Perimeter fence options

[Pohney]

We’re looking at doing perimeter fence on out property, which will likely come out to somewhere between 2500-3000 lf. This fence is along the woods in a number of places, so we have a number of considerations - 1) brush maintenance and management along the fence line and 2) branches/limbs falling. This fence gets bonus points if it is useful in deterring predators and/or ground hogs, and/or keeps dogs in / out. As far as I can tell, my options are as below – any thoughts on whether there is anything I’m not considering or which you’d want to have on your farm?

(1) 3 board wood - PROS: Price is doable at around $3.50/lf. Matches existing fencing. CONS: Maintenance is particularly concern if branches fall, etc. No value for predator control or dog containment unless I add electric between rails.

(2) 5 strand electric braid on 8’ posts - PROS: Price ($3.03/lf). CONS: Appearance. Needs brush management for best conductivity.

(3) 5 strand polycoat wire on 8’ post spacing - PROS: Price ($3.23/lf) CONS: Appearance. Needs brush management for best conductivity.

(4) No climb with top rail. PROS: Appearance and containment - checks all the boxes. CONS: Wire provides nice lattice for weeds, vines, etc. to grow, thus requiring aggressive brush management. PRICE ($6.10/lf).

[OneTwoMany]

We have the non-climb fence. You couldn’t pay me to go with anything else, but coyotes are a concern in our area.

[poltroon]

Nonclimb is actually more tolerant of weed maintenance than electric. It is still a fence if weeds are on it. Your horses will not allow anything to really climb it, but the other side can get brushy and if it does the horses may damage the fence trying to eat it.

Electric is super useful but you pay for the lower cost with more maintenance IME. Also, the electricity sometimes fails. I recommend a visual indicator of fence voltage so you notice before the horses do.

Your fence can also be both - one solution for the woods, one for the front of the property.

[B_and_B]

I’d also look at ‘field’ fencing, also called stock fencing, as with no climb it tends to hold up to limbs falling on it (not huge ones of course!). The wire openings can range from 3"x3" to over 6" It has the added advantage of keeping out/in small animals or dogs, if it is 4"x4" or smaller. Height, anything from 4 feet to 8 feet. (though groundhogs will just dig under…) None of the others will reliably keep out dogs, except the no-climb. The advantage over no climb, field is a lot cheaper. The disadvantage, I wouldn’t use it where horses are in tight confines.
Weed management, herbicide twice a year. Or a string trimmer. But unlike electric, the fence it still there even if the weeds are all over it.

[OneTwoMany]

@B and B

I’d also look at ‘field’ fencing, also called stock fencing, as with no climb it tends to hold up to limbs falling on it (not huge ones of course!). The wire openings can range from 3"x3" to over 6" It has the added advantage of keeping out/in small animals or dogs, if it is 4"x4" or smaller. Height, anything from 4 feet to 8 feet. (though groundhogs will just dig under…) None of the others will reliably keep out dogs, except the no-climb. The advantage over no climb, field is a lot cheaper. The disadvantage, I wouldn’t use it where horses are in tight confines.
Weed management, herbicide twice a year. Or a string trimmer. But unlike electric, the fence it still there even if the weeds are all over it.

One of the advantages of “no climb” fencing is a normal sized horse cannot get his/her foot through the 2"x4" openings. Personally, I would be cautious of a wire fence solution that has openings that are large enough to allow a horse foot to go through it.

[poltroon]

@B and B

I’d also look at ‘field’ fencing, also called stock fencing, as with no climb it tends to hold up to limbs falling on it (not huge ones of course!). The wire openings can range from 3"x3" to over 6" It has the added advantage of keeping out/in small animals or dogs, if it is 4"x4" or smaller. Height, anything from 4 feet to 8 feet. (though groundhogs will just dig under…) None of the others will reliably keep out dogs, except the no-climb. The advantage over no climb, field is a lot cheaper. The disadvantage, I wouldn’t use it where horses are in tight confines.
Weed management, herbicide twice a year. Or a string trimmer. But unlike electric, the fence it still there even if the weeds are all over it.

