Urgent help with fencing needed (escaping pony)

[HaffiesRock]

So my pony is a serial escape artist. To the point he is becoming a liability!

He has electric fencing with 5 strands and he just barges through it. He is unrugged, ad lib hay, water and company. He breaks out and then the others get out too causing havoc!

What can I do?

I cant afford to have post and rail installed (although how much is it roughly per meter to buy?)

YO is putting some plain wire up today but I dont think it will help. Someone suggested some kind of netting or meshing to go along the fencing that is already there so it looks like a more sturdy barrier and he wont try and go through.

I am open to any suggestions (costing if you have a rough idea too) would be brilliant. Other than chop his legs off I dont know what to do next! HELP!

Thank you xx

 

[*hic*]

Have you used a fence tester to check that with all the additional wiring he's still getting enough of a belt off it? Energisers only do a limited length of fence

The cruel but effective method: 40mm wide tape wrapped under his neck, crossed over his withers and fastened round his girth. That should give him a good belt - provided your energiser is man enough for the fencing.

If you really want to make it effective chuck a bucket of water with a teaspoon of washing up liquid in it over him as well, but this is perhaps not the weather for it.

 

[YasandCrystal]

Well that's a bit of a problem, but I really would be wary of using plain wire with a pony that barges through electric fencing - it sounds like an accident waiting to happen.
I have no great suggestions, bar putting up some permanent fencing; posts are inexpensive and you could use poly rope electric rope and ensure you use hand tightened joiners at regular intervals, so if he does barge through the rope will come apart rather than cut him. You need a really heavy duty energizer really - I don't know what you are using? I use a mains one at home that is scarily nasty. At my paddocks I use a Fenceman with a good battery and it certainly keeps my rugged horses contained.

 

[Gloi]

Have a try at making him more respectful of the fence. If it isn't off the mains make sure your battery is fully charged, wet his nose and make sure he gets a good belt from it. Repeat until he won't go near it.

 

[JillA]

If you can put a further strand of electric fence about 18" - 2' INSIDE the existing one, at a height of about chest height for him, he can't barge through between pulses. He has to take more time which means he WILL get zapped - worked for one of mine, I couldn't work out how he was getting out, jumping or limbo-ing under, but it stopped him.

 

[AmyMay]

You need to run the electric fencing off the mains.

However, if you are on a yard - ask your YO to move your horse to a field with permanent fencing.

 

[YasandCrystal]

Have you used a fence tester to check that with all the additional wiring he's still getting enough of a belt off it? Energisers only do a limited length of fence

The cruel but effective method: 40mm wide tape wrapped under his neck, crossed over his withers and fastened round his girth. That should give him a good belt - provided your energiser is man enough for the fencing.

If you really want to make it effective chuck a bucket of water with a teaspoon of washing up liquid in it over him as well, but this is perhaps not the weather for it.

Great advice - I have never heard of these tricks I agree 5 strands is excessive and probably reducing the current.

 

[amandap]

Why is he breaking out? To get to the others or some other reason? Does it matter? Can the fields be opened up?
Is the fence electrified properly with a good strong current. Five strings will need a few earths and a good battery or mains. One (well electrified) strand at nose height I find works well.

Can the turnout arrangements be changed? Can he go with the others?
If he is a confirmed serial breakout pony I do think there isn't much you can do to stop him except high decent permanent fences but I would look at putting him with horses he wants to stay with as an option. If he's hungry for eg. a pile of hay might help.

 

[DGeventing]

IMO, electric tape isn't permanent fencing and should not be treated as such. It has worth where the size or area of grazing needs to be changed frequently to meet a horses needs, but if a horse is always in the same place fenced with ET, it's not suitable.

get some permanent fencing put up, I have one that likes to escape so I have normal post and rail fencing, then about a foot inside I have very very high horse netting. It won't be jumped as horse - while naughty - is sensible enough to see it would end badly!

I've recently moved to a new yard, but the first thing I did was put permanent fencing in, knowing that electric fencing is useless if a horse wants to get out.

 

[HaffiesRock]

Why is he breaking out? To get to the others or some other reason? Does it matter? Can the fields be opened up?
Is the fence electrified properly with a good strong current. Five strings will need a few earths and a good battery or mains. One (well electrified) strand at nose height I find works well.

Can the turnout arrangements be changed? Can he go with the others?
If he is a confirmed serial breakout pony I do think there isn't much you can do to stop him except high decent permanent fences but I would look at putting him with horses he wants to stay with as an option. If he's hungry for eg. a pile of hay might help.

Thanks guys. As original post stated, he has company and ad lib hay/water. I think he is just a pain in the backside! I have never seen him go through it, but he keeps getting out! We don't have mains electric on the yard so its on a battery. I'm new to the yard so have no idea how its set up, but I have touched it and it gives off a good shock!

I think ill have to measure the paddock and price up alternatives. Luckily one edge is hedgerow which will reduce the costs somewhat... This is going to be expensive I think! x

 

[HaffiesRock]

IMO, electric tape isn't permanent fencing and should not be treated as such. It has worth where the size or area of grazing needs to be changed frequently to meet a horses needs, but if a horse is always in the same place fenced with ET, it's not suitable.

get some permanent fencing put up, I have one that likes to escape so I have normal post and rail fencing, then about a foot inside I have very very high horse netting. It won't be jumped as horse - while naughty - is sensible enough to see it would end badly!

I've recently moved to a new yard, but the first thing I did was put permanent fencing in, knowing that electric fencing is useless if a horse wants to get out.

What kind of cost is permanent fencing and can you recommend anywhere?

 

[AmyMay]

Why are you thinking of paying for alternative fencing??

Surely there are fields with permanent fencing?

 

[amandap]

Thanks guys. As original post stated, he has company and ad lib hay/water.

Yes, sorry, I got on a roll.

 

[*hic*]

Thanks guys. As original post stated, he has company and ad lib hay/water. I think he is just a pain in the backside! I have never seen him go through it, but he keeps getting out! We don't have mains electric on the yard so its on a battery. I'm new to the yard so have no idea how its set up, but I have touched it and it gives off a good shock!

I think ill have to measure the paddock and price up alternatives. Luckily one edge is hedgerow which will reduce the costs somewhat... This is going to be expensive I think! x

Get yourself a fence tester in the first place and check all the strands. Also find out who is responsible for changing / charging the batteries and whether they are always kept fully charged. My old boy listens for the click. I can tell whether the battery is effective or not by how close to the fence he is prepared to go. On a naughty day he waits for me to turn the fence off to open the gate and then barges through the fencing, when it's on however he wont go within five feet of it! YOu may find your lad is just cunning and waits until the battery power is low in which case all that is needed is to make sure that the battery is charged more frequently.

 

[Clava]

You need to see how he is doing it. I have a shetland cross who is a nightmare too and waits until no-one is watching! but if I do see him, I can usually work out what to do. You also need to make absolutely sure there is a really good charge being given. A secondary very low line infront of the fence can work - it gives too much to think about, but only if they are getting a good shock.

(however, I do believe that haffy hair is possibly the best insulator in the world!!!)

 

[DGeventing]

What kind of cost is permanent fencing and can you recommend anywhere?

No, because I'm in the USA so shipping costs would negate the cheap cost of my supplier.

Remember that fencing will probably be cheaper than vets bills when he hurts himself/gets into the feed room/hay store and colic/ insurance when he damages someones property etc...

 

[HaffiesRock]

Why are you thinking of paying for alternative fencing??

Surely there are fields with permanent fencing?

The whole yard is electric fenced. I like it where I am. It has everything I want, just not permanent fencing. Id rather work something out with the YO to put in permanent fencing than keep moving around. There aren't a lot of yards where I am and none have permanent fencing!

 

[Holzdweaver]

I put up my post and rail myself (with the help of OH) for my winter trash paddock, its surprisingly cheap to do, i was expecting it to cost a fortune! but it worked out just over £2 per post and £4 per 12' rail. So for 12' it cost me about £14 for the first section and then about £12 per 12' after that.

That was for 3-4" posts (5-6" on corners) and 4" x 2" rough sawn rails. didnt see the point in getting the posh half round rails, i assumed they would just break them anyway! Looked amazing when it was all oiled

I also popped some poly rope between the rails and at the top just to stop them trying to climb through or eat the wood. which they havent even tried to do. Had a pony in there who tested every single bit very thoroughly, and tried to use her strength to bust out. Thankfully she wasnt able to!

was rather impressed

To other peoples fencing, mine probably looks rather rubbish lol, but im proud of it and its done its job, plus with the amount of plastic posts my hulligans snapped in the past its paid for itself.

 

[AmyMay]

The whole yard is electric fenced. I like it where I am. It has everything I want, just not permanent fencing. Id rather work something out with the YO to put in permanent fencing than keep moving around. There aren't a lot of yards where I am and none have permanent fencing!

So, sorry - just to be clear. There is no permanent fencing erected anywhere on the yard?

How does this stop animals getting out on to the road.

And, if you want to erect permanent fencing, you'll need to get a fencing contractor in to quote you, and then erect. You will be looking at several thousand pounds.

 

[DGeventing]

So, sorry - just to be clear. There is no permanent fencing erected anywhere on the yard?

Didn't have the balls to say it in my original post, but here goes - LAZY!
How can a yard have no permanent fencing anywhere?! Madness.
Yes it can be expensive, and it can be time consuming, but if you're running a business you need to invest! Besides, I'm fairly sure this invalidates some insurance policies? I know my former yard couldn't be insured if such safety procedures weren't adhered to?

 

[PandorasJar]

Thanks guys. As original post stated, he has company and ad lib hay/water. I think he is just a pain in the backside! I have never seen him go through it, but he keeps getting out! We don't have mains electric on the yard so its on a battery. I'm new to the yard so have no idea how its set up, but I have touched it and it gives off a good shock!

I think ill have to measure the paddock and price up alternatives. Luckily one edge is hedgerow which will reduce the costs somewhat... This is going to be expensive I think! x

How is he going through it. A cheap thing to try is to use a solid metal stake on the corners. If no damage then raise the fence height.

