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IHMANKY 09-10-2009 18:50:12 74.236.250.244 19153 Report to Moderator	Daughter is thinking she might like to try to ride, I've been looking for a good use for about 7 acres that's a little chopped up due to a small pond, dozer pile and an old barn. What's the most cost effective yet dependable fence I can use? I CAN use trees along one side, but nothing saying I have to. [Reply]   [No Email]
jose bagge 09-18-2009 16:17:21 12.161.55.61 19228 Report to Moderator	Re: Horse Fencing Questions in reply to IHMANKY, 09-10-2009 18:50:12   I use the electric rope made by the same company that makes the safeguard tape( easier to rewind if you want to change or move it) . I use metal t-posts about every 40 feet with the step in white plactic posts between them. 2 strands powered with a goodground to earth, sparked by 1 TSC small solar charger for each of 2 three acre feilds. Never had an escapee- sure was cheaper than the board fence I have every where else!   [Reply]   [No Email]
Flewster 09-16-2009 11:34:59 208.34.196.40 19218 Report to Moderator	Re: Horse Fencing Questions in reply to Animal, 09-10-2009 18:50:12   IHMANKY said: (quoted from post at 08:20:31 09/12/09) when I was stationed at Great Lakes back in the 90's, it took me 6 hours to get to Chicago from here... I'm assuming you're a couple hours further! OT------ I was also stationed at great lakes in the 90's.......1994 and 1995 I was an instructor at ATD on the recruit side......Small world   [Reply]   [No Email]
Loren MN 09-16-2009 09:24:20 64.65.174.118 19214 Report to Moderator	Re: Horse Fencing Questions in reply to IHMANKY, 09-10-2009 18:50:12   Here's what the Horseguard tape looks like. It was stainless steel wire woven into it. The Nelson waterer is fantastic. -30F in the morning and the water in the bowl is warm.   [Reply]   [No Email]
Loren MN 09-16-2009 08:05:27 64.65.174.118 19212 Report to Moderator	Re: Horse Fencing Questions in reply to IHMANKY, 09-10-2009 18:50:12   We put up electric tape two years ago, and it works great. We used Horseguard tape, which is more expensive than what you find in stores, but it's much better quality. Here's there website: http://www.horseguardfence.com/index.php We used three strands, at 22", 36", and 54", and I use a 1.5 joule low impedence charger. I used 4" wood posts for their paddock where they winter, and T-posts around the pasture. I spaced the posts about 15 ft. apart (2 1/2 T-post lengths.) Very easy to install. The insulators are expensive, but tensioning the tape is very easy. One thing I found is that the corners still need to be braced well, as 3 strands of tape will have enough tension to start tipping the corner posts if they're not braced. The tape is easy to use for separating areas of pasture too. We use a single strand to rotate grazing, and they respect it. The tape is 1.5" wide, so it's easy for them to see, and a strong charger is necessary so the first zap they get sends a message. After a strong zap to the nose, they won't test it again. Seems weird to fence in 1100 lb. animals with tape, but it's all psychological with horses. I've seen our mare chase the gelding toward the fence, and he will spin around and do anything he can to keep from touching it. Even a snapping twig that sounds like the zap from the fence will make them jump back. I use 4 wires of high tensile for our cattle, but I don't like it for horses, as it's too hard for them to see the wires. They can hurt themselves bad if they run into the wires. 2"x4" woven wire would be good for a smaller paddock, but do not use 4"x4", as they can get a hoof caught in it. DO NOT USE BARB WIRE!!! Horses will find ways to hurt themselves that you could never imagine, and barb wire is an expensive accident waiting to happen. Barb wire requires animal contact to send the message, basically push on the fence until you hurt yourself. You don't want them pushing on the fence at all. Also, DO NOT MIX BARB WIRE AND ELECTRIC! They could get tangled in the wire and get zapped while they struggle to get free. A few other things to keep in mind: Set up a paddock approx. 100'x100' separate from the rest of the pasture, where you can keep the horse in when you need to, and to have a shelter. Go slow on putting them out on grass, a few hours at a time. Overloading on lush grass can cause founder. They don't need any grain, just hay and salt, and possibly a mineral supplement depending on hay quality. Figure 1/2 bale of hay per day per horse in winter. Horses need companions, so you will need to get two. If feeding one, not much more trouble to feed two. Plus, you will learn alot about training them by watching how they interact. Training must be black & white, no question of who's the boss. Have an area for ground training, and spend at least as much time ground trainging as riding. Highly suggest riding lessons once a week, and learning proper ground training techniques. Clinton Anderson has great DVD's for learning how to train horses to respect you.   [Reply]   [Send Email]
