A horse is both an investment and a friend, so at Buzz we understand the necessity of keeping your equine workers / family members safe. This week we talked to pasture-dwellers about the different types of horse fencing – the good, the bad and the ugly.
Unsafe for your equine friends
Let’s start by ruling out a couple of fencing types upfront. As a horse owner, you should want nothing to do with barbed wire, which can maim hides or rip tendons. High tensile can also cut horses. In addition, we recommend saying no to square mesh with openings of more than three inches. There is a well-founded fear of trapping a hoof. All the horses we interviewed for this post were against electric fencing. Who enjoys getting shocked?
Wire fencing
V-mesh wire is the best of the wire options, and it’s also known as horse wire available at Buzz as an add-on option. It’s costlier than other wire fencing, but the diamond pattern is good at keeping horses in and other animals out. Less expensive smooth wire fences are harder for horses to see. A white coating makes it a little easier for Jack to spot.
Wood fencing
Wood fencing has the classic look of an old-time corral. This could be a good aesthetic choice for your yard – as long as you have the time to do repairs or the budget to hire somebody else to. If Misty is a wood chewer or Buck is a leaner, your boards may need maintenance every few years.
Steel board fencing
Steel board fencing resembles wood boards, but is stronger and more durable. The 10 foot long rails have enough flex to cushion Blaze when she runs into it, and enough resilience to spring back into a nice straight line. Plus, steel doesn’t splinter or crack from weather extremes.
Gates
Your needs and the size of your herd will dictate the appropriate gate. Will people be the main gate users? Or will an individual horse travel through? If Dakota, Cheyenne and Gypsy insist on barreling through shoulder to shoulder like the three amigos, you’ll obviously need a wider, tougher gate.
Other considerations
To safely contain your equine friends, fences should be at least four-and-a-half feet tall. If you have or expect any foals, the bottom of your fence should be about six inches off the ground so they don’t roll through. This also discourages adult horses from reaching their heads under the fence.
Rail spacing depends on your horses’ size. Smaller animals, such as ponies, minis and foals, require closer spacing.
Magic and Cowboy suggest providing them with lots of good hay and enrichment toys. Surely you’ve heard that saying about grass being greener on the other side of the fence? Bored horses want to get to that green grass.
You also need to consider the age and energy level of your herd. Younger, high-strung horses need stronger containment.
We’re here for you
We’ve already told Lady and Jake that we’re here for them, and we’re ready to help our human customers, too. So if you have concerns about making the safest situation possible for your horse friends, give us a buzz today.