I would not use field fencing with horses except possibly by having a secondary electric fence inside it a few feet away. And then it is twice as hard to mow.

The holes are perfect for catching feet and creating injury. It’s also a much lighter gauge of wire and won’t last as long.

[Pohney]

I think I’m hearing what I expected, which is that non-climb meets the majority of needs… What do folks think about the price difference for that benefit? At $6+ / lf, I’m looking at $20k in fencing vs. more like… $10k – a big difference.

[OneTwoMany]

@Pohney

I think I’m hearing what I expected, which is that non-climb meets the majority of needs… What do folks think about the price difference for that benefit? At $6+ / lf, I’m looking at $20k in fencing vs. more like… $10k – a big difference.

No climb fencing installed in our area is no less than $10 a foot. Gates often run $250 a piece installed.

[mmeqcenter]

I’m surprised to see 3-board so cheap, honestly. IME 4-board and no-climb w/ top board are basically the same price (~$7/ft here), with 3-board being only slightly cheaper ($5-6/ft).

I used to scoff at 4-board like “ugh that’s so unnecessary, in Europe they use just two boards a lot of the time!” Well, since I bought a farm with 3-board fence, um, yeah, the 4th board would be nice. 3-board means horses can reach their head through easily to get grass on the other side (because where I have 3-board is of course the three small dry lots), and break boards constantly in the process.
I have a wide mix of fencing (not put in by myself, bought this way) - some 3-board, some three strand electric, some wire mesh with top board or top electric. Weed control is no different on any of them, except the wire mesh is way better because if I want to be lazy, I can (and am), and there’s still a solid fence. Dear lawd I detest board fencing, the maintenance is absurd and IMO it’s not even that aesthetically pleasing; if/when I ever get to replace it all on my farm there’ll be NO boards. My #1 fence type is wire mesh (no-climb) with a top electric wire or tape. But, if you have limbs falling on it all the time, yeah, a top wood board will be better.

[happilyretired]

We have no climb with a top board around the perimeter of a 15 acre facility. It works well and keeps critters and dogs out effectively (nothing keeps the sandhill cranes out. ) Our landscape guy sprays right alongside the outside of the fenceline and that keeps the weeds/brush down. Cost effective, looks good, and holds up.

[poltroon]

@Pohney

I think I’m hearing what I expected, which is that non-climb meets the majority of needs… What do folks think about the price difference for that benefit? At $6+ / lf, I’m looking at $20k in fencing vs. more like… $10k – a big difference.

This is pretty personal and it depends on your property and your needs. If you have any kind of predator or dog issue, the no-climb is probably worth it. If your fence borders a busy road also may be worth it. If your horses tend to test fences it may be worth it.

Electric requires more vigilance in general. If you have it on house power, you have no fence if the power is out (here in fire country we’re told to expect 5 day outages now as a matter of routine). If you have it on solar, it’s hard to have enough juice year round and they get shaded with dust and weeds. Weeds touching the fence take down the voltage. Premier1 supplies has a great tutorial on electric fencing - recommend their catalog.

Electric is also more annoying if you have visitors or don’t like getting zapped.

Two layers of fence where possible is nice. That way when the horses go out one gate they aren’t free. In that case, you can make some different choices also.

[Calvincrowe]

I am writing in defense of “field fencing”. In the 16 years our 5 acres have been fenced in it (entire property perimeter fenced), with horses in two pastures of 1.5 acres each, we’ve never had a horse get a foot or any other body part caught in it. Ours is topped with either a smooth wire or pipe. In the mud-free paddocks where the horses are confined, we used no-climb. Again, the only incident we’ve had was there–horse got his blanket stuck to the no-climb (the front snap!). He thankfully remained calm but sure bent the fence!

Anyway- just a shout out for my experience with the larger opening field fence being safe as a large space tool.

