Electric Fencing: Tape or Rope?

[tobiano1984]

What's your preference? My fencing is post and rail around the perimeter, and the paddocks are currently split by substantial posts and green electric tape. However I'm thinking of phasing this out into posts and rope - the tape looks neat at first and then after all the weather we've had is now saggy and flaps about - it also breaks quite easily and I don't think the horses respect it much! Tape insulators also seem to be more breakable than rope ones.

Rope looks neater, doesn't suffer so much from wind and weather, and I think packs more of a punch. However some people are against it as it doesn't break so easily and horses can get injured when caught up in it.

What do you prefer? And any recommendations on the best type of rope/where to get it?

 

[ItsJzo]

What's your preference? My fencing is post and rail around the perimeter, and the paddocks are currently split by substantial posts and green electric tape. However I'm thinking of phasing this out into posts and rope - the tape looks neat at first and then after all the weather we've had is now saggy and flaps about - it also breaks quite easily and I don't think the horses respect it much! Tape insulators also seem to be more breakable than rope ones.

Rope looks neater, doesn't suffer so much from wind and weather, and I think packs more of a punch. However some people are against it as it doesn't break so easily and horses can get injured when caught up in it.

What do you prefer? And any recommendations on the best type of rope/where to get it?

We used rope and I love it, definitely looks much neater and is much more hardy than tape.

Try ebay, or your local tack shop

 

[horsemadelsie]

I prefer the 12.5mm tape. I always used to prefer rope, but found that it is heavier so tends to droop more (especially with plastic posts), and its more expensive than the thin tape. It is also harder to find insulators for rope than tape.
I have seen the thick 40mm tape used, and this also blew about a lot in the wind, and got broken with heavy snowfall, which is why I prefer the thin stuff- it also comes with 5 strips of wire in it which is a lot compared with other sizes, so it is stronger current. Also love it because you can get 2m of it for about £8
If you look around you can get some fantastic insulators for tape- we have 'anchor points' on our wooden corner posts- its like a clamp to hold the tape taught, and you can screw it up as tight as you need, and adjust it if it gets looser over time.

 

[jinglejoys]

The wire in the Tape breaks with all the bending back and forth,rope is more stable and stronger.
Personally I always put a strand of wire a few inches above it as it gives a sharper deterent

 

[ItsJzo]

I prefer the 12.5mm tape. I always used to prefer rope, but found that it is heavier so tends to droop more (especially with plastic posts), and its more expensive than the thin tape. It is also harder to find insulators for rope than tape.
I have seen the thick 40mm tape used, and this also blew about a lot in the wind, and got broken with heavy snowfall, which is why I prefer the thin stuff- it also comes with 5 strips of wire in it which is a lot compared with other sizes, so it is stronger current. Also love it because you can get 2m of it for about £8
If you look around you can get some fantastic insulators for tape- we have 'anchor points' on our wooden corner posts- its like a clamp to hold the tape taught, and you can screw it up as tight as you need, and adjust it if it gets looser over time.

2 metres for £8??

You can get 200+ metres of tape for £12-15 in most local tack shops or is that what you mean?