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Discussion on Going For Broke
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New Member:
rbounds
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Posted on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 - 6:40 am:
I currently have chain link fencing here (commercial with top rail) but it's on it's way out. We're just starting to plan for re-placing the fence, here's what I've got so far.
4" round treated wood posts 8' with 3' tapped into the ground (clay) with bobcat, 10' apart.
6" round treated wood corner posts cemented in.
58" high diamond mesh horse fence.
(2) 2x4s along the top, one bottom mounted 1 inch below top line of mesh, and one along the top. (Think of an L shape).
2x4 vertically, along the bottom of the mesh.
I'm wanting a bottom rail at the bottom because the chain link has of course been taken over by earth and will require some digging to get out, it's also weighing down the fence in some areas. The other contributing factor is of course the horses leaning on it which I'm hoping the two top rails will help with.
I can't use hot wire because the lots surrounding me are vacant and overgrown. I'm concerned with fire.
I currently only have one horse, which won't last long I'm sure. I'd go out to 12' spacing but I know if I do that I'd somehow end up with a baby out there. So I feel 10' is a good compromise. I won't be taking on any studs.
This fence is for the exterior fence of the pasture where I keep my horse(s) 24/7 year round. I'm located in Oklahoma. The budget will be slow but very manageable since I can leave up some fence and replace 330' at a time. I think I got all of the information in there now.
Some concerns and questions I have:
Am I creating a bigger risk for injury by not taking the mesh all way to the ground?
How far should I mount the bottom of the mesh and bottom 2x4 from the ground?
Are there concerns or issues I haven't zeroed in on yet in the "plan"?
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 - 7:25 am:
Hi R bounds. I had exactly the same type fence you are going to put up at a placed I rented. I put it up myself because I had foals then and thought it would be safe for them. It wasn't as long as you describe. Personally I didn't like it for these reasons.
It's very hard to stretch and get tight when installing. The horses thought it was the best fence ever to throw their weight in and itch their butts...eventually leading to sagging and bulging. The boards broke easily with them leaning on it. I had 2 horses get their shoes stuck in it, one was fine, one did some pretty good damage to her leg. It's expensive.
I finally ran a hot wire around the inside of the fence...about horse butt height and that cured most of the problems, but I would never use it again.
Is there a reason you want to use this type of fence? There are cheaper,way easier to install and IMHO better alternatives... Just my experience and as we all know horses are capable of injury even if the fence was made of cotton.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 - 11:06 am:
We have had the small rectangle type horse fencing up for 15 yrs with no problems. I think the "v" shaped would work the same. We used juniper posts because they are readily available here. They are set 10' apart and few inches off the ground. We had fencing all the way to the ground in a smaller area and the horses stepped on it, and would have pulled if off if we hadn't changed it. I like to leave just enough space so a horse could easily get a leg out from under it, or close enough so he can't get a leg under it in the first place. We used metal pipe as a top rail. This has worked really good for us and we have had mares, foals, young/old horses and stallions. Somewhere on HA there was a thread a few years ago about fencing, and I think I posted pictures of how we attached the pipe top rails. I like the pipe because it is non-chewable and no-maintainence. You do have to pull the fencing tight (they make a tool to help do this) and brace your corners good when you install the fencing.
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New Member:
rbounds
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Posted on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 - 2:50 pm:
Diane E,
I can't use hotwire. I wanted this type of fence because I felt that it was the safest for the horses. Did you use a tension tool to install the mesh? I've seen them pulled tight with a tractor or a lawn mower and work out nicely. As long as they go slowly and distribute even tension between top and bottom. Did you use something like this? https://www.redbrand.com/products/product2.asp?category=Fence&subcat=2&productID= 5
Sara Wolff,
Yes I found your fence. https://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/3/fencing-67164.pdf
I see that you didn't put any type of bottom rail on the fence. It doesn't look like it's been pawed or feet caught on the bottom.
I also noticed that you mounted it to the outside of where the horses go (might be the picture). I thought it was supposed to mount to the inside so that if horses lean on it the post help keep it tight. Have you had any problems with this? And do your horses wear shoes?
Thanks for all the help guys!
