Choosing the Best Horse Fencing

When it comes to choosing the right fence for your horse farm, there are no hard and fast rules. As fencing is one of the most important investments a farm owner will make, take care to evaluate which type of fencing is right for your horses, location, situation and budget. Other things to consider include horse safety, containment, maintenance and aesthetics.

Location

Location is a two prong issue. First your geographic location may help determine which option you go with. For instance horse farms in Virginia and Kentucky typically have four board fences, while farms in the Midwest opt to use pipe fence.

Secondly, where on your property the fencing is needed will dictate which design makes the most sense. Generally speaking, perimeter fencing should be taller than fencing used for paddocks. The perimeter fencing will keep your horses contained on your property while at the same time server as a barrier to uninvited guests. On the flip side, depending on your needs, paddock fencing within the perimeter can be temporary in nature to allow you to easily rotate fields and move pasture areas.

Materials

Today there are a wide variety of fencing materials to choose from. The most common are:

• Wood
• PVC Planks/Coated Lumber
• Metal Pipe
• Mesh
• High-Tensile Coated Wire
• Electric

Remember, each type has its advantages and disadvantages. When selecting fencing, make sure the fence can withstand use and abuse from horses, is easily visible and durable. Also, when determining your fencing budget don’t forget to add in costs of maintenance and upkeep. Sometimes a fence that costs a little more to install will give you a better return on your investment over the life of the fence.

Construction

Installing fences around your farm can be a very rewarding, do-it-yourself project. However, before you start digging holes and preparing the land, make sure you know how labor intensive the job will be. You don’t want to get three quarters of the way through your project to discover you are tired of fence building and have a wiggly fence line. If you are not confident in your abilities to erect a quality, durable constructed fence it may be best to leave that job to the professionals.

If you are handy with your hands and plan to install it yourself the internet and your local extension office are good sources to obtain fence building plans and instructions. When building, make sure the ends and corners align and there no protruding bolt ends, nails or boards that can potentially injure your horse. Fencing building isn’t a day at the park, but your hard work will be worth it when your horses can frolic in their new, safe paddocks.

Are you still on the fence about what fence design is right for you? Visit your local Southern States to get advice and materials for your next fencing project.