Electric-fencing to keep minis in...

[HollyWoozle]

How are you all setting up your electric fencing to keep minis contained please? My poor stepdad has spent ages fencing a track for the family mini with EMS, in a bid to keep up with my modern day pony-keeping demands and to provide the best quality of life. He started with just two strands and within three minutes the little monkey was out and in the main field, doh! I didn't see exactly but I am assuming he went under the bottom strand (either that or he jumped the gap between the two strands). It is working and at 6000 volts.

I did warn my parents that containing minis with electric was not always easy. Stepdad is currently lowering both strands but I think we will need a third one... I just wondered how you are all doing it and how high you have each strand of wire to be most effective!

I would love to make this work! Thanks so much.

 

[Equi]

Four strands to create a total barrier on the highest possible setting, and then give up and build a stock fence. I’ve never managed to keep my lot contained for long with electric fences.

 

[Merry neddy man]

The tape can have various amounts of electric thread running through them, varies 4/6/8/9 or 12 strands, the more strands the stronger the shock chance, " Screwfix " will have a depot near you, if not in stock they can get it the next day.

 

[meleeka]

I’m always quite smug when these threads come up because mine is contained with just two strands . It’s on the mains and the bottom strand is about knee height and the top one below back height. He’s a clever chap though and if it touches the ground and doesn’t click he knows that means it’s not on. Once he’s worked that out he will escape, but is always back where I left him in the morning! We’ve had a couple of mild laminitis episodes where I haven’t noticed he’s been getting on the grass so now have a camera that I can check. He’s not so brave the tape is tight.

 

[meleeka]

Oh and i’ve just remembered the unicorn horn. Last year I plaited his forelock and wound tape round it, with a bit touching his skin between his ears. That stopped him nipping through the two strands.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Thanks all! I think we will go straight for an upgrade to four strands then and hope for the best!

 

[southerncomfort]

I'm currently considering sheep hurdles.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I don’t want to say it but Im currently doing ok!
Mine was just charging through but at such a speed he got to the other side causing no damage.
I’ve got my lowest strand only about Shetland knee height I also put posts between the posts so it’s all a lot more solid looking.

 

[Auslander]

I have no words. Just a photo.
This wasn't electrified, but he didn't really mind being zapped anyway

 

[hollyandivy123]

 

[The Xmas Furry]

My remaining one just sees electric tape as a new challenge, 5 or 6 strands.....oodles of power....
She is either behind hurdles, in a stable or out in a grazing muzzle...

 

[HollyWoozle]

Thank you all for your encouraging words, haha. Oh lord.

Long-suffering stepdad has upgraded to four strands and we'll try again tomorrow and see what happens. Until now, Domino has been living in a pretty bare paddock, with a companion, but I just feel it is a miserable existence and they don't move. I was walking him but I have limited time (and don't live here) and roadwork is also not that enjoyable for either of us. The idea is that Domino will go on this track in the daytime and his companion will go out with the others... Domino can follow them around the field as they move about and would definitely get more exercise, freedom and interest in his life. His buddy would also have better quality of life too. Then they will go back in the paddock together overnight.

I really hope we can keep him on it but your replies have reminded me that is probably a bit hopeful!

 

[meleeka]

Thank you all for your encouraging words, haha. Oh lord.

Long-suffering stepdad has upgraded to four strands and we'll try again tomorrow and see what happens. Until now, Domino has been living in a pretty bare paddock, with a companion, but I just feel it is a miserable existence and they don't move. I was walking him but I have limited time (and don't live here) and roadwork is also not that enjoyable for either of us. The idea is that Domino will go on this track in the daytime and his companion will go out with the others... Domino can follow them around the field as they move about and would definitely get more exercise, freedom and interest in his life. His buddy would also have better quality of life too. Then they will go back in the paddock together overnight.

I really hope we can keep him on it but your replies have reminded me that is probably a bit hopeful!

You can discount the top strand as it’s not doing anything for him, just keeping the others out. I’d say the bottom one is also too high, so yes you needed more.

