Measurement of kick loads from horses on stable fittings and building elements

• Forces exerted by horse kicks were measured by a measuring wall system.
• A relation was found between recorded horse kick and drop hammer impact values.
• Duration and impact values of horse kicks were measured.
• Required impact resistance of horse fixtures and fittings has been established.
• A drop hammer method could be used for evaluating different materials and structures.

Fittings and fixtures in horse stables may cause injuries to horses when trapped and there is a high risk of an accident to animal and handler when releasing a horse. The risk of injuries to horses and handlers must be minimised by correct structural design and appropriate choice of building material. The physical load of unprovoked and provoked horse kicks were measured in order to obtain data for the design of safe horse fittings and fixtures.To record the forces exerted by horse kicks a measuring wall and a computerised measuring system were constructed and used in single horse boxes. For reference, the characteristics of the measuring system were determined by a drop hammer test. Through regression analysis a linear relation was found between the field recorded impact values from horse kicks obtained by the measuring system and drop hammer impact values. The drop hammer method can thus be used to test fittings.Impacts recorded in the field tests were rapid, often shorter than 0.03 s and 90% had a maximum value below 1924 N. The greatest impact force and impulse caused by a horse kick were 8722 N and 131 N s respectively, with no statistical difference between provoked and unprovoked kicks. Considering the data obtained and allowing a certain safety margin, the impact resistance of horse fixtures and fittings in single horse boxes, to be used for horses of up to 700 kg mass, should be at least equivalent to 150 N s exerted by a horse shoe at 45°.