How do you make shetlands respect electric fencing?

P

Patchworkpony

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 July 2012
Messages
1,536
Visit site
How do you make shetlands respect electric fencing? Does permanent wooden stakes with 4 strands work attached work or am I wasting my time? Any ideas gratefully received!
 
Plastic poles (wooden corner posts) with 4 strands of tape and a good energizer seems to contain mine most of the time. But maybe he's not particularly persistent!
 
My 4 only ever needed zapped once to respect it. They can however tell if it's off then they don't give a ***** and are straight through it
 
electric sheep net is also a possibility.

I always get a bit confused when people say you should put it on the mains, it depends entirely on how much fencing you are running and the type of energiser and it's output. In fact increasingly energisers can be used with 12v or mains and the output is the same regardless.
 
Get an energiser with the highest number of joules possible. Most battery energisers are 1 joule max (and some a lot less). A 1 joule energiser will run approximately 10km of fencing - but bear in mind that this is one strand. As most tapes are now between 8 and 11 strand you can divide that distance by 8 and then 3 again for 3 rows - so that 10km may only be around 500m which really isn't very much, especially if it is earthing on long grass or weeds. So what might be 8000v at the start, might only be 500V at the end and not much zap.

I've just bought a mains energiser from Germany (with help of google translate) which is 7 joules, runs at 10,000V, will cover 100,000km and run two fences. It's €139 which is much better than comparable ones which seem to be around £250. This is the link.

https://www.weidezaun.info/voss-farming-tesla-7-230v-weidezaungeraet.html
 
Last edited:
i dont find shetlands any different to other horses, other than perhaps 3 strands of tape being required. Make sure you have a decent energiser and battery and just make sure it’s always working and not shorting anywhere.
 
Not a Shetland, but years ago we had a little welshie that used to just walk through electric fencing so I shaved all the hair off the front of his legs and chest and it stopped him! Of course you will always get some that believe electrocution is a small price to pay for a bite of lush grass lol! :-)
 
Last edited:
Make sure it's tensioned really well....use plenty of posts...the more the better so the gap between each is short. Make sure both ends are solid ie wooden posts and if there are any corners, then use a wooden post. They tend to only get through when there is give in the tape/wire ....if it is tensioned so its like a solid fence then they wont bother.
I keep mine on on just one strand at chest height like this
 
EQUIDAE said:
Get an energiser with the highest number of joules possible. Most battery energisers are 1 joule max (and some a lot less). A 1 joule energiser will run approximately 10km of fencing - but bear in mind that this is one strand. As most tapes are now between 8 and 11 strand you can divide that distance by 8 and then 3 again for 3 rows - so that 10km may only be around 500m which really isn't very much, especially if it is earthing on long grass or weeds. So what might be 8000v at the start, might only be 500V at the end and not much zap.

I've just bought a mains energiser from Germany (with help of google translate) which is 7 joules, runs at 10,000V, will cover 100,000km and run two fences. It's €139 which is much better than comparable ones which seem to be around £250. This is the link.

https://www.weidezaun.info/voss-farming-tesla-7-230v-weidezaungeraet.html
Click to expand...

Think you may need to modify your figures as it appears that on light vegetation they claim 8km.

From farm experience when it comes to energisers you get what you pay for. All ours now keep in touch via mobile and tell you output and 12v battery reserves daily and text the moment fence stops working for any reason.
By the way the fence line will have almost exactly the same voltage which ever end you test at it does not start high and drop off the further you get away however that is a very good indication you dont have a good earth.
 
Last edited:
popsdosh said:
Think you may need to modify your figures as it appears that on light vegetation they claim 8km.

From farm experience when it comes to energisers you get what you pay for. All ours now keep in touch via mobile and tell you output and 12v battery reserves daily and text the moment fence stops working for any reason.
By the way the fence line will have almost exactly the same voltage which ever end you test at it does not start high and drop off the further you get away however that is a very good indication you dont have a good earth.
Click to expand...
Read the post ,and guessed the author,Yay I win! Popsdosh ,you save me so much typing!
 
If I move my horse onto a new paddock or field and the fence is not on I pretend to touch it and get a massive electric shock off it. Poor horse visibly flinches with eyes like saucers when he sees me 'shocked' and genuinely looks concerned at my plight, but I can guarantee he has remembered the incident and won't risk it himself! Seems to work all the time.
 
Well from reading everything on here it appears that there is no fool proof way to guarantee that 'shitlands' will never stop pushing the boundaries! Thanks everyone for confirming what I already knew. Our paddock isn't near enough to the house to run fencing from the mains - I agree that does work as we've done it that way before.
 
I do know a few that have been fine with electric sheep net, you just need a big enough energiser to run it (it doesn't have to be mains). Only financially viable in small paddocks though.
 
_HP_ said:
Make sure it's tensioned really well....use plenty of posts...the more the better so the gap between each is short. Make sure both ends are solid ie wooden posts and if there are any corners, then use a wooden post. They tend to only get through when there is give in the tape/wire ....if it is tensioned so its like a solid fence then they wont bother.
I keep mine on on just one strand at chest height like this
Click to expand...

My Shetland never get through theirs....they are in a small section of a 3 acre field with knee deep grass.
Shetlands don't have to be Shitlands ....just treat them the same way you treat any other Equine 😀
My daughter's Clydesdale/Shire/Cob cross walks through more electic fencing than any of my shetlands
 
wills_91 said:
My 4 only ever needed zapped once to respect it. They can however tell if it's off then they don't give a ***** and are straight through it
Click to expand...

This was/is my boys to a T - they test it with their whiskers to see if it is on or not. If it's not switched on, then game on!
 
A good energiser is a must. Make sure you have enough posts and that you strim the grass/thistles/stuff along the fence line so there are no interruptions or drains on the power.

Multiple strands, or a top and bottom strande with a middle strands that zigzags along to stop them climbing through.

Our energiser gives the same voltage from a bettery or from the mains and is excellent (fenceman) but we combo fenced with sheep wire for the pony that army crawled under fencing (very very sensible boy who was very respectful of fencing so never even thought to stick his leg through the wire) even then though, if the electric was off he would push through if we had a temp electric inner fence to strip graze.

You can also tie a bit of fencing tape to headcollars/rugs etc so they do get zapped if they go near and touch it.

The biggest problem I think is that people run the strands like they would for a big horse - small ponies need some of the strands to be much much lower than you would think and generally need a third strand to stope them shimmying through the middle!
 
3 or possibly 4 strands and zig zag the middle one(s) to prevent any tempting gaps.

tbh ours was always good and contained by 2 strands on the super tall 6ft posts................its the fatty irish chap who needs 4 strands and the zig zag as he can apparently get down in the ridge and furrow and roll all 16hh of himself under it otherwise!

fatty irish and cheeky kwpn are often seen testing it with their whiskers then wandering away grumbling!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top