Stallion fencing

[4horses]

Just wondering what preferred height is used for stallion fencing? The last barn I worked at had a 5 ft fence for their stallion and that was it. Would a 5 ft fence with a very hot electric wire be sufficient?

My fencing needs to be replaced. Just due to old age. The rails are beginning to rot, not that my current horses are inclined to damage the fence, but it’s time for an upgrade. I’m trying to consider what improvements I would like to make. I have mares and my neighbors stallion has been known to escape and test my fenceline. He has not made it over the fence because there’s a treeline outside, combined with a ditch, but with the right approach he probably could.

[clanter]

personally I would go higher if possible

we have had small horses (15.2h) that could clear jump a five foot fence

[NaturallyHappy]

State laws may govern this. My state says 6 feet, I think.

[luvmyhackney]

The breeding farm near me has 6’ fence and 2 lines of electric over the top. The electric is kinda inward to prevent jumping.

But that holds active TB stallions that do breed regularly.

The barn across the street has 5’ fencing and one line of electric inside the rails for their stud.

No escapes that I know of.

[Weezer]

I think it sort of depends on whether the horse is a trained jumper? I’ve seen a Clydesdale stallion easily kept in with a 3 foot single strand electric fence. I’d say a horse that is not a trained jumper should be fine with 5 feet. For a jumper I’d maybe do a 5 foot fence but then put an electric strand or two at 6 feet, as well as one inside the fence at the height of the horses’ chest to get him to back off the fence.

[Texarkana]

It totally depends on the stallion.

Many stallions (you could probably say most stallions) do perfectly fine with normal height fencing below 5’.

But it’s also one of those things that you don’t know if you will have a problem until you have a problem.

I think 5’ is plenty for a well socialized stallion. Re-reading your post, it doesn’t sound like “well socialized” describes your neighbor’s horse if he is constantly escaping. In which case, I agree with Weezer, you can always add hot wire to the 5’ fence.

[Heinz_57]

I would go 6’ minimum, if you are serious and can afford it. But I like a tall fence, all mine are 5’ minimum and I only have 14h ponies. I like a fence they can’t really stick heads over, it discourages ideas of jumping (and unwanted fraternization).

[sherian]

I would concentrate on hot instead of height, I would use the long offset insulators on both sides to keep every one back from the fence or even double fence ( the double fence is also nice for planting a hedgerow in for privacy)

[eightpondfarm]

six feet and really strong heavy gauge rails or 2" thick boards. Strong posts every 8’. That’s to keep a renegade IN.

To protect my mares from someone else’s stud i’d probably dig down the outside of the fence. Make the ground slope away from my fence. That way i wouldn’t have to pay all that extra money for extra tall, extra thick fencing and i’d have drainage AND accomplish the goal of the horse on the outside having an incredibly high jump to get over.

[goodhors]

Six ft fencing is the State law for stallions here. I am sure the law was written back when horses were used on farms and local transportation. Stallions were often dangerous on the farm, right up there with dairy bulls who regularly killed people before artificial insemination came along.

If stallion horses are getting out, call Animal Control. You "technically " should not need to fence to prevent a stallion getting at them. But I can see why you would!! Call and ask about local laws for loose horses/stallions so you know what you are working with.

I guess I would go visit said neighbors and warn them about preventing stallions from getting loose. You WILL be sending them bills for fence repairs, Vet costs on mares if he gets in with them and tears someone up. . Got any geldings? Stallion may REALLY go after it, causing a lot of damage to horse and fences.

Not YOUR job to catch stallion for his return home. Being neighborly is good, but loose stallion WILL create bad situations if it continues. As with bad, loose neighbor dogs, you have no evidence without reporting the occasions to show a continuing pattern of negligence. If the bad time does happen, you have legal grounds to collect for damages.

Sorry but I have a VERY LOW tolerance for loose animals of any species. People need to have facilities to contain their pets and livestock. I return the favor by keeping my pets and livestock at home with gates closed. Loose ONCE? Here’s your sign!! Fix things so it does not happen again.

I would suggest using the white electric tape or white coated wire for visibility, as the hot topper for the six ft fences. Aged galvanized wire is pretty invisible anyway, loose horse would not know your fenceline to see hot wire before he runs over or thru it to reach the mares.