nhg
Junior Member
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Post by nhg on Jul 30, 2015 4:35:26 GMT
A friend has bought an acreage last year and has asked me to help her with ideas for setting up their place. There is an existing barbed wire fence but she won't bring her horses home to that, she wants safe fencing for them. She wants to try to prevent animals from getting into the field. It's only five acres. So she wants either a wire mesh type fence or a barbless wire with an electric line at the top and bottom. The bottom one is to deter coyotes or neighbouring dogs. Has anyone tried that and, if so, did it work? Or do you have any suggestions regarding fencing ideas? I do not trust the electric fencing. We had that to keep our horses away from a tree at one of our places and one horse would stand with the line across her neck snapping away and eat the grass under the tree anyway. Also, it tends to sag after a while. I only like it as a line in addition to other fencing. We had wood fences and just ran an electric line across the top of it to deter chewing, which worked great.
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jul 30, 2015 12:34:53 GMT
We did our entire pasture in field fence (and no climb fence in some places when we ran out of field fence), and we have a strand of hot wire running along the top of the entire thing. In the dry lot we also have a strand of hot wire running down near the bottom too, to deter the horses from shoving their heads under the fence to eat the grass on the other side. It has worked very well for us, but we still get coyotes, foxes, deer, etc. in our pasture. They either jump the fence or come through the gates, but they don't bother the horses.
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Jul 30, 2015 13:06:23 GMT
I use the Centaur PolyPlus coated wire and then ran a sting of the webbed electric fence about 1/3 down from the top to prevent the horses from sticking their heads through the fence to eat the grass on the other side. I've been really happy with the fencing and it's been up for over 10 years at my place. I originally started using landscape timbers for the line posts but switched to the t-posts with covers as the timbers rotted out after a few years. I think it is safe and is very easy to install (I did the installation completely by myself). But then again, I'm not trying to keep animals out. Something like the fence Terry used would be better for that but as she pointed out, there are ways around it if animals really want to get in. Forgot the link to the PolyPlus: www.centaurfencing.net/products/polyplus-1-320-ft-coated-horse-fencing Here are the t-post covers: www.centaurfencing.net/collections/insulators/products/centaur-sure-fit-t-sleeve-cover
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Post by carshon on Jul 30, 2015 13:38:35 GMT
I also use Centaur fencing but mine is the poly that looks like board fencing. We have 3 rungs. We run a strand of electric in the inside so the horses and cows do not put their heads between the rungs. We do have a field for our calves that is no climb field fence. Our issue has been heavy rain and run off from the hay field gets caught in the fencing and has stretched it in places. Our fields are hilly so we get a lot of water run off.
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nhg
Junior Member
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Post by nhg on Jul 30, 2015 17:00:48 GMT
You guys have some great points, thank you! Please, anybody else, if you have suggestions or experiences please keep it coming. I want to give her the best advice I can.
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nhg
Junior Member
Posts: 2,429
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Post by nhg on Jul 30, 2015 18:25:14 GMT
I'm looking at the Centaur fencing. Wow, it's nice but expensive! And with our Canadian dollar so low it would be even worse.
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Post by horselady on Jul 30, 2015 20:25:21 GMT
In my larger areas i used high tensil. 3 strands, just make sure the corner posts are deep in the ground and use a heavy post like a telephone pole the connecting poles i use either t post or locust trees . and use tighteners. on each row on all sides. that way if a line is sagging you can tighten it up. make the top and bottom row electric. the high tensil comes in rolls of i think 200-300 feet, and is easily installed with post extenders that are made for either t posts or screw ins for wood poles. on the paddocks near the house i have fiberglass poles because they are white and look nice and i use electro braid that is as thick as a pinky and that is electric also. 3 strands of that and no one goes in or out.
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Post by horselover4life on Jul 30, 2015 22:42:15 GMT
My property is Red Brand field fenced done. The heavier gauge stuff. Along where my horses are I have put top rail planks of 1"x6"x16' boards. This keeps your posts to being a true measured 8' distance if you don't want to be cutting and piecing. My horses had been running hard and I feared they would miss a boundary line and blast the fence. That top board suddenly made the fence significantly stronger looking and see-able to them. No longer do they "test" it either. When we first did the top-rail it made me feel like a fortress I had...safer! I can tell you that to the geographic south of me there has been horse stealing and butchering happening. Fences cut, horse either taken or butchered right in their field.... {and no, sometimes the horse was not killed first} My fence is going to take some work to get to my boys...my boards don't easily come off and are strong, then you need to cut a thicker quality of wire. There is easier fencing than mine to get through if they wanted to steal or worse...
Electric of any kind would be a problem for me as there are trees surrounding my property and they drop hanging moss in heavy clods often. I would be afraid of shorting out the fence and my guys are to smart for their own good, would find it and let themselves out by pushing through something not substantial in appearance.
As for protecting by not allowing animals to enter... Well, I have 2 large dogs that I have this kind of fence to keep them in my property not slipping between and escaping to the road...what it keeps in also keeps out and I like that. Remember that it is my perimeter fence that is this wire and inside that I see from my kitchen window is plank, 4 board fencing. Spaced correctly no heads get through it or a hoof stuck under it...
