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Discussion: which type of electrical fencing is best
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Rustypenny |
which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 9 2011, 7:02 PM EST
Hi everyone,First off, I just want to say how thrilled I am. Our paddock area is a total quagmire. YUK! I was totally stressing about it and couldn't sleep. I found this site at 2:30 in the morning. It seems this may be the solution we have been looking for. I have a pony and one horse. We have about 5 acres, with the majority being wooded. The small acreage plans have been really helpful. I am relatively new to the horse world, 3 years. Some of my questions may seem odd to those of you who have had horses your whole life. Just bear with me. ;) I have walked my property and have laid out a track system. It is hard trying to keep it simple. There are so many options. Anyway, I am going out to purchase the fencing next week. My husband has always used split rail, and wooden post with welded wire. Being that this is my project, I have decided to use an electric fencing system. Waaay more economical than split rail. I have never used any type of electric fence, nor have I installed any. My friend says it's really easy, hopefully she is right. :) Anyway, my question is what type of fencing, rope or ribbon? Is there a brand that you guys have found is more durable than another? I want it to be cost effective, but not cheap. Which type of posts? Step ins look super easy. Are there some that are more durable than others? We are probably going with a solar powered system. I saw one at a supply store for $189. We only have 5 acres, so it's not like I need a really powerful system. Is the solar powered system worth the investment? Is there one that you guys would recommend? Sorry for all of the questions. I want to do it right the first time around. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Susan. Do you find this valuable?
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Paintedspheres |
1. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 10 2011, 8:06 PM EST
Hi Susan and Welcome, I remember when I first found this method of horse keeping from this site and like you was sooo excited! I also live on 5 mostly wooded acres. I have pictures in here under the Virginia by state section and in my blog (paddockparadiseva.blogspot.com), I also use a solar charger and love it, no problems as of yet after 3 years. My original pasture and paddock is surrounded by electric tape threw Horse Fence Direct. I highly recommend it for strong durable fencing. I built my track threw the woods a year ago and used electric rope and some thin electric tape from Lowes. It is not as good quality but has served its purpose to date. I attached most of it to trees and some on thin wood posts. My pasture fence is attached to T-Posts that have sleeves over top making it look like board and post fencing. it was more expensive but looks great and is strong like I said. I think the rope or tape fencing you find at your local farm store would be fine. The plastic yellow type of wire is very strong. There are lots of greats pictures of different paddocks in the picture section and some wonderful YouTube videos. 3 out of 3 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Rustypenny |
2. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 10 2011, 9:46 PM EST
Thanks so much. I'll have to check your blog out. I will also check out Horse Fence Direct. We are trying to keep this as low cost as possible. The T-post that have sleeves sound interesting as well. I am going to look at your pictures tonight, maybe I will get some ideas. Thanks so much for your input. I may try and contact you with some questions later on. . Do you find this valuable? |
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Paintedspheres |
3. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 11 2011, 5:18 AM EST
"Thanks so much. I'll have to check your blog out. I will also check out Horse Fence Direct. We are trying to keep this as low cost as possible. The T-post that have sleeves sound interesting as well. I am going to look at your pictures tonight, maybe I will get some ideas.I realized after i reread my post that I said the fence company wrong. It is Horse guard Fence at http://www.horseguardfence.com/index.php That is just what we used at first for the main fence. My track was done with a much cheaper fencing but if I ever get the money I would redo it in Horse Guard Fencing, Barbara Do you find this valuable? |
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Paintedspheres |
4. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 11 2011, 5:23 AM EST
I realized the fence name I gave you is wrong. I used Horse Guard fencing at: http://www.horseguardfence.com/index.phpthat is what is on our main perimeter of the pasture and main paddock fence. The track was done in a cheaper type. If I ever get the money I wouldn't mine redoing it in Horse guard though. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
tangledmanes |
5. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 11 2011, 11:44 PM EST
I've been completely satisfied with Premiere-1's Intellirope. I use the Parmak solar charger from Valley Vet Supply.But if your husband likes split rail, it would sure look pretty as the outer perimeter fence. ;-) Do you find this valuable? |
DutchHollow |
6. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 12 2011, 11:49 AM EST
My favorite site for fencing is www.kencove.com NIce looking Perm fence is the horserail and the use 2" tape or rope for your track fence. At least that's what I'm doing with mine! Right now I just have 2" tape on top and 3 strands of hot rope under it. As long as you keep up on the tension it still looks good. I hate the look of droopy electric tape/rope.
