Anyone planted a hedge from scratch?!

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custard

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Need some tips, looks like our neighbour is moving and so now would like to plant a hedge along the boundary fence line which we own and was replaced last year. It needs to be prickly to deter unwanted visitors ie kids and dogs but horse-friendly too. I'm thinking hawthorn but open to suggestions, I have no idea how far apart to plant the it or anything so any help gratefully received!
 
We planted a hedge along the side of our boundary a few years back. I say we - actually my OH did it! I remember October and March are best for planting trees, so better get going. We opted for a traditional, mixed hedge, as quite like the different colours. Ours is mostly hawthorn, with beech, hornbeam (only tends to flourish in south-east but then we have got global warming to help it along!) and lime, and um, damn, can't think of what else!

We bought the saplings at about a foot high, you pay more for the bigger ones and cheaper for little ones. If you want it to grow quickly buy the older, bigger saplings. We contacted one of the companies that advertise in places like Countryside magazine. OH was very keen on watering in the first few summers but it's well established now. You are supposed to prune the top so it grows sideways, but we don't need to do that as my 'orse looks after all pruning
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oops, forgot to say, they recommend planting quite closely, we did two rows every other if you get my drift, think it was about 2' apart, but I stand to be corrected on that. Wherever you buy from will advise.
 
Aw thank you very much, just been doing some mooching and found hawthorn doesn't like wet soil and some sections of this boundary are very wet, damn! Alder, so I'm told likes wet soil and makes a good hedge but is it toxic to horses?
 
Horses love to eat saplings, especially Hazel I've found!

Holly ,makes a fab hedge- really dense and stock proof, but it's slow growing, I think.

Beech hedges look good, and are quite quick growing, but again until the plants are a bit older, the horses will have a nibble......... and sheep will demolish it in one bite!
 
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