Horse Fence: Panel vs No climb horse fence

[hel9287]

Hi all,

My husband and I are starting a small 20 acre farm. We are planning to have 3 pastures to rotate between our 4 horses and about 10 Nigerian Dwarfs Goats. My question is on safe fencing for the goats and horses. We are tentatively planning 4’ high no climb horse fence with some visible electric braid at the top of the fence at a height of 5’ total with 3-4 strands of electric going over the no climb as well to help deter neighbor dogs, coyotes, and black bears. Eventually, we would also like to add a 2nd exterior fence around the entire property that would be 5’ no climb with 5 strands of electric. But because of the expense, this will take us a few years to get to. We will have a sacrifice area between the two fences so hopefully anything that got out of one couldn’t get out of the 2nd before we got home. I have had someone tell me that cattle panels would be better than woven wire. Are there any opinions on these options? Safety wise? Regardless of no climb horse fence vs panels we are more concerned with safety than cost. We would still be adding electric for predator deterant. Any advice s appreciated!

[4LeafCloverFarm]

My experience with goats (mine were large Brush goats) is that they payed no attention whatsoever to the electric fence. Now, maybe it was my just my goats, as I admit, they were “special”.

My non-climb horse fence with a top rail was installed 17 years ago and is still going strong. Love it. Would definitely install the same again.

I know nothing of “cattle panel” fencing, but if its the super thick (compared to woven wire or non climb or field fence) and kinda heavy wire panels you can get in 6’, 8’, 10’, etc. lengths - folks around here use it for gates for cattle pastures. Personally, I think that would be overkill for a horse/goat fence - but it sure would be sturdy!

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ok-brand-handy-panel-8-ft-l-x-50-in-h

[Calvincrowe]

Cattle panels rust pretty quick. Your proposed styles seem like overkill. Do you have much trouble with predators? I guess I’d go with no climb and electric. Why a double perimeter?

[poltroon]

I’d use woven wire. Stock panels are IMHO not safe for horses unless they are the 2x4 mesh, in which case they are very expensive. The stock panels are great for making small goat (or sheep, which is my experience) pens in a goat area.

Check out Premier1 for tips on planning your electric - ask them to send you a fencing catalog. Remember you want the zap at nose level, and there are tips there to ensure that the first thing a bear or canine experiences when encountering your fence is a nice zap on the nosey.

https://www.premier1supplies.com

[RoughOut]

I have no climb for horses and sheep/goats. Its awesome and safe for the horses yet keeps the goats in. I do have one whether with just the right shaped horns that he can stick his head through and not get it back out. But if there was electric involved I’m sure he wouldn’t try.

I have a top strand of electric too.

[clanter]

We went with five foot V-mesh but if I were doing this again I would use mesh panels on steel posts with a steel top. mid and bottom rail

Four feet even with a foot of hot wire to me is too low, there are videos out there of coyotes jumping six feet stockade fencing

I would look at using 5 foot horse mesh (actual height is just under 55 inches), paint just the steel posts and cross rails with red oxide primer… we used red oxide on our barn frame and you have to chisel it off to make a ground connection

http://www.burlycorp.com/wire-panels.html

[4LeafCloverFarm]

@clanter are you taking steel T-posts or steel round posts, like is used in chain link fencing or something else? You remove the rot factor using a galvanized or treated metal, but is it as sturdy as a 4X4 or 6" round wood post? I’ve seen pictures of all metal fencing and it looks very clean and modern. Not sure I’d choose that look, but was always curious if it could put up with years of use and still look nice.

[Pennywell_Bay]

I use the no climb. I’ve had it at my first farm with wood posts and a top rail- 20 years later still standing. My new farm has it now to contain my horses and goats, as well. I did not install the wood posts- so they are too far apart for a top rail but still looks good.

We tried just electric once for the goats in a special goat pen… it did not go over well (or work).

[clanter]

@4LeafCloverFarm

@clanter are you taking steel T-posts or steel round posts, like is used in chain link fencing or something else? You remove the rot factor using a galvanized or treated metal, but is it as sturdy as a 4X4 or 6" round wood post? I’ve seen pictures of all metal fencing and it looks very clean and modern. Not sure I’d choose that look, but was always curious if it could put up with years of use and still look nice.

steel round posts or could use steel square … we have one section that is on round steel post of drill stem (really thich walled stuff)… five foot no climb…had to come back and add a steel aircraft cable between the fence and the post line as the horses decided this was a very good butt rubbing fence … the steel aircraft cable is on turn buckles so we can adjust the tension

I could photograph a neighbors all steel fence if you like

[4LeafCloverFarm]

Sure - I’d love to see a picture. What about cost? Is an all metal fence more/less expensive to one with wood posts and wood top rail?

[ejm]

Our exterior fence, for horses but not goats, is 4’ no-climb with a wooden top rail. It’s more than 20 years old and working fine.

V-mesh is pretty much the gold standard for horses, at least in the Thoroughbred business, but a friend in central Kentucky who has sheep and goats uses no-climb and advises me that they can get their feet caught in v-mesh.

[clanter]

@4LeafCloverFarm

Sure - I’d love to see a picture. What about cost? Is an all metal fence more/less expensive to one with wood posts and wood top rail?

more expensive, initially… but longevity as needing to do just once might outweigh initial cost

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[hel9287]

You guys are so awesome at replying! To answer the one question on the double fence, we live just off an interstate, so I definitely don’t want anything getting off my farm. Otherwise, we have coyotes, bears, bobcats, and the neighbor’s dogs in our area. My biggest issue is that about half of our land is up a mountain, so I need something sturdy up the mountain that is still installable. Putting in wood posts would be very difficult as digging the holes would be a ton of work. We have a pounder for putting in some pipe posts to go along with the t-posts, but otherwise drilling holes would be very difficult. I’m not sure we can put up anything higher than 5 ft, so I can either go all the way to the top with the no climb mesh or go 4’ and add a couple of strands of electric on top. I’m not uber concerned about predators jumping the fence as we will also have livestock guard dogs.

[susanne]

Having livestock guardian dogs can add a whole new dimension to fencing concerns. As you probably know, their natural instinct is to patrol an area much wider than your farm — they are not wandering so much as checking the perimeter — as they recognize it. They can be masters at jumping, climbing, and digging under fences. We have 4 ft. mesh with hot wire top and bottom. The mesh fencing alone is not tall enough, but the electric does the trick with our Great Pyrenees. She learned as a puppy that fences bite, and she has never forgotten.