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Takelababy |
7. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 12 2011, 12:02 PM EST
A word of caution. Should ribbon or the rope come down it is very easy for a horse to become entangled as it seems to stick and can cause serious leg injury. These are also susceptible to UV rays and wind which shreds it, so will need replacing within 5 years. The heavy wire is your best bet. You can attach it to trees using insulators but rather than nail the insulators tie them on with good galvanized wire which can be loosened as the tree grows. From years of learning the hard way, I now stick with wire. Because we have moose that walk thro fencing I now make joins every few hundred yards. That way a small section of the fence goes down and it is fairly easy to put back up. A moose took out so much fence we couldn't even find it. We finally did locate it a week later, all wrapped around huge bushes and a few trees. In this case I didn't try to salvage the wire, just replaced it. It took two of us an hour cutting and winding it up just to get it out of the pasture.
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ubergigglefritz |
8. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 13 2011, 7:22 PM EST
I just use basic electric rope, and fiberglass step-in posts. I haven't had any problems so far. Even had a medium-sized tree fall onto it. I just moved the tree, and the rope went back to how it was before. I may have readjusted one of the step-in posts, but that's it. You can see pictures and videos of my place at the "Blogs and Websites" link, then "Michelle's Paddock Paradise Journey". On the 8/27 entry, you can find a link to my facebook album to see more pictures.
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tangledmanes |
9. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 13 2011, 9:36 PM EST
Whilst we aren't able to link to external sites in the discussion threads, at least we CAN link to other pages on our wiki. :-D So here's another route to Michelle''s ubergigglefritz page: http://paddockparadise.wetpaint.com/page/Michelle%27s+Paddock+Paradise+Journey...1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Rustypenny |
10. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 13 2011, 9:53 PM EST
I want to thank you guys for the advice. This has got to be one of the most user friendly sites out there. I have already recommended it to a friend. She has small acreage as well.I have a lot to think about before I go out and start buying stuff. After looking at Paintedsphere's blog, I realized that I have a lot of prep work to do as well. Clearing shrubs and cutting down trees. I seemed to have over looked that part of the task.;) I was ready to go out and start slapping up fencing. Forgot about the cherry trees etc.. My whole family was out in the woods this weekend. We have accomplished a lot, so I think that this may come together fairly easy. Hopefully I haven't spoken too soon. My goal is to have it completed in a month and a half. We'll see.... I will post some pictures as soon as I get some time. I'm focused on getting this done so my horses can start enjoying it. Do you find this valuable? |
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ubergigglefritz |
11. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 14 2011, 9:20 AM EST
Thanks JoAnn! Susan, I only have a 4-acre property, with maybe just 2+ acres of pasture. I have one horse who is a very easy keeper. I love the track in that I can keep her off the pasture (both for her own weight management and the maintenance of the pasture), without having to keep her cramped in a small dry lot. I LOVE this system, but many people are closed off to the idea, because it's "different". Good luck making your track, I had a ton of fun with it!Oh, and I forgot. I also got metal t-posts that I put in at each corner / change in direction in the track, which adds a lot of stability and strength to the inner track fencing. Do you find this valuable? |
sheira66 |
12. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 14 2011, 11:56 AM EST
Hi there...I am also fairly new to the horse world...put my paddock up in July and by mid - October we owned 3 horses! We use the horseguard electric tape system and it's amazing in my opinion...easy to work with, reasonably priced and the horses really respect it (the goat not so much...but that's another story.) Here is the Canadian link, but you can get to international sites from there as well... http://www.horseguard-canada.ca/ Cheers Do you find this valuable? |
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Takelababy |
13. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 14 2011, 1:43 PM EST
Electric rope or ribbon are recommended for dividing pastures, not as the main containment fence.