[Lolliver]

I have 5 strand polycoat wire - electric. I installed it two years ago, and determined that nothing is perfect. My horses are respectful of fences, the electric is just a reminder. That being said, I’ve been without power for several hours, so if your horses test fencing, that would be a problem. It, of course, does nothing to keep the moles, ground hogs, etc., out, however some neighborhood dogs have been zapped, and now don’t come anywhere near the fence. I have wooden posts that were pounded into the ground. All in all, I am very happy with it.

[clanter]

we’ve never had a horse get a foot or any other body part caught in it.

only once have we had any issues with field fencing… just after daughter got her new horse many years ago I noticed that he was standing next to the fence gazing at the horses the in the next field over. Several hours later I see it appears he still in the same place looking at those horses so go over to see just what he was looking at.

Actually he was just standing there since he had hooked the bottom strand of the fence between his shoe and hoof… rather than ripping at he he just waited for help.

Had to use s bolt cutter to clip the bottom 9 ga. wire then had to pull shoe to get the wire out

He was not harmed.

that has been the only issue we have had

[happilyretired]

@poltroon

This is pretty personal and it depends on your property and your needs. If you have any kind of predator or dog issue, the no-climb is probably worth it. If your fence borders a busy road also may be worth it.

Two layers of fence where possible is nice. .

Didn’t mention in my earlier post but my property does border a fairly busy two-lane county road. We have an “inner” perimeter fence along the road that is no climb with a top board and an “outer” perimeter fence along the road which is 4 board wood. I’m never comfortable with one fence line along a busy road!! It’s not just the horses that you have to worry about!! In the less than two years we’ve been open we’ve had our mailbox taken out by a large truck that went off the road and have seen countless other incidents along the road with vehicles in ditches/off the road/accidents. If you’re on even a fairly busy road I’d recommend two layers of fencing along the road.

[Simkie]

Had no climb with a centaur top rail and it rocked. Would do that again in a heartbeat.

Fence guy used this, which was considerably less expensive than other options.

http://www.staytuff.com/

Can you pound in your posts? That will certainly save time and maybe money?

”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹

[wsmoak]

@Pohney

I think I’m hearing what I expected, which is that non-climb meets the majority of needs… What do folks think about the price difference for that benefit? At $6+ / lf, I’m looking at $20k in fencing vs. more like… $10k – a big difference.

My justification goes like this: How much is sleeping well at night worth? Or being able to leave the property without worrying (too much)?

I build horse fortresses. 5’ non-climb 2x4 wire with a top board. (If I do another, the ‘board’ will not be wood, but Centaur CenFlex or something like it.)

If it is installed correctly (tight, with concreted corner and brace posts) and you take care of it (vigilant weed whacking and pulling dirt away from the bottom so it doesn’t get covered up and start rusting, keeping the brace wires tightened) then it can be a lifetime fence.

It is very expensive, there’s no getting around it. I fenced a strangely shaped small area here (so extra corners and gates) and I’m pretty sure it was $5k a decade ago. ouch.

[candyappy]

Nothing will keep groundhogs out if they want in…

[B_and_B]

I have to remember to be clearer…I would never use field fence on small lot where horses are up against the fencing on a routine basis, as stated.
In my mind perimeter fencing is just that, perimeter of large acreage. So that is what I was thinking about and talking about!
As for life span and gauge, I have had the displeasure of having to cut field fencing that was 40 plus years old, it was solid. A fence’s failure point is usually the post not the wire, in my experience. Most horse fence and most field fence is 12.5 gauge. Some sheep fencing is lighter, at 15, but that is hard to find at least in my area. Cattle/hog panels are heaviest and most expensive, 5 or 8 gauge.
Also, at lot of field fencing is now 3x6 not 4x4. Or graduated: 3x6 or 3x12 at the bottom and gradually increasing in horizontal spacing to the top.I don’t know if that is safer or not.

[Simkie]

@B and B

I have to remember to be clearer…I would never use field fence on small lot where horses are up against the fencing on a routine basis, as stated.
In my mind perimeter fencing is just that, perimeter of large acreage. So that is what I was thinking about and talking about!

Not that you’d necessarily know, but the OP is talking about some very small “fields” in another post–quarter to half acre. Definitely not expansive vistas on large acres :yes: