HELP dog proof horse paddocks

[Sallr98]

Hello,

Our horse paddocks run alongside a popular dog walking route. At the moment our fields are just fenced with wooden posts and rail. Our horses are constantly harassed by dogs entering the fields. What is a safe and cheap mesh/fence to put up to stop dogs getting in?

Also, we have a problem with people entering the fields, trespassing, and feeding the horses. What options do I have to prevent this? Would electric tape on top of the highest rail work? I just want to keep the horses safe. Has anyone had any experience with this?

Thank you

 

[TheMule]

Sheep stock fencing- it's a smaller mesh so corse hooves can’t get through it. People complained when I ran a strand of electric over the top of mine so now I just have plain wire which is not ideal as the horses can lean over it to eat the grass on the path. If you use a high enough stock fence and two runs of wire then people can’t easily climb through. I have gates onto my path with half mesh on so again keeps dogs out and people find it hard to climb.
Some people are very irritating- I get my phone out and film any dogs that still are allowed to run loose in my fields (sadly I don’t own one small section of woodland bordering my field so there are a couple of points they can get in. That tends to make them call their dog back.

 

[rextherobber]

As TheMule says, mesh makes fences more difficult to climb, and you can run electric fencing along the top, you can get the extender things to add 6" to the height of the fence with the electric tape. I believe if you use electric fencing next to a public footpath, you are obliged to display warning signs every 100m. Good luck!

 

[cauda equina]

A cheaper option might be to use strands of electric tape between and below the rails; dogs soon learn to avoid it
And yes you do need warning signs

 

[Griffin]

My YO has got post and rail fencing with sheep stock mesh to prevent his dogs getting into the fields (and legging it, one has no recall).

In your situation, if you didn't feel comfortable with having electric tape on the top of the fence, I would put a line just inside or even a couple of feet into the field so that your horses can't get near the fence.

Make sure you put signs up, for both the electric and to not feed horses. If you can pop a CCTV camera up (or even a dummy one), it may also help deter people.