Fencing For Safety
By Joanne M. Friedman
Not all fencing is created equal. It is to their credit that horses tend to stay put no matter how badly their fields are fenced.
It is to our discredit that horse farm owners will often opt for the least expensive rather than the safest fencing. The wise manager will understand that poor fencing is often the cause of serious injuries to horses and humans, and that serious legal liability issues arise when horses are allowed to wander.
I have often said that no matter how solid your fences appear, if you turn a yearling colt out within them, he will find the weak spot and show it to you with great enthusiasm. It’s better to avoid the ensuing problems by following the recommendations of safety-minded horsemen.
The best possible option for perimeter fencing—the fence that separates your fields from the rest of the world—has to be four-board, either oak, treated pine, or solid vinyl, nailed, lined with box wire (welded rather than woven wire mesh), and with an electric strand at the top and in the middle. Not only will the horses be unlikely to find a way through the fence, but they won’t approach it if the wire is hot. In addition, the box wire will keep vermin and small-to-medium predators (coyotes, foxes, and feral dogs, for instance) out of the pasture. Heavy-gauge hot wire at the top will deter bears and the even more dangerous humans from climbing the fence. Of course a system like this screams “overkill” and will break the bank of all but the wealthiest farm owner. There are alternatives, which I will discuss in descending order of value and safety.
A solid wood or vinyl perimeter fence is preferable to one that relies on the horses’ sensitivity and careful owner maintenance. The cost of wood fencing varies regionally, but here in the Mid-Atlantic area, it is a reasonable option. By comparison, solid vinyl is roughly three times the price, and vinyl manufactured with electric wire wrapped around it is higher yet..
Most popular in my area are three-board “slip-board” fencing (the boards are not nailed to the post, but slide into slots cut for that purpose) and four-board nailed wood. I have both. I opted for slip-board for most of the pastures for ease of repair (board break for many reasons and need to be replaced when they do) and to curb costs. Fencing is priced by the linear board-foot plus posts and labor (when applicable). Three boards cost less than four, and no nailing cuts down on the time to completion of the job. The posts are available pre-slotted. Slip-board does allow horses to slide the boards out, however, so assess your herd before making this choice.
Wood and vinyl, regardless of configuration, are best in 10-foot sections. Though longer boards are available, the more space between posts, the more stress there is on the center of the board and the more likely it is to bend, warp or break. Certainly 8-foot sections are a better option, but cost-effectiveness is a player here, too. The difference in tensile strength between 8-foot and 10-foot board sections is not as great as the cost of additional materials might warrant.
A good alternative is the flat plastic strap (RAMM, Centaur) that is four to six inches in width and has a wire running through the top and bottom edge as reinforcement. The visual effect from a distance resembles vinyl board fencing, so it is attractive. It gives under pressure without breaking and is safe for horses to bump into. It is also strong enough to ward off impact from outside the fence. The cost is competitive with wood fencing, but installation requires some know-how or the ability to follow unfamiliar directions. You can’t just wing it with this material.
Wood is the traditional fencing medium, but many other options have arisen over the years for use with or without wood fencing. I have samples of mesh tape with wire embedded and of a braided material (ElectroBraid Fencing Systems) with the wire braided into it. The wider tape is much easier for horses to see, so they are least likely to become entangled in it at night. The braided material is soft to the touch and also highly visible, though not as clearly so at night as the flat, white mesh. Plain wire is nearly invisible, so it is necessary to mark it with tags or strips of plastic surveyor’s tape at intervals so the horses will be aware that it is there. Entanglement in wire is one of a horse’s biggest bugaboos. Limbs can be damaged, throats cut, and severe lacerations in body and spirit can result from a major conflict between a horse and wire fencing. I know of a mare who has just recovered after months of rehab as the result of a kicking episode that entangled her hind leg in wire attached to a wood fence. Her extensor tendon was nearly severed.
Both of the safety wires and the plain wire they were developed to upgrade are meant to be used with an electric fence charger, so keep in mind the price and maintenance of that part of the system. There are battery-operated and solar chargers available, but the most effective chargers have to be plugged into an electrical system. Weeds growing to touch the wire, loss of grounding because of changes in weather, boarders who can’t remember to hook the gate wire, and a break in the circuit will all effectively turn off the system. All of the wire types are suitable for fencing off sections of pasture or paddocks within the perimeter fence.
At the bottom of the list is an item that should probably be banned from use with horses. There is no good time or place to use barbed wire. Non-electric, high-tensile four- or five-strand wire is a better alternative.
