A method of operating an electric fence energiser, including the steps of: storing energy in an energy storage element, and transferring energy from the energy storage element to an inductive element, the method characterised by the steps of using a rectifying element to prevent the transfer of energy from the inductive element into a load on the output of the energiser while the transfer of energy from the energy storage element to the inductive element occurs, and releasing the energy held by the inductive element once an energy threshold on the inductive element has been reached.