Fencing questions, again

[endlessclimb]

I plan to put up a full perimeter of 2x4 no climb around the property. The woven wire will be 4’, but the posts will be 5’ with HorseGuard bipolar tape across the top, in brown. Interior fences will be 3 strands of the bipolar tape.

Ideally, I’d like to get a second strand of the tape about halfway down the woven wire for the pastures that border the perimeter, to discourage the horses from being anywhere near the fence. I don’t think regular insulators will keep the tape far enough from the woven to prevent shorting out, particularly when it’s windy.

Do they make 3.5" T-post mountable extenders in BLACK (or brown?). I can find them all day long in white, but with everything else black or brown I’d rather not.

[HeartsDesireEventing]

They do for wire…I haven’t seen offsets for the tape though.

T & S Farms Both Sides T-Post Fence Insulator - Jeffers Pet | Pet...

https://www.idealtruevalue.com/15-piece-black-snug-t-post-insulator-extends-wire-5-for-1-25-lb.aspx?feed=Froogle&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgqGrBhDtARIsAM5s0_mBJTNbkeVmSt9q3vBaPVV3pbt_Eplx69ck2zDWI0pqK4BNHbITFSEaAs4IEALw_wcB

[endlessclimb]

I saw those, but I need the extenders for tape, not wire. Why is everything WHITE. gah,

[LCDR]

Is 5 inches long enough for you? These are combination so either tape or wire can be used. I googled “electric fence tape extenders for wood posts.”

And Krylon exterior plastic spray paint for things like plastic patio chairs is an option if you cannot find brown. I used it for my step in electric fence posts to go from white to black when my local TSC ran out of black ones. They still look fine after six years so far.

[endlessclimb]

They need to go on T posts, not wood posts; and in black if at all possible.

I think even a 3.5" would be plenty, personally. I don’t expect the tape to flap that much, and if it is it needs repair.

[JB]

I could have sworn Horseguard had extender arms?

[endlessclimb]

They do, but they’re a full foot. That feels like a lot, no?

That’s why I’m asking for a 3.5" or so.

https://www.horseguardfence.com/shop/cat19.php

[LCDR]

Did the same search using T-post. There are some but seems you will still have to resort to spray paint to get brown or black.

How about having someone with a 3D printer run you a batch to your specified length and color?

[endlessclimb]

Oh wow I had not thought of that at all. I don’t even know who would do that, do you have a company in mind?

Or, I could just get over myself and deal with the white. ha. I just wish they had SOMEthing - green, anything - other than stark-ass white.

[JB]

@endlessclimb

They do, but they’re a full foot. That feels like a lot, no?

That’s why I’m asking for a 3.5" or so.

If you really want to discourage them from being anywhere near the fence, you want 12". It’s really not that much. 3.5" isn’t much at all. 3.5" at 2-2.5’ off the ground (not sure if “halfway” is from the top tape, or the top of the woven", still leaves lots of room for noses to graze at the fenceline.

[JB]

@endlessclimb

I don’t think regular insulators will keep the tape far enough from the woven to prevent shorting out, particularly when it’s windy.

reading this (for comprehension this time LOL) - how far apart are your posts? As long as they’re less than 16’ apart, then tape flapping shouldn’t be a problem as long as the strands are properly tensioned. it might be a bit more of an issue if it’s really windy more than not, but if your posts are less than 14’ or so even that shouldn’t be a problem.

I’ve had my HG tape up for 18 1/2 years. The longest run is 1000’ or so, posts spaced 15’ apart (crap, maybe 14’?) and that line runs pretty much E-W, which means a lot of Winter W to N winds are blowing right across it, and there’s no flapping. The 1 exception is where a splicer is in the middle of 2 posts, so I put a fiberglass post in right there.

[endlessclimb]

The plan is for 10’ spacing. I just don’t want any pawing/pushing on the woven. Do you have horseguard isulatpra? How far off do they stand the tape?

[Jarpur]

I used wire, not Horse Guard, on my perimeter fence, on foot long stand-offs. Even if I had gone with tape, I agree that longer is better for this situation.

I really wanted the horses to stay OFF the fence, which has been very successful in keeping my perimeter fencing looking like new.

[JB]

@endlessclimb

The plan is for 10’ spacing.

there will be no tape flapping if properly tensioned

@endlessclimb

I just don’t want any pawing/pushing on the woven.

then you really want the 12" extender

@endlessclimb

Do you have horseguard isulatpra?

Yep (ssuming that’s “insulator” LOL) all HG equipment (other than posts, those are wood). The spacing is maybe 1" or so

[Simkie]

Fwiw I had a single strand of electrobraid at the top of my mesh, not even offset, and the horses went NOwhere near the fence with that. Totally uninterested with messing with it.

If this is such a sticking point, I’d hold off anything difficult or expensive, to see if there’s actually a need. In my experience with a very similar fencing set up, there is not.

[lenapesadie]

@Simkie

Fwiw I had a single strand of electrobraid at the top of my mesh, not even offset, and the horses went NOwhere near the fence with that. Totally uninterested with messing with it.

Ditto except I have a line of hot tape. The horses always stay well clear of it. It may perhaps be aided by the fact that I sterilize my fence lines so there’s nothing tempting to eat on / near the fence.

[endlessclimb]

I’m pricing out my options, and this may be what I start with. My young mare is historically a moron though, and pushy on fencing.

I plan to kill-all along my fenceline as well.

[Simkie]

Has she been proven to disrespect a line of hot that packs a punch, though? That’s a really different question if she’s never been around that particular setup.

Hot that’s not always hot or hot that’s not hot-hot is a different question, and yeah, pushy ones will learn to test. But if your hot is always on, and HOT, nearly every horse out there touches it once, and stays away.

I’d be pretty hesitant personally to have a line that low, thinking the only way a horse would really be in it is if the shit really hit the fan–they misjudged something and wound up running or sliding into the fence. Sure, tape breaks if a horse gets caught up, but that’s just not the moment or the place I’d want the horse feeling a shock.

[JB]

Nearly everyone I know with electric tape, especially HG, has the bottom strand in the range of what the OP is looking to do, which is 2-2.5’ off the ground. Not sure how having an offset strand would be any different, if a horse is running that close and slipping or sliding and misjudging, it doesn’t matter if it’s the actual fence, or an offset strand. I’ve had a horse roll too close to my fence and get a leg caught up, and yes he ran, breaking insulators, and then the tape broke when it hit a tensioner. Thankfully that only resulted in some swelling and a bit of serum seepage for a few days, but that was that.

[Simkie]

Yes, when your only fence is tape, this is a necessary risk. It’s not a necessary risk when you have a solid fence and are using electric only to prevent horses from dicking around with your “real” fence.