What do you fence your fields with and why? And....

[gonebananas]

Just wondering what everyones most favorable method of fencing for their horses would be, whether you have it or not/afford it etc and would you change your current fencing method?

I can see no one really wanting barbed wire because of the obvious reasons, post and rail as it can be expensive but also cause damage to the horse if they go through them? Electric fencing also quite costly and easily damaged/stolen?

Whats everyones views/experiences of these?

And

Has anyone considered using hedgerows as fencing whilst also maintaining a natural habitat and wildlife corridors? I don't just mean like hedgerows in the bushy sense but ones that are properly laid so livestock cannot get out. Surely these would be more economical than conventional fencing and also benefit the wildlife in the area if they are managed correctly?

http://www.hedgelaying.org.uk/index.html
http://www.ehow.com/info_8316581_natural-options-horse-fence.html

Discuss...?

 

[Paddy Irish]

I use mostly electric fence posts and tape but also wooden posts and tape , in my permanent paddock ( shetland enclosures) . I'd love some natural hedging but as all my 7 acres is in one whole lot , it would be too restrictive as i fence off sections for hay and also restrictions in the summer then open up the whole lot in winter , this way my land is very versatile , but i do have boundary hedge around three sides and a small river on the fourth so we are still pretty wildlife friendly.

 

[BBH]

I am post n railing primarily because it looks tidier and in the main its what most horse people want when considering a yard for their own horses.

Electric IMO looks scruffy and is ineffective unless you have huge amounts of weight to lose or are very bored and don't mind putting it all back together on a daily basis

 

[Flicker]

Our livery yard is a mixture of post and rail, post and electric tape and natural hedgerows. I must say, the hedgerows are WONDERFUL. They are thick with gorse this time of year, which my horse loves to nibble on. He's also been known to pick at nettles and brambles.
They also provide lots of natural shelter from the wind and rain and, as you say, are fabulous for the local wildlife (although pheasants exploding out of hedges as you walk past can be quite disconcerting )

 

[Baggybreeches]

We have round wooden stakes, with 4 rows (to stop the sheep) of electric turbo rope, looks tidy and does the job, on the basis that my field is 9 acres and only rented, I couldn't afford to Post and Rail it. We also have hedge boundary on each side.

 

[jenki13]

Our fields are a mixture of hedge's, post & rail, post & pig wire -> not great we know, & electric fencing for sectioning mainly.
Hoping to gradually get all the fences that currently have wire on them & one that we ripped the wire off thats currently electric fencing changed to post & rail soon. Even more of a push, with wanting to bread my mare as although I know my mare is highly unlikely to put her leg through the wire (no other horses around to strike at or anything!), when she's in those fields I wouldn't trust a foal to be so savvy.

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

Post and rail, with an internal stretch of electric tape to keep them off the wood and from play fighting over the fence with their neighbours.

I'm on livery and I bought my own electric fence to internally fence mine. Before that my horses were breaking posts when fratanizing with their neighbours and they'd had a number of injuries, but they respect the electric and keep away from it, and (touch wood) I've had no field related injuries since the introduction of my internal electric fence.

 

[1973horse]

I am post n railing primarily because it looks tidier and in the main its what most horse people want when considering a yard for their own horses.

Electric IMO looks scruffy and is ineffective unless you have huge amounts of weight to lose or are very bored and don't mind putting it all back together on a daily basis

not if you use electric fencing with the posts and dont have them to far apart so it keeps the electric tape nice and tight.and is a good idea for paddocks etc.my field is crap around the border with big spaces in the hedges,im in the process off doing this in posts and electric as my youngster likes to try and escape

 

[bryngelenponies]

I have one field with post and rail and another with post and stock fencing. I don't personally like electric fencing, don't mind it so much with wooden posts but with small plastic posts I would worry about horses jumping over it (I know they probably wouldn't but I'm a big worrier!) Particularly with the fields being right next to a marsh I don't want any escapees!

 

[jenki13]

I have one field with post and rail and another with post and stock fencing. I don't personally like electric fencing, don't mind it so much with wooden posts but with small plastic posts I would worry about horses jumping over it (I know they probably wouldn't but I'm a big worrier!) Particularly with the fields being right next to a marsh I don't want any escapees!

You can get higher electric fence posts now, think about 5 foot ones. My aunt had some as she had a showjumper & a >17hh horse next to each other & was worried about them escaping

 

[blitznbobs]

I like post and rail lined with electric but we have a mixture of this and electric only and post and wire with sheep wire (we have a lot of sheep too)... Not ideal but a good compromise.

 

[Cuppatea]

post and rail and thick hedges.

P&R looks great and there is no chance of anything getting out (not our P&R anyhoo!) have never had anything go through it, it is imposing enough to make them stop in time.
Agood hedge is great, hedgerow plants, windbreak and pretty impenetrable but takes years to get them thick enough and tall enough to be used on its own.
I hate electric tape!

 

[Tormenta]

I use electric fencing on the inner perimeter and on outer boundaries there is stock wire. Another four or five feet beyond that is barb wire (It used to be used for cows) In between the barb and stock wire we have planted natural hedgerow which is only two years in growing but hopefully will provide a more natural perimeter in time to come. I would love post and rail as the outer fencing lined with the hedging on the inside, it will take time so the electric does it's job for the time being.

 

[indie999]

Agree post and rail is nice BUT also run electric wide tape so they can see it and to stop them rubbing their butts on the post and rail! I do have posts with sheep wire at the bottom and a strand of barb wire on top, I still run the electric etc as I find they can lean over the barb wire when the grass is greener and end up nicked on the barbs. Also again to stop them rubbing their butts on the posts. Oh I have a horse that if he rubs on a gate the gate will come off its hinges too.
We have hawthorn hedging and I am sure would be through it!

 

[Tormenta]

Agree post and rail is nice BUT also run electric wide tape so they can see it and to stop them rubbing their butts on the post and rail! I do have posts with sheep wire at the bottom and a strand of barb wire on top, I still run the electric etc as I find they can lean over the barb wire when the grass is greener and end up nicked on the barbs. Also again to stop them rubbing their butts on the posts. Oh I have a horse that if he rubs on a gate the gate will come off its hinges too.

This made smile I used to have a pony who was built like a Sherman Tank (Not fat) She made a habit of butt rubbing on posts and I used to fully expect to turn up each morning to another post clean out of the ground. She happily loosened three in a row one evening and let herself (and everyone else) into the lushest grass possible, she came galloping back over the next morning to show how clever she was, she also butt rubbed and escaped from a restriction paddock and galloped over once again when I arrived. How they were all okay after a whole night gorging is beyond me but I was very fond of her.