Electricity Poles in Horse Fields

Dogstar

Dogstar

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 August 2005
Messages
1,337
Location
Devon
Visit site
Has anyone on here had any luck getting their electricity company to fence off dangerous poles/transformers in their horses' fields? I have been trying on and off for years. Had another go yesterday and a chap came out and looked this morning. He said he would try his best to get them fenced, but can't say I am holding my breath.. One pole has an exposed wire, one wobbles wildly when used as a scratching post and the transformer has dangerous wire stays all over the place. At the moment I have electric fence around the poles but don't have the energy to keep dragging the battery across the field to recharge it. A contractor has quoted me £200 to fence it for me, but I know that the electricity company is planning to replace the poles at some stage anyway but they cannot give me a time scale so I don't want to waste my money...
 
Can't you use the rent they pay you for having the poles on your land to fence it off?

I think £200 seems a bit excessive, I would try another contractor or DIY

Put your fencer battery in a wheelbarrow, makes it much easier or a sack trolley.

If you think the poles are a danger then I would get the company back out and explain why.
smile.gif
 
get it sorted. My friend lost her pony due to the electric lines coming down one night. It literally fried her horse from the inside out. Ask them about catch poles so if this happens in your field the line won't come down to the ground
 
We actually had two horses in seperate incidents die from faulty pole... they denied it blatenly of course and we got no compensation, they swiftly came and fixed pole but never have fenced it off. We have put an electric fencer around the pole from a good distance to keep them away from it.
frown.gif
 
OMG some awful, upsetting stories! HorseRiderDeb I hadn't heard of a catch wire so I will ask about this. Laurenn1010 how did the 'faulty pole' cause the deaths can I ask?? MrsWishkabibble, it's my Mother's farm and I didn't know she got rent for these poles, but she does, about £60 per year. I really think the electricity board should fix it not me because they cannot give me a timescale for replacing the poles; it should be soon, but we were told this about 13 years ago!! However if they don't then I will for peace of mind especially after reading this. Unfortunately I can't wheelbarrow the battery out as its too muddy :-( Many thanks for the ideas.
 
On a warm summers day, no wind, relaxed, quiet peacefully grazing horse. A little rub of the neck on the stay used to hold the pole. The power line overhead snapped - snaked to the ground - one dead horse. They don't die instantly, they have time to let out the most blood chilling scream.

Get them all fenced so they can't reach them at all - everyone.
 
That is horrific :-(
I am really worried now. I cannot fence the whole line off as it goes right through the centre of the field, but I will do the best I can..
 
Fence off the poles with heavy duty post and rail fencing and possibly a 14 feet gate so that it is easy to get in to strim the grass or replace the pole. Alternatively if you don't want to put a gate in then screw the rails in place rather than nail them they can simply remove the rails and replace them when they are finished installing the new pole.
 
dogstar, the electricity had been running down the pole for sum reason, it hadn't been insulated and with the ground wet had electricuted horse when walked on ground next the pole.

first death we thought it was natural but then the second which was a younster we knew it was something up with the pole, both were found on ground near pole.

when my mother rang to complain saying it was thier fault they sent someone up the pole, they seemed to have been carrying out work then came back to us telling us there was nothing wrong with the pole... however they spent a good period of time up the pole!!! suspicious!!!! no way of proving it tho...
 
Thanks PeterNatt. It is such a 'mare keeping fields safe; I have wired up all the gates because my mare paws the gates and can get her feet caught, plus I have also fenced the hedge off because I found privet in it!!!
I have just 'phoned the electricity company again to ask for catch poles too! The repair request has been passed to someone in the Repairs Department so someone will be ringing me soon with an update.
 
They will not fit catch poles for a field as they don't install those if they go over houses or minor roads!

They are very safe electrically. I would only be worried about your horses catching themselves on the metal structure of the pylon.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top