I am looking to install for a dry lot off my barn and medium size adjoining paddock. Any experience with the product? Pros/cons/cost vs 4 board? I’m in PA.
I would love to learn more about Ponderosa fencing too. I love the look of it and wondered if it is reasonably safe when used to fence runs attached to a barn.
It’s super sexy, isn’t it? I’ve also drooled over the website. What’s freight on that look like up to PA?
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I boarded at a barn that upgraded the fencing to Priefert Ponderosa for runs and it does look very nice but after several months there were a couple of dented/ bent sections from the rowdier horses. It wasn’t dangerous once damaged but alas no longer quite so attractive. No fence is horse proof but I would be interested to know how easy/ economical it is to replace a section of pipe rail. I do love the idea of no painting or power washing.
@YankeeLawyer that’s what I’d like to do as well. Barn is reasonably close to the house. I would be willing to pay a bit of a premium if it will hold up. It does look sexy and I’d be looking at it quite a bit.
I use the Priefert panels to separate two runs off the barn. It works great, but the horses have dented it in spots. I would be upset to have beautiful Ponderosa fencing damaged. I use 5’ no climb unprofessionally installed by me and my husband on the outer fence, and that has held up great.
Beginning with 13 or 16 gauge galvanized metal, Priefert tubing
http://www.priefertfence.com/ponderosa-fence
I am surprised the manufacturer even suggests 16 ga, maybe that is for an appearance only fence as 16 ga the tube wall is only 1/16th of inch thick whereas the 13 ga is 3/32th. We have always used 9 ga or better which is 5/32nds when using tube around horses
Yes I could easily see a 16 ga pipe get bent by a horse.
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That has been our experience with Priefert panels and gates, they don’t hold to real livestock like others do.
I don’t know about those rails, but I expect they too may be a little too light for the intended purpose.
Now, if horses hit a fence, you want it to have some give, just not bend too easily and have to keep maintaining the fence more than necessary with a stronger suitable product.
V-mesh wire, while nothing is 100% when it comes to injuries, may not look as pretty, so doesn’t fit every place as far as looks is concern, but for horse fence, it is hard to beat.
Horses don’t get out and/or injured if they hit it like they can with most any other.
It keeps other out and your animals in and takes the least maintenance.
That Priefert fence does look nice, if looks are important.
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I’m also considering this for the road frontage. (But I’ve alllllways wanted split rail, and we have a log home, so that’s probably what I’ll stick with.)
Think of it as the top rail of chain link fence, passing through holes in those wooden posts. It’s not welded, one end is reduced and slips inside the next piece. If one piece gets dented, you get to un-screw the connector from the end post and pull things apart until you can get the problematic bit out. Hopefully it still comes apart!
I can only imagine the shipping cost to the east coast though…
Would there not be an expansion joint in the line? Here in the summers steel pipe fencing will expand (as it can do elsewhere), if there is not a slip joint on long runs the fence will push posts out of alignment or if dead ended into a column will push the column
IF there is a slip joint then all one would need to do is take a receptacle and cut the tube out then re-insert the new tube
the receiver mounting is not fixed, it is a slip joint, so no undoing required
Using the same concept as the “swedge” tubing connection, the Ponderosa post connectors allow for expansion and contraction as well as versatility.
I had split rail for ten years and would not recommend it, especially along road frontage. I had a horse go running and slide in snow. He took out one upright post and two sections of fence. Luckily he did not hurt himself or end up out on the road, but my heart was in my throat watching the whole thing happen.
I also had issues with the horses actually realizing they could slip the rails out and basically free themselves when they felt like it. We ended up strategically placing screws on the rails so they could not be moved beyond a certain point.
We had issues with posts splitting from top to bottom, and had to keep an inventory of both posts and rails for frequent replacements.
Have you looked into doweled pole fencing? I think it would look perfect with a log home.
We have it along our road frontage and down the driveway. We went with the dome top posts and three 10’ rails. It is a STURDY fence and looks beautiful.
This is the company who manufactured ours and we did our own installation but there are lots of other companies manufacturing it as well.
https://www.parmapostandpole.com/
I wouldn’t pick it for primary horse containment either. Horses are behind 5’ non-climb with a top board. I’m known for building horse fortresses. 
By road frontage I mean a 4-rail mostly decorative fence along the road as a secondary barrier.
The Priefert fence the OP mentioned is another option for the front, but it looks like they only offer a 3-rail fence unless I’m missing it. I’ve never regretted having the extra foot of height.
The doweled fence does look nice thanks for the link @Garythesquirrel .
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Turns out I have a local dealer/installer. I’m going to get a quote and will report back.
I imagine pipe fences are a lot more prone to rusting in the humid east coast states. Probably why they aren’t as popular as they are in the west/southwest.
We used black steel posts from a chain link manufacturer and black top rail for our front of property fences (900 feet along our property line is just posts and a top smooth wire, while a pasture has the rail). We then used no climb as the actual fence material. It looks amazing, easy to install, and is holding up to PNW rain and horses. It’s safe, tall enough that they won’t lean over it, and keeps our dogs/predators. Lots of folks asked where we got it.
Great idea Calvincrowe. That may be the best of both worlds.
I’ve seen a few installations around here. Reminds of the post and dowel fencing popular when we lived in Colorado. Loved the look of it but noticed after a few years the horizontal poles began to sag. Don’t know if it was from a lot of moisture from snow sitting on it. Perhaps turning the poles 180 degrees once a year or so would stop that. Surprised that the gauge of the pipe on the Priefert is so thin. It is good looking, though, says she who sell another type of fencing.
