Horse oblivious to electric fencer?

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soloequestrian

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I use electric tape a lot in summer to strip graze. My two older boys are very respectful of it as long as there is a charge. My two year old grazes with her neck or chest against the fence when it is on without appearing to notice the pulse. I touched the current fence by mistake the other day and got a fair kick off it, so I know it's working. Anyone else have a horse like this? She doesn't seem to have worked out that she could just push under the fence yet, but I suspect that will come and I don't really know what else to do!
 
are you sure that its not tripping out in places? he might have found the bits that the electric isn't getting to? Do you have it tied in knots anywhere? or touching any wooden posts? or plants/weeds?
 
Get a fence voltage tester and check it in several places. Joints wearing, gates and long grass can loose voltages. Even in unbroken sections, the wire can break. I have a stock of metal joints for bridging such breaks.
 
My 3 year did the same actually grazing half under the fence. I borrowed a more powerful energiser from my friend and that has stopped him. Some of the lower powered energisers just don't have enough zap to bother some horses,
 
I had a Welsh pony that did just the same have replaced the green tape to electric wire on top of the wooden fencing all horses now respect it even the little welchie does and gives a fair crack as well they hear the tick from the energiser so they all no it's on
 
My late gelding was notorious for going through electric fencing even though he would get zapped. I think he thought the fleeting moment of pain was worth the reward of getting to the grass! Thankfully my new mare is very respectful of electric fencing.
 
Someone who used to post here suggested attaching a metal lid smeared with molasses to the fence.
5000 volts through the tongue is bound to gain respect!
 
My gelding that I had last year repeatedly went through five lines of electric fencing, the tallest 2m high, with 10,000 volts (as checked my my little gadget thingy).

I actually deliberately let him shock himself too by putting something tasty on the wire (don't hate me.. I was desperate!) It worked.. temporarily, but like Bertolie said above, I think mine also thought the temporary pain of the shock was worth the reward and he went back to his old ways.

I feel your pain OP, it's not nice never knowing if your horse it actually going to be in his field or if he has done a runner.
 
You have to teach them to respect it - I wouldn't recommend the molasses thing (cruel) but reversing them into a fence with decent Joules should keep them away. If they experience it chest on they learn just to run through it and ignore the bite...
 
My minis and big ones were useless with electric fencing however I switched this year to string instead of tape, it gives a better bang and they just seem to respect it more? don't have it too long for each battery and ensure it is not tripping!! I was unable to keep minis in electric fence paddocks for years until the "string" was used!!
 
If any animal disrespects electric fencing, I'd suggest a training paddock. Substantial corner posts, at least three 2.5mm high tensile galvanised steel wires properly tensioned, and a good powerful mains energiser. To increase visibility, cable tie old waste white tape to the wires.

Electric fencing is different to ordinary non-electric fencing. Normal stock fencing is designed to physically contain livestock. Electric fencing should be designed to hold the fence (wire, tape, or electrified rope) against the animal for as long as possible. Animals run through electric fences because they are not held and shocked sufficiently. Believe me, if the fence is constructed properly, they won't be back for a second try. I used to sell the stuff and have used it here for over 20 years. I very seldom get any pony even trying to get through and I'm scared stiff of it!
 
Another tip (apart from making sure the fence delivers a powerful zap everywhere) is to make sure that you have the tapes spaced at the right height (have one low enough that their head won't fit under without touching, and one high enough that they can't easily hang their neck over without touching). You may need three strands. If the horse doesn't seem to feel the zap, a small bib clip on the chest might help to get the message through.
 
Ummm, I've seen turnout rugs somewhere advertised which are supposed to be specially for horses that disrespect fencing?? Garrrggh, wish I could remember the name of them, they've been advertising on FB recently so I believe. They've got conductive wire sewn into them so if the horse touches the fence it gets a shock through the rug.

Anyone know??

Alternatively, you could cobble together something similar: I did this with my traddie who's got the hide of a rhino. Get a fly rug, one with a neck, and thread some leccy fencing wire around the neck part of it - you could sew it inside and make a loop around the outside, even, just so basically when he touches it, the wire will touch his neck on the inside. You can also wrap leccy wire around a headcollar.

I did it with mine and had got him all "wired up" just as the electrician came into the yard: he didn't know quite what to say when I said to him, words to the effect of "do you think this will conduct electricity OK?". Poor lad, I'm sure he was convinced that we were in the business of putting our poor horses in the electric chair, or equivalent, here :) His face said it all. I wonder we didn't get a visit from the RSPCA.............. LOL
 
You could try leaving a headcollar one with a strip of electric tape hanging from it - sufficiently long that if he puts his face near to the fence it will make contact with it.
 
My girl used to charge through the electric fencing and I was worried she would end up with a broken post stuck in her! Ended up making a small loop of spare electric string and looping it round the front of the rug or as a necklace if she wasnt rugged that day, ends joined together with a hair bobble so it would break just in case, she's been very respectful of it since then
 
Guardian rugs are designed for this purpose but are expensive I found the best thing we did was to put in extra earthing stakes joined together under the ground to give a huge earth it has made our mains fence unit give quite a zap and so far has stopped our houdini she still puts her head under but doesnt touch it and she cant jump out because we have two fences about 7 ft apart too far to jump over not far apart enough to land and take off again
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Ummm, I've seen turnout rugs somewhere advertised which are supposed to be specially for horses that disrespect fencing?? Garrrggh, wish I could remember the name of them, they've been advertising on FB recently so I believe. They've got conductive wire sewn into them so if the horse touches the fence it gets a shock through the rug.

Anyone know??
Click to expand...

Guardian Equestrian turnout rug :)
 
What spacings do folk put their tape at? I was at a yard the other day where the bottom tape was about a foot off the ground and the second tape about horse eye level. Apparently, it worked. But it seemed strange to me as there was ample gap for the horse to walk between the two tapes, it just didn't seem to want to try! Psychological barrier?
 
5 rows 4 a foot apart the fifth one about 2 foot up to prevent jumping any bigger gap and she walks straight through. Although the two fences seems to have curbed the jumping and the pushing through as one fence seems to be possible but two a bit of a challenge Highland houdinis
We do have a secure post and rails ring fence I do not know how anyone dares use electric fencing to keep horses off the roads etc
 
windand rain said:
5 rows 4 a foot apart the fifth one about 2 foot up to prevent jumping any bigger gap and she walks straight through. Although the two fences seems to have curbed the jumping and the pushing through as one fence seems to be possible but two a bit of a challenge Highland houdinis
We do have a secure post and rails ring fence I do not know how anyone dares use electric fencing to keep horses off the roads etc
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How many joules is your energiser and what voltage is it zapping at? Work out how many meters your fence is and multiply that by 5 - is your fence too 'long' to be effective
 
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