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ubergigglefritz |
14. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 14 2011, 2:19 PM EST
"Electric rope or ribbon are recommended for dividing pastures, not as the main containment fence. "How come? It seems to me that there are pros and cons to every type of containment system. All you can do is weigh the pros and the cons, along with cost and what you can afford, and simply do the best you can. I bought my property with electrobraid fencing as the main fencing along the front edge. All of the rest of the edges have field fencing (though because of the tracking, she only has access to one edge of field fencing). Neither is ideal, but I can't afford to replace all of the fencing, and even if I were, whatever I'd replace it with, still wouldn't be ideal. Sometimes all you can afford is electric rope or tape fencing. Lots of people use it as the main fencing. Accidents can happen with all types of fencing, horses are that way. The only type of fencing I would be very nervous about using is wire, without anything else to increase visibility, but my horse has even been kept in that type of fencing, and has not had issues. I actually kind of like the electric rope for my fencing. I am alone, no "man" to help with heavy lifting and fixing and stuff. When I had a tree come down on my fence, I just had to move the tree, and I was set. Nothing broken to fix or replace. Much easier for me to handle on my own... Here is a quote from the electrobraid website: "Their break strength is equal to the steel wire but they are resilient like the ropes in a boxing ring. ElectroBraid™ can absorb the energy of a panicked horse at full gallop and will typically bounce the horse back into its pasture with no harm to horse or fence." (http://www.electrobraid.com/product.html) Do you find this valuable? |
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Rustypenny |
15. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 15 2011, 10:44 AM EST
I appreciate all the feedback. I have decided to go with the rope fencing. I have done some research and it seems to be the most cost effective, as well as aesthetically pleasing, in my opinion. =) While I would love to have my entire five acres fenced in split rail, it is out of the question. I quit working after my second child was born. I have to complete this project without spending a ton. Cost effective, not cheap, will be my motto. We have split rail around our front yard and down our driveway, but that is it for now. Anyway, I like what I have heard and read about the rope fence. Thanks to everyone. Every person that replied gave me some things to consider. I do appreciate it. Do you find this valuable? |
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Rustypenny |
16. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 15 2011, 10:48 AM EST
| Post edited: Feb 15 2011, 3:09 PM EST
Sheria66: Nice to know I'm not the only newbee on here. ;) I will say that after reading your profile, you are a bit more experienced than I am. I'm determined to learn evrything I need in order to make my horses happy.
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ubergigglefritz |
17. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 15 2011, 12:08 PM EST
"I have decided to go with the rope fencing. I have done some research and it seems to be the most cost effective, as well as aesthetically pleasing, in my opinion. =)"Check out the videos and facebook pictures on my page. I have got so much rope on my property, it's ridiculous, ha ha. I love it though, and very cost effective. In addition, like other electric options, it's easy to change the track up as you change your mind about things and learn what works and what doesn't. Do you find this valuable? |
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Takelababy |
18. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 15 2011, 2:50 PM EST
Wire is the safest because it's smooth. When a new area is fenced orange survey tape is tied about every 50'. The horse senses the charge in the wire and the streamers let them know exactly where it is. It's only needed the first day. A horse will map it out in his head. The best way to handle a spool of heavy wire is to load it into a wheel barrow with a broom handle going thro it. Attach at one corner then walk backwards putting up an insulator and the wire as you get to each post. The wire may not be very visible to you but the horses sure know where it is.
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DutchHollow |
19. RE: which type of electrical fencing is best
Feb 15 2011, 3:11 PM EST
Wire is cheap and easy but dangerous in my mind. It is so thin that if they do run into it it can cut them. Especially if they get a leg caught... bye bye tendons and hello artery. I like Tape for the top and rope on bottom because it can be easily seen. 2 years agot I had one section left with 12 gage wire the horses got to zooming around the pasture one night and totally ran straight through the fence. Thankfully no one was hurt (just a few small cuts). I was even more thankful that they only broke into another fenced in pasture and didn't get out. Do you find this valuable? |
