In accordance with these guidelines, many horse owners have started extending their horse's stall to include a paddock. This improves the animals' quality of life – firstly, by providing different climatic stimuli, and secondly, by increasing the available space (allowing the horse to freely choose where it wants to be).

The basis for discussion by the Animal Welfare Council and the trigger for the planned project is the increasing use of electric fences to enclose paddocks. Experts suspect that the space required could be reduced as soon as the horse comes into contact with the current – ​​the animals are in a stressful situation and will likely maintain a safe distance from the fence in the future (learning effect). Reduced social contact with neighboring horses could also be inferred from this.

The project aims to assess the potential effects of electric fences on horses. Through behavioral observations and the recording of heart rate and heart rate variability, the physical and psychological stress levels, as well as the effective use of space in small, electrified paddocks, will be investigated. The design of the stall and paddock is also crucial – this primarily concerns the available space, the ratio of stall to paddock area, the flooring, the possibility of social interaction in the stall or paddock, and the fence design in terms of height, materials used, and current flow.

The investigations will be carried out at several horse farms (mainly at the training stable and the Stadl Paura breeding station) during the summer months of 2012. Multi-day measurement series are planned, using different fencing systems and horse types, in order to obtain meaningful results by covering as wide a range as possible.