Fencing solutions

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daizylindsay

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Hello all, this is probably a bit boring but..

We currently have 3 horses on our own land and stabling but the fencing is completely ramshackle (we are doing the place up slowly funds allowing), it is a mix of electric - some on some not, sheep wire and stone walls. We need to simplify it to make 3 paddocks with permanent, safe and electrified fencing. What would people on here recommend that is not too expensive, low maintenance and strong enough to keep a section A houdini in!!??

Any companies people know who are reasonable and good quality.
Please HELP! I find word of mouth is invaluable.

Thanks!
 
If you want electric the most long term option is wooden poles and three rails of electric tape. The thicker the tape the better. You can buy the tape and plastic gadgets that hold in place in any large equestrian store and if you phone around you can get a good deal on posts. You should be able to do it all DIY but make sure you really secure the posts in (if you have a friendly local farmer with the right accessories on his tractor he can get the job done in no time for you).

For a more short term solution use the white plastic poles. They have the advantage of being movable but they are not as secure.
 
If it's to be permanent, then I would go for wooden posts and at least 3, if not 4 strands of the electric rope, it is far tougher than the tape.
Look around for your local agricultural fencing contractor and get them to slam the posts in for you because thee ground up there is not the easiest; it's easy for you to put the insulators on but make sure you tension the rope as tight as possible otherwise it will snag. TBH, any decent fencing firm should do the job and not charge the earth in a day providing the ground isn't all rock so it might be more economical to do it that way and know it's done properly.
Try the cattle market at Bakewell or any other auctioneers and your local farmers, bet they'll know some fencing firms for you.
 
this is like the stuff we saw last year at horse live & seems really good as visable/solid as post & rail but kicks out a shock when touched.
am looking at this when i get my own land (those i rent from wont let me change the post & rail cos it looks nice)
 
fieldguard tape on wooden posts. i've had it at my place (windiest place on the planet i think) for 3+ years and it is as new, hasn't frayed at all. not the cheapest but excellent stuff. a friend bought cheap tape and after 1 winter, having had it professionally installed, it was frayed at every single holder and no longer transmitted current, whole lot had to be replaced.
personally i wouldn't use elec rope, it is too strong for horses and i have heard real horror stories... have never had a problem with the tape, even when 1 half-jumped it (there's always one) and then panicked, it all came away and there wasn't a mark on her. that's worth a lot of money imho...
 
another vote for wooden poles and electric tape rather than rope (too strong) (tape : the thick 40mm not the 20, that gets tangled too easily). Can recommend Rappa, free delivery and good prices and good quality. If using battery powered energiser their mains/battery ones have an inbuilt charge meter so you can see by a glance at the number of lights how much the battery is going down - they are great.

We also have mainly old stone walls and manky old sheep netting so we have fenced 4 acres with horse mesh and electric and the rest we do with the system above. Works very well.
 
Thanks for all your replies, I will look into all your suggestions. I find it much better to get opinions off other horsey people than just asking suppliers or internet research. Wish I could wave a magic wand and it all be done! or theres always the lottery... :D
 
We have some post and rope, the rope I use though is turbo wire, which has the same snapping force as tape, but it increases the electric charge around the paddock to remain the same, so less chance of them getting caught in it and has copper rather than wire, which breaks easier through it, as temporarily splitting the fields on posts, tape would just blow and stretch, good posts and tape are the very best bet.

I also have around three fields Centaur HTP, it has been in two years and to be totally honest it is now totally useless it has sagged, from the horses leaning on it, so much so one pony gets through it by pusing his head under and raising the top rail. The videos they show, show a car slowly going into the fencing, I would like to see it go in at 20mph and not stretch as horses do, and do it 20 times a day. Have now resorted to putting electric tape betweeen and zapping him, but nothing beats post and rail and electric and will be replaced over time.
 
scally said:
I also have around three fields Centaur HTP, it has been in two years and to be totally honest it is now totally useless it has sagged, from the horses leaning on it, so much so one pony gets through it by pusing his head under and raising the top rail. The videos they show, show a car slowly going into the fencing, I would like to see it go in at 20mph and not stretch as horses do, and do it 20 times a day. Have now resorted to putting electric tape betweeen and zapping him, but nothing beats post and rail and electric and will be replaced over time.
Click to expand...

bugger back to the drawnig board then.
 
Try Equifence from this company www.fence-line.co.uk we have just had 22 acres done and so pleased with it. Our fences (post & Rail)rotted due to the floods a couple of years ago and needed all replacing - but to be honest we looked at replacing like for like but far too expensive but yes P&P does look smart but horses will always chew, rub and break rails - you still need electric on it to try and help prevent all the above. Went to Lincombe Xc and saw this fence 'in action' and within weeks had all our old fence ripped out and new installed - so very pleased with it and company very helpful.
 
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