If I had to do my fencing again...money no object... I would again do plank fencing everyplace as I love the appearance. If I did plank I would also then do hot wire at the top and middle to keep the horses off and away from "resting" and "testing". Plank as with most any other fence needs posts. These need to be set deep enough and close enough to offer good support and strength. This is not "maintenance-free", but needs watching for broken or loose posts from rot or decay. So, to date my posts and wire fence is over 10 years of age and not one problem with either. I can see aging of both, but neither needs replacing as of yet.
My paint horse is a bull and the idea of "t-posts" and strands... I have been told by his former owner {my neighbor and friend} he walked through her electric fence more than once, never even hurried...just pushed his chest and took a stroll through it. Now, her electric wire held her cattle who would not touch it so, ... "HOT", yet it didn't get any respect from him...
There are some around me that have done the Centaur brand fencing. I am not a fan as it is faded {brown colored fence}, the intense sun bleaches it and also has it sagging. It isn't pretty nor do I feel like it is serviceable sound fencing. Climate plays a big role in what works best, something to also consider. And yes, the 2 places I have seen that fence were professionally installed and still the issue happened...
I think depending upon how much land your friend is needing to fence and how large her budget will dictate what truly is used as a material. If she is doing the fencing herself she should look at Tractor Supply and other local places to compare pricing but more importantly quality of the fence. I have seen some really nice field fence with a graduated sizing of smaller horse bottom, larger toward the top. My fence was put up by a professional fence company but I'm positive it was Red Brand since we saw the distinctive markings of this brand. It wasn't terribly expensive. Where her cost will lie is in quality posts. All of mine are 8' high. I have medium diameter posts and as I said all my posts are at most 8' apart. My plank fence is 5'5" post spacing center to center and let me tell you with that spacing my fence is solid with the 1"x6"x16' boards I use. It is what the cattle ranchers by me use for their cattle along the driveways approaching their homes for aesthetics... the guy who showed me his fence has had it for over 17 years and counting and not one post or plank needing replaced and his cows are right there against it, no electric.
So many choices today. I wish your friend good luck in whatever she chooses.... ....
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nhg
Junior Member
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Post by nhg on Jul 31, 2015 3:12:56 GMT
Thanks HL4L and HL. The plan is to use the existing posts if possible and just replace whichever ones need replacing. There are 4" wooden posts in place there. I did get a price on the wire fence with the small to large openings. It's not a bad price. Interesting about the Centaur sagging. I'm also concerned about it getting brittle in the winter cold. It would look terrible with chunks out of it. My friend makes the decision, I'm just gathering the information.
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Post by horselady on Jul 31, 2015 11:34:57 GMT
Remember if you get a lot of , that top wire needs to be higher than normal. and make the bottom wire capable of being disconnected when it snows so it does not ground the rest of it.
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nhg
Junior Member
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Post by nhg on Jul 31, 2015 15:25:56 GMT
Thanks HL! My husband thinks a bottom electric line would ground out if the was grass and it got wet. We only had a top line which was enough to keep the horses away from it altogether, other than the filly that it didn't bother.
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Post by horselady on Jul 31, 2015 19:24:54 GMT
I am always cutting the weeds from the perimeter of the fence. yes he is right it does short out. .
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mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320
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Post by mingiz on Aug 15, 2015 0:56:26 GMT
I'm doing field fencing. I'm using telephone poles for corners with 2 brace post and t-post for the line. I also put a wooden line post between every 5th t-post. On long runs I have been putting in a brace section. So when I stretch the fence to hang it will stay tight. I ran a strand of electric on top. When totally done I will also run a strand in the middle of the fence line so they don't rub on it. Also all my wooden post are cemented in. All t-post have caps. My field fence is off the ground so I can mow and keeps horses from stepping on it.
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nhg
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Post by nhg on Aug 17, 2015 20:14:27 GMT
I think she's going to go with straight wire, possibly with coated wire, with an electric line at the top. For the paddocks and outdoor arena she's looking at continuous fencing.
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nhg
Junior Member
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Post by nhg on Aug 18, 2015 23:56:25 GMT
If anybody has any innovative ideas I'd really appreciate it. After we set up our last acreage there were things that I wish we'd done differently. One was to have a door in the shelter right by the hay stack so that the hay could be thrown into the shelter. In the winter or in crappy weather such as wind it would be nicer for the horses and even save hay. Also, to have a manger in the shelter so the hay wasn't on the ground. Any other ideas?
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nhg
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Post by nhg on Aug 18, 2015 23:57:04 GMT
Another question. What do you think is a good size for an outdoor arena. Not huge but big enough to do some figure eights in.
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Post by lorddaxter on Aug 19, 2015 0:54:36 GMT
I'd like an 100 x 150 but have been told the smallest you should have is 80 x 150 this allows for just about anything
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Aug 19, 2015 1:38:08 GMT
The small covered arena where I ride is 120x90 - I wouldn't go much smaller than that but it is definitely big enough for several of us to ride at one time (as long as we look out for each other!).
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nhg
Junior Member
Posts: 2,429
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Post by nhg on Aug 19, 2015 3:54:04 GMT
I was trying to figure out the size of the indoor where we board. I think it's only 70 by 120. It's small.
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