Quick n Dirty Fencing Ideas

[4THEHORSES]

So, we bought our new place a couple of months agenda it’ completely unfenced with the exception of a 1/2-3/4 area that was used previously for goats and chickens.

Horses are currently boarded out and i really want them back home ASAP.

Due to changes in DH work schedule and to my own work schedule, fully fencing the place they way we want it can’t happen right now.

So, I’m going to put up temporary fencing for the time being.

I want it to be inexpensive (since it’ll be replaced when things settle down) but it has be to able to hold two drafts and my TB. I will say though that the only thing that can reliably hold the drafts is HOT wire.

Here are my thoughts. Put up a perimeter fence around the bottom 3 acres comprised to T-Posts, 5 ft, some sort of wire mesh and two stands of hot wire. Put un a secondary hot wire fence about 6ft or so back from the perimeter fence. T-posts, 5ft, with four stands of HOT wire.

I have to be able to do all of the work single-handedly and I have done this before just on a smaller scale.

Left side of the property line is thick with trees and bushes which are almost a natural barrier in themselves (but not quite) and the right side already has T-posts in place but the mesh is destroyed and missing in places. Bottom area the neighbor has a fence but we Zalsohave a driveway so I’d need fencing the driveway to make sure it’s still useable. Top side of the property is mostly blocked off bu the goat/chicken area so just 100 ft or soon fencing needed there.

What do you guys think and if anyone can thin alternative or better suggestions that I’d be able to build myself then please do weight in.

Water is already in place and there are plenty of shade trees so all I need, at least initially, is the fencing.

TIA

[Hilary]

T-posts and electric tape are the quick & dirty and relatively easy option. I’ve never installed mesh but it doesn’t seem quick or easy.

I would do 4 strands of tape, to make sure no one got any big ideas about going under/over/through.

I gradually replaced all my tape fencing with 3-board but it took a few years.

[costco_muffins]

We have t-posts, electric tape and electric rope on three sides of our pasture. Wood posts with electric tape and rope on the frontage. It was quick, dirty, and totally functional. We also screwed our insulators into trees where we could, that was even faster! The entire 3 acres was cleared on the fenceline, posts in, and tape strung in a weekend of two of us working. Horses have completely respected it and we live so far into the rural zone where it is heavily wooded that I am okay with that being our perimeter fence for the time being. In the end, we will reuse some of our wood posts and attach wood fencing to it to make it more substantial.

[4THEHORSES]

[QUOTE=Hilary;8570552]
T-posts and electric tape are the quick & dirty and relatively easy option. I’ve never installed mesh but it doesn’t seem quick or easy.

I would do 4 strands of tape, to make sure no one got any big ideas about going under/over/through.

I gradually replaced all my tape fencing with 3-board but it took a few years.[/QUOTE]

Thank you Hilary, appreciate the input.

I really can’t think of any other viable options but wanted to ask for the wisdom of CoTH first. Planning of getting started with this tomorrow, maybe even today.

[4THEHORSES]

[QUOTE=costco_muffins;8570589]
We have t-posts, electric tape and electric rope on three sides of our pasture. Wood posts with electric tape and rope on the frontage. It was quick, dirty, and totally functional. We also screwed our insulators into trees where we could, that was even faster! The entire 3 acres was cleared on the fenceline, posts in, and tape strung in a weekend of two of us working. Horses have completely respected it and we live so far into the rural zone where it is heavily wooded that I am okay with that being our perimeter fence for the time being. In the end, we will reuse some of our wood posts and attach wood fencing to it to make it more substantial.[/QUOTE]

Oh that’s a good idea, I could use some of the trees to screw in insulators!

That’ll take away a fair bit of work on the perimeter fence which will be really helpful!

[costco_muffins]

[QUOTE=4THEHORSES;8570594]
Oh that’s a good idea, I could use some of the trees to screw in insulators!

That’ll take away a fair bit of work on the perimeter fence which will be really helpful![/QUOTE]

Just use longer screws - like 3" or 3.5" to get past the bark. We live in the PNW and the bark on Doug Firs is really rough and not substantial enough to take tension.

[4THEHORSES]

[QUOTE=costco_muffins;8570802]
Just use longer screws - like 3" or 3.5" to get past the bark. We live in the PNW and the bark on Doug Firs is really rough and not substantial enough to take tension.[/QUOTE]

Thanks costco_ checked the trees and most of them should take it but if needed I can place a couple t-posts to fill the gaps.

[Minuet]

We used Zareba electric fence from TS to fence our 13 acres. It’s been almost 3 years and have had no problems with it.

