Opinions please ..... Electric fencing & foals

[seaofdreams]

Is it a big no no, or is it possible with good well maintained electric fencing?

Opinons please.......

Thanks
Helen

 

[Irishcobs]

I asked this a while ago and was told it's a no no. But I think if it is the really wide stuff and is very tight with wooden fence poles not the plastic ones, then I don't see why it can't be used.
I'm not going to electrify mine though incase the foal rolls into it or something. As its going to be used to seperate mother and foal from my gelding, both who respect electric tape.

 

[rema]

To be honest i think once they get a belt off the fence they will think twice about doing it again.That probably isent a very nice way of doing it though!!.

 

[Maesfen]

It certainly wouldn't be my choice but I do understand if you have no other option or are at livery. I had to use it before but we used wooden posts so it was a bit more secure than the plastic stakes.

Foals can easily lay down, roll before getting up and find themselves on the wrong side (happens too if rails aren't low enough in p & r!). If it has to be used between other horses, it's safer to have two strips of fencing wide enough apart that they can't sniff noses or the mare get so agitated that she goes at whatever's over the other side. It would also help if you could add that plastic netting like they have at roadworks which makes it look a far more solid barrier which the foal should respect more to start with. That's just my views, sure there will be lots others that have coped with EF, perhaps my lot are just too clumsy and thick but I hate to think of the damage that can be caused by a foal going through the fence and possibly getting in with a less than sociable horse or something like that.

 

[Patches]

I've kept Talis behind electric fencing since I had him as a weanling. I do have three strands of it though and he's never gone through it.

My fencing is down one side of a large field. Had he gotten out, he'd have been very secure in the 12 acres of field he'd have escaped into.

I make sure it's tensioned tightly and check it works daily.

 

[seaofdreams]

thanks, im not happy about it either but im on livery and the yard owner is doing her best,
The plan is that she will be in a post and rail paddock but to put electric fencing around the inside as there are geldings either side,
but thinking about it i supose we could put the electric fencing on the geldings sides if there owners don't mind,
I just don't think Lottie will be happy with the geldings peering over all the time

 

[Irishcobs]

I didn't think about netting. I have loads of that orange stuff that would work wouldn't it?
Other wise I was going to put a strand low down so if the foal did roll he/she shouldn't be able to roll through. It wouldn't be electrified and will be tight.
I am going to double fence my two apart to start with as mum can be nasty to my boy on occasions.

 

[Chambon]

I have permanent electric fencing with thick tape and wooden posts and it's run from the mains. I have not had a problem with foals, they touch it once, usually with their mouth... yum, tasty... then big shock! They totally respect it after that and the mums try to keep their babies away from it anyway.

I wouldn't use plastic stakes or anything that wasn't a substantial barrier.

 

[Shilasdair]

My foal (and her Mum) were separated from my other two by electric fencing on all sides (two strands of white tape run on a car battery). Foal was never at all bothered by it...but fancied being one of the big girls and climbed through to the wrong side a few times. As foalie was a daemon child, her mum never seemed to want her back...the other two (a yearling and a 17 yo were very relieved when I recaptured her though as they said she was 'scary'. She even tried to suckle from my yearling. Neither the fence nor the others ever hurt her.
Good luck - don't worry so much - foals are smarter than you think!
S

 

[Tia]

No I absolutely seriously dislike electric fencing with foals, although I know a lot of people who keep them within electric fenced fields.

We are just about to fence some of our fields with fencing which is designed with foals in mind.

http://www.systemfence.com

A foal not far from where I live, was killed when it became entangled in the electric fencing.

 

[PeterNatt]

The problem with electric fencing is that it can fail. It should only be used to sub-divide already fenced areas where the horses are used to each other.

As far as foals and youngsters are concerned it should be 3 bar heavy duty post and rail fencing with equifencing secured on it. (Equifencing is a tight mesh form of sheep fencing and prevents horses from kicking through the fence line and injuring a horse on the other side).

 

[ColleenIsh]

I think electric fencing can be fine as long as it is running with a back up fence/railing/posts .


We first put missy (was 9 mths ) at the time out with it and she touched it once or twice and that was it .

 

[Tia]

Oh sorry - I was talking about little foals...ie. newborns LOL!! Not big ones.

 

[seaofdreams]

p.k spoken to yard owner all sorted, were going to repair the post and rail and then put the electric fencing on the geldings side, but thanks for your opinions

 

[Shilasdair]

Good luck with your foal - hope it is everything you wish for and that you have lots of fun with it.

S

 

[amandaco2]

i echo tia re very young foals.they can tend to be far too thick to work things out!lol.and it they do get on the other side they can become seriously ill very quickly without mums milk.
i introduced my filly to electric once she was about 5 months old first in front of something solid and then standing to section the field off(mum was gettng seriously fat!)

 

[AmyMay]

Absolute No, No.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
but thinking about it i supose we could put the electric fencing on the geldings sides if there owners don't mind

[/ QUOTE ]
I would actually insist on this. You absolutely do not want your foal subjected to electric fencing until it is at least a weanling.