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 - 3:42 pm:
R. we did use a fence tensioner and pulled it with a lawn tractor. We left the fence a couple in. off the ground like Sara and had no problems with that part of it. I couldn't tell you how they got their shoe stuck in it, but it was higher up. The worse part was the itching the butts, I don't know why, but they would lean into it with all their weight and rub, made them very happy . There were other butt rubbing things available but that stuff must have been just right for a good scratch.
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New Member:
rbounds
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Posted on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 - 4:26 pm:
Diane E.
The shoe pulling has me worried. I ride all over the place so Molly has to have her shoes. I really wish I could use hot wire to help keep them off the fence. I don't want to use t-posts, I've seen them impaled and rip hair off on the bumps that stick out. By the time I buy the t-post, the sleeve, and the cap .. might as well have bought the 4" round wood post. I've seen horses get severely injured with the tension wire (I know they can be injured no matter what I put up). I think it increases risk of injury because they can put head and feet through without the use of hot wire. Also, people from the city dump their dogs off our here and there are wild dogs now. A guy up the street had a beautiful TB filly that got part of her nose torn off by one of the dogs. So I'm hoping the fencing will help keep out the dogs too.
I still think the horse fence with wood posts is my best bet, just need to figure out a way to keep her from getting a shoe caught in it.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 - 4:38 pm:
R. You don't have to have T-posts to put up an electric wire. They have wood post insulators, just hammer them on, very simple. If electric isn't available a solar fencer may work. I would put one mid fence...that keeps feet and butts away, and no pushing on the top board. .
https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?PGGUID=0f07fda8-8406-4f51-9a5c-4dd53d673 bea
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 - 4:40 pm:
PS alot cheaper and easier than putting a wood board on the bottom
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 - 5:11 pm:
I think the picture was of the fencing in an ally way that runs behind the house and is used to move horses from one field to the other. The fencing in on the house side of the ally way. On the horse side and in the fields, the fending is on the horse side, except of course, where it is separating two fields, and then it's on the "wrong" side in one field. So far, not problems.
We had dog problems when we lived in CA. I highly recommend a burro. We adopted one from the BLM and I'll tell you, she was The End of all dog problems! If they got into the field somehow, they were soon frantic to get out. We had some angry owners, but I just pointed out the burro was inside a fenced field that belonged to us and their dogs were supposed to be leashed anyway.
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Member:
leslie1
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Posted on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 - 12:47 pm:
Ive used the wood post insulators with a solar charger. It was super inexpensive, and so very easy to install... took me and hubby about an hour to put it 3acrelot. Put it up muzzle high. The weeds never touched it. And horses didnt either no butt prints on the fence.I would occasionally check it for weed and whatnot... you can even use bipolar tape so you dont need ground rod or ground strand. I use the bipolar and love it. my horses respect it too.
good luck
L
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Member:
babychop
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Posted on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 - 1:18 pm:
Well, I noticed someone mentioned the rectangle horse fence & have to throw in that my 4 month old colt reared up & got his hoof stuck in it just yesterday. I DrOpped what I was doing & ran over there (thank GOD I was there when it happened or he might have ripped the bulb of his heel off trying to break free) - his foot was in there good & he was leaning on it pretty hard. I had to use all the strength I had to lift him while pulling at the fence to free him. Not sure there's a 'best' horse fence but I've had the sagging issue with this type as well, they do love to scratch on it.
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Member:
cheryl
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Posted on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 - 4:39 pm:
We had the rectangle fencing when we lived in WA State - There were horses in the pasture next door - to prevent the horses from getting too friendly over the fence we cut one inch tubing into 3' lengths - drilled holes in both ends and ran hot wire through the holes - the tubes were fastened to the top of the wooden posts. The tubes hung down on both sides about 1 foot. None of the horses - mine nor theirs - ever bothered the fence. There are screw in insulators that will hold anything from the thinnest wire to the thickest hot rope. These could be placed half way down on fence posts and would prevent horses from rubbing on the fence.
Cheryl K
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 - 7:38 pm:
Andrea, do you have the small rectangles in your fence, about 2" x 4"? The stuff called "horse fencing?" I thought the reason for the small rectangles was so the couldn't get their feet in it! I think you're right; there is no perfect fencing, and I know from experience that a horse can and will try to "kill himself" on anything you have!
I'm sure you all have people down the road like I do that have their horses behind falling down barbwire fencing, patched in our neighbors case with old wooden pallets, and the horses stay in and are just fine. Kinda makes you wonder!
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