Electric fencing.. how do you do yours?!

Fools Motto

Fools Motto

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I use 'standard' size plastic fence posts, with 2 strands linked together at the end to create one loop that can be electrified with a fencer and car battery. I only use electric fencing to strip graze a much larger field so that pony doesn't become a mega fatty pony! (she is a bit well covered at the mo, so the strip will be reduced again soon). Both mine live out.
However, step mother, who owns the fields has said it looks 'pony-clubby' and that could I tidy up the fence? I'm not sure quite what she means. I know that my tape has got a few knots in it, so that it has fitted the right gaps where appropriate . I don't think I need to buy new tape, just to eliminate the knots, but would 3 strands look tidier? Taller posts? White tape or Green tape (I've got white or slightly off white) Currently using black and orange posts, but also have a few white ones...
What do you use, and how?

Equally, shall I just ignore her comment and carry on?? (tempted!)
 
We have wooden stakes and a few blue poles if we need a small paddock sectioned off for fatso... We run 2 ropes (prefer the thick rope to tape) and only electrify the top run... Using a mains unit.
 
Colour coordinate your posts with your tape, or possibly a tasteful colour contrast, and defo no knots!

Or else just ignore SM's comments :D!

Actually, she has a point, as electric fencing can get a bit straggly and Heath Robinson once it's been moved and re set up a few times.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Colour coordinate your posts with your tape, or possibly a tasteful colour contrast, and defo no knots!

Or else just ignore SM's comments :D!

Actually, she has a point, as electric fencing can get a bit straggly and Heath Robinson once it's been moved and re set up a few times.
Click to expand...

Do most people replace their 'used, knotty' fencing then? (oh dear for me!!)
 
If you get proper reels and metal reel holders, it is much easier in the long run to move your fencing around without chopping it up and then having to tie knots. It's well worth the outlay.

I have the tall white posts, 2 strands of 12mm white tape plus 3 strands of white polywire. It's still a ****** to move but it looks fairly smart and does the job. It's mains energised.
 
I use double strands of 20mm tape with green tall posts but I do use wooden posts on corners so that the tape can be tensioned well. I do not use electric rope because the breaking strain of that stuff is massive & I've seen terrible injuries both to horses & people caused by it. My wife still carries scars around the back of her legs following an incident.

I don't knot the tape I always use connectors. If you knot the tape you will not get a great connection & eventually there will be no power reaching various sections of your fence due to poor connections.

Both strands of tape are electrified, whats the point of having electric fence when parts of it aren't powered? Mine is powered with a Falcon energiser that will energise up to 18km.

As long as your fence does its job & keeps your horses safe who relly cares what it looks like or if it's colour cordinated? What the hell does 'Pony Clubby mean?
 
Ditto above remarks. The most important thing about leccy fencing, IMO, is that (1) the current is kept strong by either using mains OR battery and (2) that its kept taught and not allowed to sag, coz if these two things aren't adhered to then horses won't respect it and it becomes dangerous.

Agree with "Tiddlypom" above that it does help to have the proper equipment - a tensioner is well worth the money.
 
Oh dear, she'd hate to see my fencing then! I have wooden posts and three strands of thick white tape running along the front of my summer field, down the right hand side it goes onto a mix of, pink, white and blue short post with two strands of medium white tape, along the bottom of my field it goes between wooden posts and plastic posts, up the left side it's back to a mix of diff coloured posts and thick white tape where once at the top it runs along the back of my field shelter before meeting with the front fence again!
It does it's job, keeps my horses in and works so what's the problem?

I'd just brush her comments off, I'd have to ask what she means by Pony Clubby though, but if she doesn't like your fencing I'd tell her if she wants to pay out for all new she's more then welcome but what you have works just fine so you don't see any need to go wasting money on changing it.
 
I think keeping the posts straight and the tape or rope neat and tensioned makes a big difference. We're lucky in that to create summer grazing I only need to use it for about 20 metres and that's behind a stone wall so you barely see it from outside the field.

However I have to say my pet hate is scruffy electric fencing. The yard down the road looks absolutely shocking and to be honest I think it also looks pretty dangerous. I can see no good reason why they can't sort out something decent, they're not short of money. The tape goes absolutely everywhere, think miles of tangled spaghetti. Can't be very effective either.
 
Here's an example of my electric fencing skills (or lack of).

