Horse Fence Questions

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Bought a property, and need to put a horse fence around a section of it. Posts and top rail will be 2 7/8" stem pipe. Can I get away with 10' centers or should I stick with 8'?For paneling, I'm trying to figure out what is the most economical and secure. Need to favor security over the economics I reckon but just trying not to go overkill. Horses are rodeo style horses. Wife runs barrels and team ropes. They're not "jumpers" but I suppose with the right height fence, any horse may try. Is 4' high enough or should I go 5'. The options I've been considering is barbless wire, steel braided line, no climb and horse panel. Feel free to chime in with other options. Pricing I'm finding on materials is below. Barbless wire 8 lines is $.51 a footBraided steel line; 5 lines $1.65 a foot. 4' no climb is $1.21 a foot 5' no climb is $2.60 a foot. 4' Horse Panel is $4.22 a foot. 5' Horse Panel is $5.48 a foot.Horse panel seems much more expensive but if that's miles ahead better, then I'll consider it.As far as driving posts, I've budgeted to rent a skidsteer with a post driver attachment. Plan on going 4' deep on posts. Has anyone used the gas powered post drivers? For the price of a rental a couple of times, I can buy a gas powered driver, but I'm concerned it won't be a tool to drive a couple hundred posts. Any other things to consider when building a horse fence would be greatly appreciated.
Reply:This would be a good time to look up Wrought Iron Harve.  Not sure he still hangs out at SFT but he wrote a couple articles on fencing , how to, how much etc.  10 is plenty close enough for pipe that large but if you can find his tutorial its one of the best ever written about how too for fence.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:Our horse fencing is a mix of wood rail (54” height” and Horseguard electric. The Horseguard is excellent and has lasted over 20 years so far on our farm.  It costs more than other electric fences and it’s worth it. Horseguard fence uses stainless steel wire that lasts almost forever, and their woven poly has UV inhibitors in it. Ours is in better shape at 20 years than the other, aluminum filament competitors were at 5 years.My wife is a veterinarian and over that past 20 years we’ve had in excess of 100 horses thru the farm, many for treatment before being adopted out. No issues with the fence.Www.Horseguard.usLast edited by scsmith42; 12 Hours Ago at 03:08 PM.Miller Trailblazer Pro 350DMiller Suitcase MIGMiller Spectrum 2050Miller Syncrowave 250DXLincoln 210MP
Reply:I would see what check on what they have where rodeos take place. Here's a you tube video that may help. As for renting, hire an operator with a machine. Neighboring horse farm hired the fence to be installed. They had skid steer with auger attachment because of wood posts. These guys were so fast it was amazing ! Depending on your location, get prices for materials. Steel prices are crazy right now. As for centers, see what works out for least amount of waste. Some suppliers may sell precut 8' or 10' pieces. Precut will save you time and pieces are ready instead of you making the cuts. You may find it won't cost much more to have it done.
Reply:alot depends on what they do/dont got in there corral, and if theres someting better on the other side they want, and how bad .     ex: our border.so if things are greenner and they got there mate(s) in the corral, it dont take as much of to keep them inLast edited by 123weld; 9 Hours Ago at 06:13 PM.
Reply:To be honest, and taking into account I'm a cattle guy, not a horse guy.................I've never seen a horse get out.  They'll starve to death before they break down a fence to get to good grass.  A cow will go right through a fence, without a thought, if it's hungry.52-56" inch high fence ought to be adequate.  Do it as cheap as you can.  I think barbed wire is about the cheapest, but it's been a while since I've priced wire.  Barbed wire hurts cows, and people, more than it ever hurt horses, from what I've seen.  Most it does is trap some hair from the mane.Now, if you plan to get some goats.............just give it up now.......you'll never keep them in


  Easier to shoot them, than keep them home.  Donkeys.........just shoot them as soon as you get them.......they'll kill your calves, and leave huge mounds of crap in one spot.  Only good donkey is a dead donkey.  (I'm kidding of course)A guy we know, Hank............... when asked how long a donkey lives(K'kins)..............  "You ever see a dead Donkey??" Hank.  Sorta says it all, doesn't it LOL.K'kins was horse sitting.  YES, I SAID HORSE SITTING!!!!!  At $20/hr as long as the owners were away on vacation(days!!), you can horse sit.She was watching The World Series on their television, and we were on the phone comparing notes, and rooting for our team........................  Got off the phone to eat something.............She calls me back.She looked out the window, and one of the horses was laying down.................................I mean LAYING DOWN.  Was almost dark, so she took a flashlight, and went out to see.  The stinkin' thing died.  JUST UP AND DIED..............ON HER WATCH. She calls the guy's brother, and he brings a tractor over, and hauls the thing out of the pasture.  They dug a hole the next day with the backhoe.To this day, the guy who owned the horse, asks K'kins if she's killed any horses lately.  He's a pretty cool dood.  Loaned us his tractor last week so we could feed.  She's worked for him, and another partner, for over 25yrs.  As bosses go, these guys are very cool.  And K'kins is a person who does her job very well, and puts up with absolutely no crap.  Only in the oil patch


Reply:Here on NJ, we have a lot of 4 or 5 wire high tension fencing for horses. Add an electric line if they are pushy on the fence. Cattle fencing is rarely used.Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
Reply:Horse people are funny people.  They tend to dress "full Cowboy"..........including stupid looking droopy mustaches.Cow people look mostly like me.  Old crappy clothes....dirty most of the time.....and generally a dispirited attitude(unless you're a cow person with an oil well, or just fiddling around with cows as a tax shelter)...then you look almost like a horsey person

Moo!!
Reply:

Originally Posted by Country Metals

Here on NJ, we have a lot of 4 or 5 wire high tension fencing for horses. Add an electric line if they are pushy on the fence. Cattle fencing is rarely used.Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
Reply:K'kins is at her Mother's watching, or soon to watch, Monday night football.....................so y'all gotta put up with my crap for the entirety of the evening.  I get sorta lost when she's not around.
Reply:I agree 👍. It is low cost and quite to install. Dave

Originally Posted by scsmith42

Our horse fencing is a mix of wood rail (54” height” and Horseguard electric. The Horseguard is excellent and has lasted over 20 years so far on our farm.  It costs more than other electric fences and it’s worth it. Horseguard fence uses stainless steel wire that lasts almost forever, and their woven poly has UV inhibitors in it. Ours is in better shape at 20 years than the other, aluminum filament competitors were at 5 years.My wife is a veterinarian and over that past 20 years we’ve had in excess of 100 horses thru the farm, many for treatment before being adopted out. No issues with the fence.Www.Horseguard.us
Reply:

Originally Posted by farmersammm

Whadya got up there????  Mafia horses????  I cant' believe the cows don't need a good fence.  Ever see a cow, or bull, strip a tree of its leaves when it's hungry?  They'll reach up as high as they can, and pull the branch down so they can eat the leaves.  They're EATIN' MACHINES.