 

[Melandmary]

I have no words. Just a photo.
This wasn't electrified, but he didn't really mind being zapped anyway

View attachment 110796

Thanks for this….you have just put me off getting a shitland as the new companion pony

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

How are you all setting up your electric fencing to keep minis contained please? My poor stepdad has spent ages fencing a track for the family mini with EMS, in a bid to keep up with my modern day pony-keeping demands and to provide the best quality of life. He started with just two strands and within three minutes the little monkey was out and in the main field, doh! I didn't see exactly but I am assuming he went under the bottom strand (either that or he jumped the gap between the two strands). It is working and at 6000 volts.

I did warn my parents that containing minis with electric was not always easy. Stepdad is currently lowering both strands but I think we will need a third one... I just wondered how you are all doing it and how high you have each strand of wire to be most effective!

I would love to make this work! Thanks so much.

I use 5ft post and have 5/6 strands of cord from 6 inches off ground upwards. mine is 12hh

 

[FinnishLapphund]

He's very cute, and doesn't look that fluffy, but I recall hearing an old HHO:er say something along the lines of that the only thing that worked on her Shetland, was to trim the mane, and other fluff, so she actually could feel a zap, and wasn't walking around with inbuilt anti-zap insulation.


By the way, this post reminded me of a YouTube video I remembered seeing ages ago

Trying to find the video above, I came across this one of an already escaped pony

 

[Auslander]

Thanks for this….you have just put me off getting a shitland as the new companion pony

I should probably add that I have 3 currently, who are all safely contained with 2 strands, as long as they are electrified! Ted was a law unto himself!

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Oops, don't know what happened, was "playing" around in the reply box trying to make the image code to work, and *poof* I had posted a reply.
(Because I tried to quote a reply yesterday, but wasn't able to quote the whole post with image. Wasn't able to do it today either, but suddenly I managed to make just the image code itself work, un-quoted.)

 

[jofwigby]

For troublesome small equine I double fence so four strands and keep topped up with a solar panel.

 

[honetpot]

I always use narrow tape, as often the amount of wire or tins, is the same in broad tape, also what the tins are made of is important. They use polywire for sheep because although its thin, the sheep have the highest chance of being zapped by it.
https://www.electric-fence.co.uk/electric-fence/conductors/electric-fence-tape.html This site compares the types well. You need something that doesn't lose the charge so much. I run 14 acres on electric and just buying a better conductor can make a huge difference.
If you think of the electric fence has a hosepipe and water, the longer the fence the higher the charge you need to keep the pressure up, so you need a fence with a good out put on all the fence, making the fence longer by adding extra lines may reduce the actual charge in the fence, and then you have to check for leaks, and any poor joins.
There are some energisers that run two separate fences, so if the pony earths out the first, its still get zapped by the second.
Add another earth spike, and make sure they are in damp ground, to complete the circuit.
This time of year I would be tempted to clip the front of the pony, they are experts in using their fur to check the charge, if it touches virtually bare skin they are going to get a shock.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Thanks all, this is really helpful. I didn't see but I think he went under the bottom strand, just as in the YT video @FinnishLapphund shared above (cute pony!) which he won't be able to do now. I am definitely open to clipping his front if that is helpful, assuming four strands won't work. Just waiting for my stepdad to finish the entrance bit and then we'll give the four strands a go. I think we may have to upgrade our wine and the energiser though, as has been suggested.

I guess this is what my parents get for buying a little diva of a pony when we absolutely didn't need one, haha! Unfortunately he is somewhat irresistible!



PS. "Upgrade our wine" is a great typo... I was going to fix it but maybe we do need to upgrade our wine too!

 

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

My friend has 12 minis and has had to build a permanent fence for every field they go in, she told me never to get a mini after that

She breeds and sells them as yearlings, it's not just an unruly obsession

 

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

This was her most mischievous mini a couple of years ago, and she had to tie her up for meal time, yes in the field , just so she didn't get out

 

[HollyWoozle]

Ladies and gentlemen… we have four strand success!!