Fence boards on wrong side of posts

[Bending_Line]

So I bought a new farm, and the existing four board fencing has the fence boards on the wrong side of the posts (so that a horse pushing against the boards does not meet the resistance of the post–just a vertical facer board).

What us the most efficient way to remedy this?

–Have someone remove the existing boards, and try to put the same boards on the “correct” side of the posts?

–Leave the current boards on the “wrong” side, and add duplicative boards on the correct side, so that each post would have boards on both sides?

–Add a new row of fence (so that the paddocks are double fenced), with my new boards on the correct side of my new posts? (and leave the faulty current fence as-is, to be augmented by second row)

I can’t leave it as-is with a single row of fence–already today, boards + facer board popped off much easier than they should when there was a minor horse collision

[clanter]

does the current fence have a vertical face board covering the rails to the post? if so just lag bolt it to the post

[Alterwho]

Run a strand or two of electric?

[lenapesadie]

Better for boards to pop off than split and gouge the horse. YMMV

[luvmyhackney]

Run a line of electric on the inside. They won’t touch the fence.

[CHT]

Our neighbours have their fence that way because it is pretty, and then they run electric along the inside (two strands).

[LCDR]

Are the boards oak or pine? Are they painted or weathered and bare? 2-screwed, 3-screwed or nailed? If screwed can you see most of the screw heads or are most overdriven and countersunk and invisible with holes filled with paint?

My thought is to move all the boards to the inside, but it all depends on how accessible and easy to remove the fasteners are.

[lorilu]

You won’t successfully move the boards. Many will crack or break as you try to remove them. Even if screws were used, some screws will strip.
Running new boards inside makes a “slot” that is an accident waiting to happen.
The best, easiest, and least expensive answer is to run a hot line.

[LCDR]

It should have gone without saying that not all boards will be usable. Some you can saw shorter to use in suitable spaces, but you will need a supply of new replacement boards on hand as well.

Some screws will need cutting with a reciprocating saw and grinding flush with the post. I’m assuming a good fence person will have those.

[walktrot]

Boards should be on the outside of the posts so they will pop off if a horse runs into them. Generally they are being chased by another horse. They will either run into the fence or jump it depending how high it is. Run an electic wire/tape around the inside. Horses usually learn to stay away from electrified fences or tape fences if they have had any contact with a live wire/tape.

[DiamondJubilee]

As others have mentioned, there are 2 schools for thought on fencing. My husband likes the look of boards on the outside, so we did alllllll of our fencing this way (acres of it - 3 board oak and painted). But we do run 3 strands of electric on the inside. Having the boards on the outside leaves it smooth on the inside and makes in much easier to add the electric. Works perfectly for us and our 5 ponies. No one touches the fence!

[Foxglove]

Regardless of what type of fencing one has, I suggest running electric inside the fence. I THOUGHT a stone wall was the best horse fence --no chance of catching a hoof or leg, easy for horse to see --but then a hunt member had a horse kick the stone fence he had between his house and field and break a leg.

I have high tinsel --and inside the high tinsel which is electrified top and third strand, I have another electric strand 18" inside --overkill? Nope --keeps the horses from chewing the wooden fence posts. AND just to be on the safe side, with permission, I strung a second wire inside the neighbor’s side of the fence to keep HIS horses off “my” fence --so there are 3’ between our horses. Neighbor is Amish and doesn’t have electricity to his fences so I run that strand off my charger.

[trubandloki]

I can see the positive of having the fence boards on the outside, like others have suggested.

OP, in your case I would do as others have suggested, just add a strand or two of electric on the inside. You are going to want that anyway because the saying about the grass being greener on the other side totally applies to horses and they will be sticking their heads thru the fence boards.

@Foxglove

I have high tinsel --and inside the high tinsel which is electrified top and third strand,

I am trying to picture how decorate metal strands made to look like icicles works as fencing.
Sorry, could not resist, that is such a fun typing error.

[fourfillies]

Definitely run hot wire on the inside. Moving or adding boards will be a nightmare and if your horses get bored or well horses they will still chew/push on your fence. I have brown Centuar. With the right dark hardware I promise you will barely see it.

[endlessclimb]

While I would have put the boards on the inside, I can see the case for them being on the outside.

That said, I would 100% leave well enough alone here, and focus my efforts on putting up the electric. A new farm is going to come with lots of other good big projects, I wouldn’t mess with this one.

[Annie10]

That’s what I was thinking too about just running more boards on the inside, leaving a slot that was a vet bill waiting to happen. Or worse.

[George_T_Mule]

Short of installing a new fence, a hot wire will be your best option. Not to mention the easiest and least expensive one. By a lot. And you can DIY in a day or less, unless you have miles of fence-line to deal with. As far as that goes, I have found that two strands of poly/wire on the “temporary” step-in plastic supports, set a few feet inside of the existing fence, works fine for a season or so if you need some breathing room.
Second best would probably be to take down the boards, and install 4 or 5 strands of smooth wire, with stays, etc. on the original posts. That can also be a relatively easy DIY project, but it’s a lot more work than an e-fence.
Beyond that, get out your checkbook . . .

[Foxglove]

This is what I used --only mine are 18" --little old lady and it only took me and a hammer to do 20 acres in an afternoon.

PigTail Offset Insulators

[NancyM]

Running an electric wire on the inside is the answer. If you have deer, set it DOWN a bit from the top of the fence, so that the deer won’t catch it when they jump the fence. If you have deer, and don’t do this, your wire will be constantly broken and non functional, and available to damage horses by being on the ground and likely to be wrapped around your horse’s legs. Use a metal wire for your hot wire, steel or aluminum. Don’t use a tape or plastic weave with tiny wires going through it. The tiny wires wear out and break in time, and the plastic wire will not carry a charge when that happens. If a horse gets mixed up in a loose wire, the metal wire will break easier than the plastic/nylon stuff will. The metal wire works better, and is safer for horses.

[sascha]

If your horses are all full sized, leave the fence as is and run a new single top board on the inside. It’s enough to bounce them off and does not create a leg trap with the lower two boards.

As far as the poster who mentioned boards popping off rather than breaking - most places I’ve been at have fencing against reasonably busy roads. No thanks. I’d choose the possibility of the top board offering a bounce rather than a pop off that puts a horse at speed on a road.