How to make a small pen - tips please?

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Blythe Spirit

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Hello all
Following my mare's surgery on her stifles after another 2 weeks box rest she is to be turned out into a small pen about the size of two large stables was the vets idea of size..? Any idea how I would be best to construct something like this? I am a bit worried about using too much (un powered) electric tape as I feel she might run through it and get hurt. She is not a crazy mare even after much box rest BUT she might easily get spook or a moment of excitement if the other horses are running about. Do you think I would be better to do this in a feild somewhere - although she will eat any grass in it in moments and it will need constantly moving to avoid poaching if it rains. Or could i try sectioning off some of the yard outside her stable this would mean she could go back into her stable if it came on to rain. She will have to be out in it from 8am to 5pm every day as I work too far away to 'nip back' if it comes on to rain....

Anyone having done this I would much appreciate your advice...?
thanks
 
I think it really depends on your yard set up.

If you are able to construct something outside her stable so she is able to go in and out I think that would probably be the best solution. Being on a yard with hay may stop her from charging around if she gets excited about being out too.

After a week or two of this I would then probably make a small area in the field with electric tape (which is actually electrified) to turn her out on. You could then probably make the area a little larger so you don't have to keep moving it.
 
Thanks. I can pretty much do what I want as I rent the bock of three stable with a hay barn at the end which are almost self contained and i also 'own' my field - ie its only my horses who live in it. so I do have some freedom as to what I set up within reason. I am more limited by resources - electrifying the tape is not easy and I am a small lady (I want to say girl but hey I am 38) and not big/strong enough to put in proper fence posts etc.
 
If you use tape you will need to electrify it, or she could hurt herself trying to go through it.

You can buy the little energizers and batteries which just attach to the fence.
 
I did this for a pony recovering from laminitis. We made an area 14 ft square outside his stable that he can walk in and out of as he wants. I covered the concrete with about 3 inches of wood mulch wet down to stop it slipping and put electrified tape around it. I don't think you can avoid getting proper fence posts put in otherwise it would be too unstable. My pony took to it really well and even though he is now turned out during the day I have left his pen in situ because its a nice facility on bad weather days rather than having to stand in. I think you have to be careful at first in case they do mess about (I just put in loads of hay) but once mine realised that was his patch he took to it really well.

I have replaced the wood mulch a couple of times now with the help of a friendly farmer and his tractor bucket, and its been up about 3 years. Cost under £150 to set up excluding the electric box which I already had for the field, so well worth it.
 
Thanks - luckily the surface outside my stable is well compacted road planeings - so not slippy like concrete but it will break up if used a lot. I could try using a little battery powered generator but because of where the fences naturally are I am thinking I could construct something pretty solid connecting the existing fencing (about 12 feet away parallel to the stables) to the stable wall. I have a bit of a phobia or something about electric fencing. Thanks for your advice all - I am certainly leaning towards the option of an outside the stable area allowing her free access to the stable or yard...
 
Best bet would be is to find some cheap Harris fencing not only would you be able to join to what ever but also can have it in a circle you can adjust to the size and shape you wanted or needed
And a lot safer then electric fencing
 
I usually run a line of electric (on tall electric stakes) about 24ft from a field fence (parallel) to it and then put dividing fences up to create 24ft squares, build at least 4 at a time preferably 6 or 8 then keep moving back and forth each day, always give plenty of hay spread out on the floor, use a battery powered fence energiser-I try to use 3 inch round fence posts in the corners as they offer more stability but they are not essential.

why are you so worried about electric fencing-they idea of turning out is to get them moving freely but steadily about by allowing them to graze, they don't tend to do that if you fence on any suface other than grass.

herras fencing is great but was not practical for me at work as you need at least 3 pairs of hands every time you need to move it
 
ischa said:
Best bet would be is to find some cheap Harris fencing not only would you be able to join to what ever but also can have it in a circle you can adjust to the size and shape you wanted or needed
And a lot safer then electric fencing
Click to expand...

Second this - if you don't want to purchase you can hire it from places like Speedyhire
 
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