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ETA - It runs between to fence lines and although it looks very baggy, it had been pulled tight and was checked daily.
 
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Wooden posts and two strands of wire run from the mains. Small Shetland just puts his head down and goes through the fence - just shout at him and he goes back. The others respect the fence and stay where they are supposed to be!
 
The paddocks are made up of mains electric (rope) on wooden posts. We're allowed to divide up the paddocks as we see fit as long as we don't interfere with the mains fence, so I use insulators on YO's wooden posts, combined with green plastic posts and rope. We're in a very windy area and I have noticed that my fencing fares much better than everyone else's on the yard (I'm the only one using rope). It looks much smarter, too, as it's held taught. Currently I have two knots, but that's because the reel I bought recently wasn't quite long enough (there was a lot of swearing...), so I had to improvise with old rope. I did replace it this year as there were a few knots in the old rope (it was secondhand, but given to me, so I wasn't going to complain). I've got connectors ready to go on, but forgot to take a spanner up!

ETA: There is no way I'd get away with Faracat's setup. both ponies would just put their heads down and walk on through!
 
Definitely get rid of knotted sections they interfere with the charge. I twist my tape a bit so it catches less in the wind so mine would not be acceptable! lol
 
Our YO got a bee in her bonnet about electric fencing a few years back and decided we all had to go buy wooden posts and make it 'tidy' as it would be easier to get the fields harrowed/rolled etc. Her OH wasn't quite so pleased when he had to remove and then replace endless well bedded in wooden posts and we all soon went back to plastic.

Afraid I have also resorted to tying tape as have had a problem with the proper connectors pulling apart constantly. We have two or three strands, depending where it is, and everyone is happy as long as we keep the lines straight and tidy-ish.
 
Main fences are wooden posts with three strands of tape and a strand of string at the bottom to make sure there is a decent charge (the tape is old and worn but the string carries the charge).if I need to sub divide I use tall posts again with three strands of tape (mostly old and tatty) and a strand of string at the bottom. This stops them putting their heads under the fence. To store the temporary tape I use hose reels. Much cheaper than the proper reels and mine have wheels on them to help move. I can get about 600 metres of tape on each reel which is enough to go three strands fence to fence.
 
I use the metal posts that you can only put one top strand on. I use the thin white tape so they can see it. It isn't very high but even if I used the taller posts they could jump over if they really wanted to. At the moment it is all a bit scrappy as I'm having to fence around several hazards, hopefully this summer the new drains will be put in and then the whole field is going to be refenced and then it will be much neater. As long as yours is safe and functional I would ignore other people.
 
OP your SM would hate mine! Because I have a mini shettie to keep in as well as his bigger friends I have multiple strands at various heights on plastic posts. To my shame I also have a fair few knots! Mostly caused by said shettie sussing out a weak point and going straight through. Those lovely little metal connectors stand no chance when he's made his mind up! I also have to keep all three off a public footpath and multi-strands are also the only way forward to stop free running dogs chasing the ponies.

Having said that, I don't allow it to go all straggly and loose, and I do try to keep the posts straight. I use wooden posts with screw in insulators for gateways and proper gate handles. So although not great, it doesn't look too messy - unlike some others near me!
 
A good office type stapler is an ideal substitute for knotting broken tape.Just overlap it for 6 inches or so and put a dozen staples in.
 
Some good ideas :) I had to put up electric fencing as restrictive grazing when Boyzie was intermittantly lame. I got very fed up of moving it every few days but my totally non-horsey OH seemed to enjoy it so I left him to it. You can see his efforts in the background lol

I would deffo recommend a reel for the tape. When I bought my tape 2nd hand I had to spend a good 2 hours untangling it all :(
I had the 3ft pink poles, they all had to match! I'm a bit OCD though haha :)

ETA: all wires were electrified, connected it to the main fence which runs off the mains at the yard
 
I use the tall white posts and a mix of blue and white tape. And I knot it! I have to have 4 strands else he goes under / over / through it. He's stripped grazed, so have to move it over a few feet every other day, which is a pain. I do have the ends connected to screw in holders in wooden posts to keep it nice and tight.
 
I use ikea bag clips to join my tape.

For ease of putting out rope, a hose reel is imperative.

For the semi permanent runs I use round wooden posts interspersed with plastic. It all looked very smart until my cribber has hauled all the wooden posts out to varying degrees so I'm going to have to think again.
 
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