It is to our discredit that horse farm owners will often opt for the least expensive rather than the safest fencing. The wise manager will understand that poor fencing is often the cause of serious injuries to horses and humans, and that serious legal liability issues arise when horses are allowed to wander.
I have often said that no matter how solid your fences appear, if you turn a yearling colt out within them, he will find the weak spot and show it to you with great enthusiasm. It’s better to avoid the ensuing problems by following the recommendations of safety-minded horsemen.
The best possible option for perimeter fencing—the fence that separates your fields from the rest of the world—has to be four-board, either oak, treated pine, or solid vinyl, nailed, lined with box wire (welded rather than woven wire mesh), and with an electric strand at the top and in the middle. Not only will the horses be unlikely to find a way through the fence, but they won’t approach it if the wire is hot. In addition, the box wire will keep vermin and small-to-medium predators (coyotes, foxes, and feral dogs, for instance) out of the pasture. Heavy-gauge hot wire at the top will deter bears and the even more dangerous humans from climbing the fence. Of course a system like this screams “overkill” and will break the bank of all but the wealthiest farm owner. There are alternatives, which I will discuss in descending order of value and safety.
A solid wood or vinyl perimeter fence is preferable to one that relies on the horses’ sensitivity and careful owner maintenance. The cost of wood fencing varies regionally, but here in the Mid-Atlantic area, it is a reasonable option. By comparison, solid vinyl is roughly three times the price, and vinyl manufactured with electric wire wrapped around it is higher yet..
Most popular in my area are three-board “slip-board” fencing (the boards are not nailed to the post, but slide into slots cut for that purpose) and four-board nailed wood. I have both. I opted for slip-board for most of the pastures for ease of repair (board break for many reasons and need to be replaced when they do) and to curb costs. Fencing is priced by the linear board-foot plus posts and labor (when applicable). Three boards cost less than four, and no nailing cuts down on the time to completion of the job. The posts are available pre-slotted. Slip-board does allow horses to slide the boards out, however, so assess your herd before making this choice.
Wood and vinyl, regardless of configuration, are best in 10-foot sections. Though longer boards are available, the more space between posts, the more stress there is on the center of the board and the more likely it is to bend, warp or break. Certainly 8-foot sections are a better option, but cost-effectiveness is a player here, too. The difference in tensile strength between 8-foot and 10-foot board sections is not as great as the cost of additional materials might warrant.
A good alternative is the flat plastic strap (RAMM, Centaur) that is four to six inches in width and has a wire running through the top and bottom edge as reinforcement. The visual effect from a distance resembles vinyl board fencing, so it is attractive. It gives under pressure without breaking and is safe for horses to bump into. It is also strong enough to ward off impact from outside the fence. The cost is competitive with wood fencing, but installation requires some know-how or the ability to follow unfamiliar directions. You can’t just wing it with this material.
Wood is the traditional fencing medium, but many other options have arisen over the years for use with or without wood fencing. I have samples of mesh tape with wire embedded and of a braided material (ElectroBraid Fencing Systems) with the wire braided into it. The wider tape is much easier for horses to see, so they are least likely to become entangled in it at night. The braided material is soft to the touch and also highly visible, though not as clearly so at night as the flat, white mesh. Plain wire is nearly invisible, so it is necessary to mark it with tags or strips of plastic surveyor’s tape at intervals so the horses will be aware that it is there. Entanglement in wire is one of a horse’s biggest bugaboos. Limbs can be damaged, throats cut, and severe lacerations in body and spirit can result from a major conflict between a horse and wire fencing. I know of a mare who has just recovered after months of rehab as the result of a kicking episode that entangled her hind leg in wire attached to a wood fence. Her extensor tendon was nearly severed.
Both of the safety wires and the plain wire they were developed to upgrade are meant to be used with an electric fence charger, so keep in mind the price and maintenance of that part of the system. There are battery-operated and solar chargers available, but the most effective chargers have to be plugged into an electrical system. Weeds growing to touch the wire, loss of grounding because of changes in weather, boarders who can’t remember to hook the gate wire, and a break in the circuit will all effectively turn off the system. All of the wire types are suitable for fencing off sections of pasture or paddocks within the perimeter fence.
At the bottom of the list is an item that should probably be banned from use with horses. There is no good time or place to use barbed wire. Non-electric, high-tensile four- or five-strand wire is a better alternative.
