of your ability...even put it in a padded room- and ten to one the horse will eat the padding, colic, and die. 

There really is no way to keep a horse completely safe. They'll gash themselves on sharp particles of air.


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## Easyrider64

Yes, everything can be dangerous to a horse, but you change the things you know are dangerous because you love them.

I put the rubber tip on the tposts in my pasture, but the horses nibble them off. If I had to remove all the t posts I'd be bankrupt. But I did all that is possible to protect the horses within my budget, and I can sleep now.

Every morning at feeding, I find new scratches on both horses! Brothers roughhousing, and tree limbs for scratching. Give em to the Lord. He created them after all.


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## stevenson

annandkev.. a mare motel is a row of corrals with a cover over them , I have heard them called open air barns .


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## anndankev

Thanks


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## Yogiwick

> I swear that some horses could cripple themselves on a sheet of paper blowing around the pasture LOL.


Yup I hear that. Death by paper cut. Would NOT surprise me at all..


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## KigerQueen

I have never seen a stall made out of anything other than stall panels unless its wood/metal or brick (and all but the brick are just cruel out here in az).


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