If not then post and rail. If full belt (fence tester is worth doing and not expensive) and he's not respecting I'd worry about high tensile on posts unless accompanied by rail fencing. If he's going through and you're tying it back together, then the fence will be getting weaker each time so the shock will not bother him.
I don't like electric fencing used as main paddocks on yards, should be for temporary fencing only imo.

 

[PandorasJar]

So, sorry - just to be clear. There is no permanent fencing erected anywhere on the yard?

How does this stop animals getting out on to the road.

And, if you want to erect permanent fencing, you'll need to get a fencing contractor in to quote you, and then erect. You will be looking at several thousand pounds.

I sincerely hope that there is permanent perimeter fencing, regardless of bushes I always do permanent in addition. And I don't like no permanent paddocks.

For 1 small paddock (from recollection yours is fairly small) you could probably get away with a thousand (proper post and rail with electric ran through). However are these all year paddocks or will they be rotated? You could do it for half the price yourself, but it's not worth the bill landing on you when a horse damages themselves on it, or it fails. We do our own but are covered by insurance for the job.

If you pay for it, remember the YO could give notice a month later, so be prepared for that or write in something into your contract that fencing goes with you (again be careful as you'd have to replace with old electric again).

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Having a haffie with no respect for electric fencing at all not even mains, I sympathise. I came to the conclusion that I had to put in permanent fencing. I use tornado horsemesh, which has very small squares and ours is high tension so there are no sags and bags. Above it is plain wire and I have left space at the top for an electric wire to be added too if it ever became necessary but it hasn't as madam gave up the fight (she is now trying to eat her way out one fence post at a time).

The feeling of relief and lack of stress once you know they are safely contained and not at risk or getting too much grass is fab!

For a one acre field with two or three gates horsemesh and wire and by a good contractor all in might cost about £2 k inc vat. That is a fence that will last using the high tension equipment to make it like that. DIY I guess maybe half that using the same high quality materials (eg treetrunk gateposts and gates have mesh panels so horse cant get leg stuck in it).

Hope this helps

Ps here is link for the fencing type I mean
http://www.tornadowire.co.uk/premiumhorsefence

 

[Polos Mum]

Proper 3 rail post and rail put in by a contractor is £8-10 a meter ish. so for a 2 ish acre paddock which is roughly 700m around the outside you'd be looking at £5-6k.

Doing it yourself will be back breaking (especially in frozen ground) and your livery yard owner might not like it being done by a non professional but could easily cut the cost in half.

I'd just move to a yard that provides suitable facilities for your particular horse

 

[martlin]

What do we call permanent fencing here?
TBH, there is no such thing as an unbreakable fence, and post and rail comes with its own limitations.
OP, is your paddock fenced with plastic posts or electric tape/rope on wooden posts?

 

[AmyMay]

What do we call permanent fencing here?
TBH, there is no such thing as an unbreakable fence, and post and rail comes with its own limitations.
OP, is your paddock fenced with plastic posts or electric tape/rope on wooden posts?

I mean post and rail or post and stock fencing.

 

[putasocinit]

I would refuse to put my horse in a field with only single strand fencing, this is so dangerous, you could use sheep fencing and a strand of electrified tape on tope.

 

[JillA]

Not suitable for permanent fencing? I have all my fields defined by electric fencing, and have done ever since I bought the place 15 years ago. NOT the perimeter - that is physical fencing but internally I have rope and wire on permanent posts, and apart from the Houdini I mentioned in my earlier posts all horses know and respect it. It is mains now, that is much better than battery, and it has to be maintained with a tester in case some connectors burn out. Physical mesh or rails would be beyond my reach financially.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

So my pony is a serial escape artist. To the point he is becoming a liability!

He has electric fencing with 5 strands and he just barges through it. He is unrugged, ad lib hay, water and company. He breaks out and then the others get out too causing havoc!

What can I do?

I cant afford to have post and rail installed (although how much is it roughly per meter to buy?)

YO is putting some plain wire up today but I dont think it will help. Someone suggested some kind of netting or meshing to go along the fencing that is already there so it looks like a more sturdy barrier and he wont try and go through.

I am open to any suggestions (costing if you have a rough idea too) would be brilliant. Other than chop his legs off I dont know what to do next! HELP!

Thank you xx

I suggest Heras fencing, dig a hole for the feet or leave them as they are if its temporary and put fencing in then fill hole its 6ft 6 high and only a few inches from the ground you can hire or buy also on ebay

http://www.firstfence.net/temporary...ry-fencing-panels/ex-hire-heras-style-square/

 

[amandap]

I suggest Heras fencing, dig a hole for the feet or leave them as they are if its temporary and put fencing in then fill hole its 6ft 6 high and only a few inches from the ground you can hire or buy also on ebay

http://www.firstfence.net/temporary...ry-fencing-panels/ex-hire-heras-style-square/

A friend has some of this she bought to fence off the hay barn. It topples over easily and is not at all robust. Concreting it in might make it more stable but if they rub on it it soon starts to give way. The barn is now gated and no more break ins or worries about the fence becoming a danger.