Sugar was an elderly mare in retirement after a long career as a teacher of young human beings. She was found one morning standing with her front food in a tangle of barbed wire. Frost on the ground indicated that she had been there through the freezing night, quite stationery and waiting for someone to come and rescue her. In a similar position a young thoroughbred would probably have injured itself badly. This illustrates the importance of horse fencing in the equestrian world.

Back in the days of the Wild West there was a great deal of wood that had simply to be felled and shaped into fences. Now wood is a scarce resource but then it was only the labor of erecting it and maintaining it that limited its use. Wire can be used when larger fields are required because it can be quickly stretched over long distances.

Because of environmental issues wood has become so precious a resource that it is now an expensive option for enclosing horses. If it can be afforded it is safe and effective for horses. Unlike cattle their method of escape is to jump, and not to push their way through. A wooden fence will contain horses more effectively than cattle.

Boards that look like wooden planks can be made from recycled plastic. They are actually more flexible than wood and can have a wire inserted in them to make them stronger. Since they are products of recycling they have environmental significance and can also last for a very long time. Though made of polyethylene they can be made appear just like wood with an attractive texture.

The problem with wire is visibility. Horses are excitable creatures that shy easily and gallop about in alarm when anything slightly untoward happens. When enclosed by wire they are likely to dash into it and become cut or become entangled. Barbed wire is particularly dangerous as it cuts and is not particularly visible.

When wire is used for reasons of economy many people attach tin lids or plates at intervals along a wire fence to increase visibility and prevent entanglements. This option is not particularly pleasing from an aesthetic perspective and only partially effective in preventing entanglements.

A better option may be to use high tensile wire that has been coated with plastic. This is more visible and less likely to cut. It may be stretched between poles that are spaced far apart and this reduces the amount of labor required to erect them.

Electric fences can be effective if they are carefully maintained and kept live. Animals will soon learn to respect them and they are used to contain elephants. However, if the current is switched off animals will soon find this out. A single strand of electrified wire is often used to reinforce a single rail or board fence.

In various situations electricity can be used with tapes, twine or wire. The suitability of various methods depends to a large extent on the character of the animals to be managed. However, in deciding upon the most appropriate kind of horse fencing safety, appearance and affordability all need to be balanced against each other.

Based in Erin Ontario Canada, we specialize in servicing Horse Gates and equine fences. Whatever your needs, you can count on us to deliver solutions to any Fence Painting needs.

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