electric fencing

[howestreet]

Hi I need to use electric fencing to provide a paradise paddock for my companion pony who lives out 24/7 with my horse. I have never purchased it before so a shopping list and recommendations for best products and where too buy them from VERY gratefully received! Thanks in advance.

 

[meleeka]

I get mine from UKcountrystore online obviously you need an energiser, either battery or mains (my tip is to get the most powerful you can afford), a long earth rod, tape/rope and posts. You can buy kits with everything in it if you only have a short fence to do.

 

[Nudibranch]

I use Mole Valley as they're our local store. If you're doing a track round the edge, if possible put in wooden posts at the corners as they'll help keep the tension in the tape. I prefer rope because the sheep walk through tape and snap it. Use insulators for the posts - screw in ones are dead easy. Don't forget an insulated gate handle as well. If you have much choice about where to put your earth rod/ energiser, choose the dampest part of the field.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Some good advice here.

Best idea, if you can, is to ask either a local farmer/stock-keeper or find someone in the area who's got horses and you can see some leccy tape up, and ask them if you can pick their brains, coz once you've got the idea its actually easy setting up a fence, but I agree with OP its all a bit daunting to start with.

Basically, you're setting up an electrical circuit, so you need to have power (obviously!), a way of conducting the electricity generated by your energiser (fencing wire), and somewhere for the electricity to "earth". Some fencers, like my ancient Hotline, would earth itself, but usually you need to get a copper pole or similar.

Tips: the most dangerous "electric" fencing is (1) slack sloppy fencing wire that sags, blows in the wind or even worse trails on the floor (we've all seen it!), thus negating any power that goes through it and rendering it useless, and extremely dangerous, just waiting for horses to get tangled up in it (fencing wire needs to be TIGHT to be safe, you can buy tighteners to achieve this); and (2) low power output i.e. battery running down, from your energiser which will reduce the effectiveness of your fencing. and more importantly horses just won't respect it and there's a very strong likelihood they'll go through it. My trad cob has psychic knowledge about when a battery is running down, and I've seen the blighter look at the fence, touch it to see, and then tank through it, bleddi thing. Therefore my strong suggestion is that the most valuable little tool you can ever buy is a Circuit Tester, money well spent this, and if you're on a yard make sure you keep it safe coz these little items have a habit of walking!

My third tip is to ALWAYS always always have a spare battery to hand: no good realising you're battery is as flat as a cowpat at 6pm and no shops open just before the Easter/Christmas bank holiday! Which is always when the dang things go!

I've got a spare energiser unit here too: again, its easy to predict if you're gonna have an energiser give out on you; it'll be when you've got a laminitic who's frenzied about getting to that nice green grass the other side, and/or you've got a monster of a cob who's as fat as a pig and as strong as a mammoth, and that's where either your energiser or your battery will give you a problem, believe me. So always be prepared is my motto. Oh and if buying plastic poles, always buy twice as many as you need, they'll never come amiss.

Personally I've always used Hotline fencers: I'm in Devon and their factory is reasonably close for repairs etc., but apparently they're not as helpful now as they used to be concerning being able to take stuff back in person for repairs I did buy one of their mains energisers which developed a problem within the guarantee period, they replaced the unit without quibble, but TBH I wasn't too impressed............

 

[Nudibranch]

I agree Hotline are good, as are Gallagher although they can be a bit pricey. MV own brand are alright for accessories but I wouldn't buy their energisers again.

Definitely have spare batteries, although in contrast to MiJods I have a 17.3 elephant and possibly the world's greediest Fell who are both **** scared of fencing powered by two D batteries! Even when it's flat they don't chance it. But if you think yours might, then do go for the most powerful you can afford.

 

[meleeka]

If you’re using batteries it’s important to make sure your tape doesn’t touch any wood/ground/undergrowth. It makes the batteries go flat really quickly. A good fence shouldn’t click, it should be pretty silent.

 

[Leg_end]

Totally depends on how permanent you want it to be. I’ve cleared and reseeded parts of my land so have taped that off for the horses until it’s established (18 months or so) so I’ve used 60mm wooden posts and tape. It looks smart and the horses respect it. I will be using the same set up for my track system.

Personal preference is not to use rope as have seen too many injuries.

I’ve got a hotline mains energiser which also has a battery back up, I got all my tape, insulators etc from eBay. I have a single strand along the top of my P+R and then two strands everywhere else.

 

[w1bbler]

Don't skimp on height of your poles, make sure you follow manufactures guidance on which is suitable go horses. Also look at using a solar panel, I use a 2nd hand car battery with a solar panel & its been running since last spring without running out of power.