A professionally installed horse fence is not only beneficial for your horse or horses; it also benefits you, your family and other animals on your farm. An innovatively designed fence will protect your horses from wandering off into a dangerous area, such as the street, or prevent them from getting into something they shouldn’t, such as the family garden. Best of all, a horse fence will provide you with a peace of mind, and let you sleep better at night knowing your horses are protected.
In life, people need boundaries, as do horses. A horse fence helps define the space in which horses can be turned out or trained, setting them apart from the rest of the farm where they shouldn’t be roaming. A horse that isn’t fenced in can find trouble, and cause you both headaches and heartaches.
When planning to install a horse fence, look at the overall layout of your farm to determine the best place to arrange s protected space for your horses. It should be close enough to the main barn that you can walk your horse to and from the fenced area quickly and easily. This will be especially advantageous when there is inclement weather. It should also be “open land,” devoid of any objects that could hurt a running horse.
The smaller the enclosure, the more likely a horse can get hurt, so the fence should encompass the maximum amount of land you think both you and your horses can handle. Avoid telephone poles, power lines, antennas and rusty shacks and sheds being in or near the fenced area. This prevents your horse or horses from being tangled up, cut, or hurt. Also, acute fence angles should be avoided, because you don’t want your horse to become cornered by other horses, which could possibly cause a horse to be frightened. When frightened, horses naturally run, and can leap over or through certain fences. It’s best to make sure the height of your fence is at least four and a half feet, or, better yet, five to six feet tall, to keep your animals properly corralled.
Rather than put fence gates at the corners where horses can “get caught” and intimidated, owners should consider installing gates somewhere along “the middle” of the fence line. Gates need to be flush with the fence when closed. Rounded edges and bolts are safer than sharp edges, so keep that in mind when choosing your fence.
If you have any questions about selecting the right horse fence for your property, please give the experts at General Timber a call!
Source used: https://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/equine/pubs/horse_fences.pdf
Posted by: General Timber
