How to get a pony to respect electric fencing?!

[petite-girle]

We have 3 youngsters all in the same field at a DIY yard. We have electric fencing around the whole field to keep them away from the weak fences, trees and muck heap as requested by YO. 2 of the youngsters are fine and totally respect the electric fence whereas the 3rd one is an absoloute nightmare!! I have watched her be zapped numerous times but she doesn't seem to learn. Nearly everyday I have someone say to me, I rescued your filly from the electric fencing as she was stuck on the wrong side of it, or caught up in it where she had ripped it down (causing it to disconnect.) The zap is powerful and seems to really shock her when she does get zapped but it doesn't seem to stop her. I'm at my wits end with this filly!!! What can I do?

 

[Dolcé]

They are a nightmare when they learn how to go through it! We had this with our youngster from foal to about 3 1/2, he used to just duck through it at an angle and run. You may have success with more lines, we got up to 4 on 3ft posts, doubled up with posts closer together, together this often worked for a period of time. Is your energiser battery or mains, our problems only really stopped when we changed to mains and used permanent posts. Having just set up our energiser again on our yard there is no comparison between the shock given by the smaller battery units and the big mains units, I tend to test using grass, if I haven't got the volt meter handy, and with the mains it still hurts a lot but the battery one just used to be a small tingle. It could be that you have to rethink your set up if you really want to stop her. I am in the middle of putting in the permanent fence and have had to resort to plastic posts on part of it today, I am convinced they will be a weakness as the ponies seem to learn they can flip them out if they run under. Would also suggest a change to rope if you are using tape, again it makes a big difference in the belt that they get. Basically, you have to make it so that she can't get through it quickly so that she will get a shock if she tries. If she is half through when gets shocked she will carry on, she needs a shock on the nose as she first tries so she will back off.

 

[petite-girle]

Thanks so much for your reply, it is battery run and we do use tape so perhaps changing these is the way forward! Also I think I will try putting 4 rows as we only have 2! The money I have spent on electric fencing is mad...and it seems a lot more is needed, oh dear!!

 

[3DE]

Sometimes the problem is that the horse hasn't learned how to respect electric fence. If you just turn out in a field they will likely go through it and scare themselves in the process. They have then learned they have to get through it as quick as possible or it will hurt.

What I do when introducing new horses is to lead them out in hand and let them investigate it. This way they get used to backing off it rather than continuing through it.

Also I have found solid posts work much better And they are cheaper than the stupid plastic posts!

 

[Aoibhin]

good luck with it, we had a 10h mare that had no resepct for ANY fencing! electric she just trounced even when we resulted to 9 strands running off mains (she just didnt care) rammed post & rail/stock fencing ect.... in the end we had her teathed for her own saftey (our feild backs onto a very busy dual carriageway) & sold her on as i just couldnt manage her with my 3 children. you cant just nip out & catch her again at 11pm when you are on your own & have 3 babies tucked up in bed.
hope you get yours to respect the fencing, we even tried a cattleprod to her butt as she used the electric rope as a scratching post one afternoon, she squealed & spun around at it & then 10 mins later was at it again!!