Contents Overview
What Fence should not be used at all for Horses!
Barbed wire or razor blade wire is not recommended for Horse fencing at all. With it’s name we know very well, it is good for another fencing area, but not for pastures.
serif;”>Chain link fences are good for keeping out unnecessary predators but chain-link fences with sharp top wire should be taken care of properly. Plus chain link fencing is very expensive to maintain for large acre areas.
Name of Injuring Horses May Encounter Due to Unsafe Fencing
| Causes of Injuring | Name of Injuries | Solution |
| Sharp Edge like staples, sharp top wire etc | Unnceccery Cuts | Look for this sharp edge and make it even or vanish them. |
| Barbed Wire | Again Cuts and Entangling | Avoid this fencing |
| Woven Wire Fence | Less Safe | should be put on lower movement areas or less dense areas. |
| Wire fences | May trap or entangle horses | polywire/poly rope fences should be used for perimeter fencing or controlled grazing and temporary fencing not as permanent fences. |
Safe Horse Fencing Attributes
According to Kevin H. Kline, PhD, Professor of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois ” Safe fencing for Horses“
Height
Fence hight should be at least 5 feet tall for light breed horses and for taller breeds it has to be 6 feet or the horses that has intention to jump.
Visibility offense
serif;”>Horses may accidentally run in to fences that is not visible. For wire fences, it is better to have a top sight rail at the top of it to create better visibility.
Strength of the fence
The location where they being fed or watered, these are high movement areas. In addition to that, near gates where horses frequently move. These parts of the fence should be highly visible and strong. Naturally, regardless of strength, if horse run at full speed, that fence may either wind up or horses may get badly hurt. But knowing high movement areas, these parts of the fences should be taken care of in particular.
The fence should be smooth and non-sharp
No other part of the fence should have a sharp edge, uneven joints or fasteners as they always move along with the fence.
Should not be entangling
If anything entangles horse’s leg or head, they panic. It is better there should be anything that may entangle them. Horses are naturally claustrophobic and they strangle very when they get trapped with line or tarp which may lead to serious injury.
Fencing distances should kept in mind
Stallion paddocks should be double fenced to avoid unnecessary fighting between horses. Specially, when it is adjacent mare, it is better to be double fenced. For each horse there should be enough space of 600 square feet, and paddocks should be less than one acre.
Types of Recommended Horse Fences
Wooden Fences is the Best Fencing for Horses
These are great! In one word. But could be very difficult and time-consuming. May last long but requires maintenance, painting and is super expensive at the same time.
Pros
- Is highly visible for horses.
- Wooden fences stop the tendency to run into fences.
- It reduces the number of injury-related fences.
Cons
- Is expensive to maintain in the long run.
- Installation is easy but requires manpower and high buget to set up. It is not DIY.
Wire Fences
It can be normal fencing system for horses. It easy to set up and super easy to maintain. Simply you put few layers of wires to create a barrier for your horse according to the height your horse may jump. In our review cons outweigh the pros.
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Affordable and great as cheap fencing
Cons
- Lower visibility creates vulnerability for injury of your horse.
- Less effective for the long run.
- Without electric fencing, you can not lower the chances of your horse to go near the fence.
Metal pipe Fence
It is a great option for long-term fencing and a great option for easy installation. Considering weather condition, during winter, it may create different problems as Horses may lick the pipe and their tung may get stuck causing another injury. This metal pipe fencing may seem a great option but not recommended if the winter is bitter in your territory.
Pros
- It can be bought ready made.
- You may no need anybody to set up this fence.
Cons
- Lower flexibility create haphazard and can create an issue to injure your horse.
- May corrode over time. If one part of the fence is corroding, you may need to change the whole panel to avoid further damage.
- Not easy to expand or extend.
Welded Wire Fencing
This kind of mesh fencing can be a great option to create great visibility barrier for horses and can be flexible if horses run into the fence.
Pros
- Can be less expensive and easy to install.
- Can be reused years after years.
- Galvanized mesh fences has higher durability and corrode less.
Cons
- Can corrode if the winter is bitter.
Electric Fencing with Polytape, Polywire and Polyrope
This fencing method is considered as temporary fencing but can be a great fencing technique if you want your horses protected for some time.
Polytape is like ribbon like fencing option made from woven strands of non-conductive polyethylene.
PolyWire and Poly rope – a combination of metal and plastic filaments, consists of small wire strands that service as conductors.
Pros
- Can easily be set up.
- Gates are easy to create with electric handles.
- Mild shocks deter horses to stay away from fence.
- Highly options are available in the market to make it more effective.
- With reel winder you can set up miles of area covered and protected.
- Ideal for perimeter fencing or temporary fencing.
- Can be used for livestock and other smaller domestic animals like sheep and goats.
- Cheaper than pipe or wooden fencing.
- Can be replaces by no time and highly flexible.
- Colourful strands and tapes can be highly visible, weather-resistant and can be use for years.
Cons
- Several options may seem confusing and price varies a lot according to each brand.
- You will need reel winder while setting up large perimeter which doesn’t come along with strands. It needs to be purchased separately.
To Conclude
Now it is time to decide what fence would be best for safe horse fencing. A wooden fence, vinyl fence or electric fence can be your best choice in terms of a safe fence. On other hand, woven wire or chain link fence can be great only for less grazing areas and look stylish as well. For barbed wire it is a big no!