Electric fencing help please

PuzzlePiece

PuzzlePiece

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 September 2012
Messages
169
Location
Cumbria
Visit site
Ive recently moved my two horses to a new yard, they're currently living out 24/7 in a huge field but would like to contain them in a small sheltered area if possible to feed/groom/need to enclose them for any reason, until the stables are finished in a few weeks (walls up just waiting for a roof).

Theres already a fence up with wooden posts so very sturdy but the wires got that many knots in that theres not much point in having a charge running through it. Oh and they're out with sheep so can only have one wire along top.

Mare is fine with fencing, doesnt need a charge will just stay away. But 2 year old has a brilliant talent of going under it, he's doesnt really know what it is, I went up before and he was investigating the tape with his mouth. Im sure after a few shocks he'll get the message (I know im a cruel mother).

Id rather buy wire as i get sick of tape (having worked on a yard where I moved electric fencing daily) but dont want 2 yr old with wire and fence post wrapped round his legs. Would the wire snap in an emergency?

What would you get wire/tape.

Thanks in advance
 
Wire will not snap in my experience and don't think tape does either but both stretch a little.

Hopefully your youngster will learn to respect the fence once he gets zapped a few times!
 
I dont know if wire snaps ... but tape most certainly does! if it's got lots of knots in it, the current will be weakened through the tape. You can get leccie tape very reasonably on Ebay ...
 
Wire will not snap easily, tape is probably best, or poly rope , if you want to increase effectiveness of fence, put a second line of tape half way down and ensure you have a long earth post for the best shock. As you have wooden posts you could use some screw in, stand off tape insulators. These will secure the tape well and stop it twisting. Try Farmcare for good price on tape, or Clippersharp.

Regards

The Engineer
 
If he's mouthing the fence its not working.
http://www.rutland-electric-fencing.co.uk/PageEarthingTipsAndAdvise.aspx

The usual cause is either poor earthing or the wire either has broken, this can happen when a horse goes through it, it may look OK but the wire is not conducting properly. Also make sure its not touching any large amounts of vegetation or that some kind person hasn't wrapped it round some wood.
If youve done all that and the battery is fully charged and checked the energiser actually works I would invest in a inner fence of poly tape and a new energiser and battery, completely seperate from the existing fence as the existing energiser is not strong enough to power the fence
 
I didnt know tape snapped? I must have strong type?Have used it for years but I would rather a wide tape than the poly rope or thin width tape if you are going to use it. Am sure a good zap sounds like the current isnt strong enough.
 
I would never use electric fencing for youngsters. It is easy for electric fencing to fail and a youngster get caught in it with disasterous consequences.
Look at any stud farms - they use post and 3 rail with equi-fencing ( a tight form of sheep netting) on it so that the youngsters can not get themselves trapped or kicked from horses on the other side.
 
Well they have to learn some time and there should be no problems with a well constructed electric fence.

I like to use wooden posts with insulators + polytape or polywire depending on the site and the amount of rows required
 
i would invest in a tester for your elec fencing they are about £10 well worth it as you just push the metal bit in ground and hold it against wire and it tells you how strong the charge is,saves trying to guess if current is strong enough :)
 
Lots of good advice given already.

I also have/ had an escape artist, largely because I had 40mm tape on the yard she grew up on (she's now 3) which she just learnt to walk through and stretch it. I then moved her down to my farm in Cornwall and am using the round electric rope and that is much better. Weirdly, the rope runs off battery and the tape ran off mains... As long as there is a good strong tick she stays in - she also mouths it as soon as the zap isn't strong enough!

The thin wire electric does carry the current best, but it also is the easiest for them to get hung up in.

Ditto, none of it breaks, but the tape does stretch.
 
Use electric tape not electric rope as the tape has a relatively low breaking strain whereas the electric rope is incredibly strong & will not break. I had an incident when using electric rope when a horse rolled really close to the fence & feet fell across it. It shot up & ran off taking the rope with him & pulling out posts as he went. My wife was in the paddock at the time & the rope went around the back of her legs & she ended up on the floor with severe rope burns that needed daily dressing changes. She now has permanent scarring. Fortunately the horse only had minor injury to one of his back legs.

As a result I changed all the rope for tape (20mm with 6 conductors). Additionally always use proper connectors so the power travels the entire length of the tape. Don't knot the tape as the connection is poor & after a couple of knots you'll find very little power is getting through.

I'm not against electric rope entirely. I believe it's fine to run along the top of post & rail to prevent chewing as a horse is unlikey to get caught in it, but would no longer use in electric fencing.
 
Definately get tape.

One of mine recently got caught in electric rope, she really panicked and was pulling back with all her strength but it didn't break, she strained her DDFT and most likely can never be ridden again.

Tape is a pain when it breaks but it breaks for a reason.
 
I always use polywire. Nice charge but if something is going to go through it, it instantly breaks.
Seen some horrendous injuries off tape and wouldn't touch the stuff.
High tensile and multi-core have their place but polywire hands down in 99% of situations.

Pan
 
I use tape, but with occasional connectors in the run of tape - small metal pieces that join two sections of tape together. They are secure enough to allow you to get a good tension in the tape, but provide a breaking point if a horse runs through the fence.

I wouldn't use wire at all, it would have a cheesewire effect on legs if a horse got caught :eek:

My gelding tests the fence regularly by putting his face close to it, then touching with a whisker. If it's not on, he'll jump. He won't try jumping if he knows there's a current. He is totally unafraid of electric tape - I can drag it around making the fence and he will pick it up and run off with it - he knows it's safe if I'm handling it or if it's not secured to posts. The mare, on the other hand, is terrified of it, and won't come near you if you have tape in your hand. I suspect she's been caught in tape and had a fright at some point.
 
jackessex said:
i would invest in a tester for your elec fencing they are about £10 well worth it as you just push the metal bit in ground and hold it against wire and it tells you how strong the charge is,saves trying to guess if current is strong enough :)
Click to expand...

This invaluable.

If you are concerned about the breaking... tie a knot in polywire. In my experience polywire will always go when a horse decides it's going through it, but if you put a weaker point in it you'll be sure. No effect on the current either.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top