[4THEHORSES]

[QUOTE=Minuet;8571095]
We used Zareba electric fence from TS to fence our 13 acres. It’s been almost 3 years and have had no problems with it.[/QUOTE]

Thanks Minuet.

I think that’s what we had at our old place which was solid perimeter fence cross refenced with hot wires turnouts. Not once did they make it past the hot wire and we also had it up for about three years brmefore we moved.

[Texarkana]

My property is leased. There was an existing pasture, but not horse safe fencing (barbed wire). I used a combination of t-posts, step-in posts, electric tape, and smooth hot wire to create an interior fence. Easy, affordable, and it has lasted 4 winters with no major issues.

[Calvincrowe]

I don’t think you’d need to sets of fencing if you put in woven wire on Tposts and wood corner posts, plus hot wire. That’s our perimeter fencing, and it’s been in place for 13 years now with no issues…holding in various horses from rambunctious yearlings to 17 hand warmbloods who enjoy a good itch on a fence post.

[4THEHORSES]

[QUOTE=Calvincrowe;8571413]
I don’t think you’d need to sets of fencing if you put in woven wire on Tposts and wood corner posts, plus hot wire. That’s our perimeter fencing, and it’s been in place for 13 years now with no issues…holding in various horses from rambunctious yearlings to 17 hand warmbloods who enjoy a good itch on a fence post.[/QUOTE]

You’re right but it gives me peace of mind and help keep and unwanted visitors (local kids) from feeding or bothering the horses.

How far did you guys space the t-posts. I stated pounding them in yesterday spaced at 20ft. Looks adequate to me but curious to what you think?

[poltroon]

You can’t install mesh by yourself - it’s difficult. The electric tape will do fine. Putting in two layers is a good plan if you have horses that might challenge the fence - but for a temporary measure, both can be tape.

[4THEHORSES]

[QUOTE=poltroon;8571703]
You can’t install mesh by yourself - it’s difficult. The electric tape will do fine. Putting in two layers is a good plan if you have horses that might challenge the fence - but for a temporary measure, both can be tape.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I’ll go for all tape for now. The perimeter fence will be replaced soon anyway but the interior fence will probably stay.

As much as my horses respect the hot wire accidents can happen or the hot wire could go down for some reason. I’m planning on using a mains powered charger for the interior and solar on the perimeter.

[macmtn]

Hizzhonor was behind black rubbber fencing all his life. Not the most beautiful fencing, but cheap…durable and very safe. Where we got him they had several rolls for sale. I watched one horse run another into it full tilt and get bounced back like a rubber band. Sold. Was very easy to screw into trees (a comealong is your friend) set it and forget it. We replaced the rest of the posts 3 times in 18 years…just rescrewing and tightning the rubbber on the new posts.

When I was sure there would be no more horses I gave it all away to a young guy homesteading a new place with his cows. Lots of trees…now his cows never get out.

[OGM]

I used this: http://www.kencove.com/fence/Rope+Fence+(Electric)_detail_RO8.php Quick, easy and they respect it with just a small charger.

[IronwoodFarm]

Be sure you leave enough room between the perimeter fencing the secondary fencing to get a mower through. You will have to mow because the grass and weeds will grow quickly. You’ll have problems keeping a zap on the electric fence if that happens.

[Pehsness]

We just did a bit more quick and dirty fencing today - interior this time to close off a grass paddock, so we can keep it grass and have a bit of a rotation going.

Tposts and electrobraid is our go to. Easy and relatively cheap. Granted I only have a mini and an old mare who knows not to mess with hot wire (you could draw a white line on the ground and keep the mare in, the mini will crawl through the fence if it’s not on) but we’ve been really pleased. I plan to slowly replace the front areas of the fence with composite posts and boards, but honestly that’s mostly for aesthetic reasons.

Good luck!

[Calvincrowe]

Define “by yourself” when it comes to installing mesh…my DH and I have done all of ours–5 acres plus cross fencing, including RR ties for corners and 8" wooden line posts. We use 10 feet between posts, T and wooden. We use a 2x6 squeeze attached to the end of the wire and use it to pull the wire tight with our come-along. It’s still tight and solid 10 years down the road.

[4THEHORSES]

Thank you all for your input.

Calvincrowe, be alone I mean just me, DH is on an insane work schedule right now so whatever I do has to be done single handed.

Progress so far. About 2k ft of posts are in at roughly 20m intervals, for the internal area. First row of hot wire is up (going to do 4 total). Tomorrow will be more jot wire, grounding rods and the charger.