One Fit hurdles are now in use at over a dozen National Hunt racecourses across the UK and internationally. If you are managing a course that still runs traditional brush hurdles, you may have considered whether switching makes sense. Here is a practical comparison of both systems covering safety, maintenance, cost and the day-to-day operational differences.
How traditional brush hurdles work
A traditional hurdle flight uses an ash frame with a brush face, typically birch. The frame is portable and can be repositioned between meetings to distribute wear. The brush face compresses with use and needs periodic topping up or replacement. Traditional hurdles have been in use at UK racecourses for generations and the standard of construction and maintenance is well understood. The main overhead is managing fill condition across the season.
How the One Fit system works
One Fit hurdles replace the brush face with a padded foam panel fitted to a standard hurdle frame. The panel absorbs impact rather than presenting a brush face. The system was developed with horse and jockey safety as a primary consideration, and the foam construction reduces the likelihood of a horse becoming entangled in the hurdle face.
Maintenance requirements are lower than for traditional brush hurdles. There is no fill to top up between seasons. Panels are durable and typically last several seasons before replacement. The frames are standard portable hurdle frames and can be used with either panel type.
Safety
One Fit hurdles were developed partly in response to concerns about what happens when horses fall at hurdle flights. The foam construction reduces the risk of entanglement compared with a brush face. Several courses have switched to One Fit specifically on horse welfare grounds. Traditional brush hurdles are not unsafe and continue to be used at most National Hunt courses, but if reducing entanglement risk is a priority the One Fit system directly addresses it.
Cost over time
The upfront cost of One Fit hurdles is higher than traditional brush. Ongoing maintenance costs are lower. For most courses running eight or more meetings per season, total cost of ownership over five years is broadly comparable. Courses with fewer meetings may find the lower upfront cost of traditional hurdles harder to offset with maintenance savings.
Making the switch
You do not need to replace the full set at once. Some courses convert flight by flight over two or three seasons, spreading the capital cost and allowing groundstaff to get familiar with the system before it covers every obstacle. WF Racing supplies both traditional brush hurdles and the One Fit system. Give us a call and we will help you work out which option makes more sense for your fixture schedule and budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are One Fit hurdles?
One Fit hurdles are a padded foam hurdle system for National Hunt racecourses. They replace the traditional brush face with a foam panel fitted to a standard portable hurdle frame. The foam construction absorbs impact and is designed to reduce the risk of horses becoming entangled in the hurdle face when they fall.
How many racecourses use One Fit hurdles?
One Fit hurdles are in use at over a dozen National Hunt racecourses in the UK and internationally.
Are One Fit hurdles safer than traditional brush hurdles?
One Fit hurdles were developed specifically to reduce entanglement risk when horses fall at hurdle flights. The foam face has less potential for entanglement than brush fill. Several courses have switched to One Fit primarily on horse welfare grounds. Whether they are meaningfully safer in other respects depends on the specific circumstances of a fall.
Can you mix One Fit and traditional hurdles on the same course?
Yes. Some courses convert flight by flight over two or three seasons rather than switching the full set at once. This is a practical way to spread the capital cost and is perfectly workable operationally.
Do One Fit hurdle frames work with both foam panels and traditional brush fill?
Yes. The frames used for One Fit hurdles are standard portable hurdle frames and can be used with either foam panels or traditional brush fill. This gives flexibility if your requirements change.