Greyhorse 09-15-2009 19:42:35 72.171.0.145 19208 Report to Moderator	Re: Horse Fencing Questions in reply to James Howell, 09-10-2009 18:50:12   IHMANKY said: (quoted from post at 14:18:09 09/12/09) Greyhorse, what's common for post spacing when using t-posts? I'm thinking I've seen some horse fence around 12-15 feet in between posts... I guess it all depends on how tight you can keep it.. We have our cattle 5-strand barb on 8 ft. posts with a wood post every dozen t-posts, more often if the terrain changes too much for t-posts to hold up.. We often go 20-25 feet for T-posts with 2 or 3 wires if it's an electric fence, if it's hot the horses won't be pushing on it like a normal fence so you can get by with a lot less support. For a barbed wire we will do the closer spacing but barbs and horses don't go together too well. We also use the two wire barb-less wire for our electric fences..... they call it barb-less barb wire around here. Like you said it varies by terrain what you can do.   [Reply]   [No Email]
Loren MN 09-16-2009 08:09:58 64.65.174.118 19213 Report to Moderator	Re: Horse Fencing Questions in reply to Greyhorse, 09-15-2009 19:42:35   One thing to keep in mind about barbless wire. If it's soft wire (bends easy like barbed wire,) it's easier for an animal to get tangled in it if they break thru. An advantage of using high tensile wire is that if it does break, it will coil itself back so the animal is less likely to get tangled.   [Reply]   [No Email]
Dwayne Berry 09-15-2009 11:43:55 63.96.150.226 19199 Report to Moderator	Re: Horse Fencing Questions in reply to hayray, 09-10-2009 18:50:12   IHMANKY said: (quoted from post at 22:50:12 09/10/09) Daughter is thinking she might like to try to ride, We use 3 strands of barb wire, stretch from tree to tree, a few cedar posts, a few t-posts. It takes very little to hold a horse. Make sure you get her a good broke horse. Ride it yourself or get a horse person to ride em for you. and not just a 5 min ride in the barn lot. Lot's of people tell you "this horse is so well broke a kid can ride it." That may be true in the barn lot or corral but, take it out of there and the first hay bale(insert your own scary object here) it sees it snorts, jumps sideways about 10 feet, spins and heads for the barn or hills. Horses are herd animals as you know. They hate being alone. Get at least 2 so they can have their herd. It's best for the horses.   [Reply]   [No Email]
glennster 09-11-2009 10:43:31 99.139.125.51 19158 Report to Moderator	Re: Horse Fencing Questions in reply to IHMANKY, 09-10-2009 18:50:12   ihman, have i got a deal for you!!!!!!!! 2 horses, free for the hauling, gelding, about 17, and an arabian mare about 25. neighbors got em , she cant afford to feed them, so they happen to escape on a daily basis and come and eat my field corn and most of my sweet corn. heres a couple pics. north central illinos, just a rifle shot and a tabacca spit up the road from ya. Untitled URL Link   [Reply]   [Send Email]
IHMANKY 09-12-2009 06:20:31 152.85.133.62 19164 Report to Moderator	Re: Horse Fencing Questions in reply to glennster, 09-11-2009 10:43:31   Glenn, sure appreciate it! Oddly enough, all the free horses a person wants to feed are available close, seems noone wants to feed them.. I don't know what I would have done with them, but I just heard that someone a few miles away gave away two TN Walkers.. GAVE them away.. Someone is in bad shape or something I guess... As for the hop skip and jump... when I was stationed at Great Lakes back in the 90's, it took me 6 hours to get to Chicago from here... I'm assuming you're a couple hours further!   [Reply]   [No Email]
old 09-11-2009 09:23:10 4.245.0.179 19157 Report to Moderator	Re: Horse Fencing Questions in reply to IHMANKY, 09-10-2009 18:50:12   A lot depends on the horse you have. I have area of my horses fenced in with just some baler twine between posts, one of those round to it things LOL. I also have other areas with just one strand or barb wire. Horses can be easy to fence and also if you have at least 2 it is better for them and you   [Reply]   [Send Email]
greyhorse 09-10-2009 19:31:40 72.171.0.142 19155 Report to Moderator	Re: Horse Fencing Questions in reply to IHMANKY, 09-10-2009 18:50:12   Electric fence should work. Two wires, one around two feet and one around four feet high. Posts can be spaced pretty far apart. The horse needs to be walked around the perimeter and shown the fence..... whack it with a stick as you lead him/her. Should be pretty dependable if nothing can fall on the fence and ground it, you just need to test it a couple times a week and you should be good.   [Reply]   [No Email]
IHMANKY 09-12-2009 06:18:09 152.85.133.62 19163 Report to Moderator	Re: Horse Fencing Questions in reply to greyhorse, 09-10-2009 19:31:40   Greyhorse, what's common for post spacing when using t-posts? I'm thinking I've seen some horse fence around 12-15 feet in between posts... I guess it all depends on how tight you can keep it.. We have our cattle 5-strand barb on 8 ft. posts with a wood post every dozen t-posts, more often if the terrain changes too much for t-posts to hold up..   [Reply]   [No Email]
IHMANKY 09-10-2009 20:20:12 74.236.250.244 19156 Report to Moderator	Re: Horse Fencing Questions in reply to greyhorse, 09-10-2009 19:31:40   Sounds good... mine is in the clear almost 100%, so that's a no brainer. Last time I whacked a horse with a stick, it kicked me.. but I'll try.... Ha.. yeah, I got it.. whack the fence to show the horse.. but someone will comment, give it time!   [Reply]   [No Email]