7 QUESTIONS FOR FENCE SHOPPERS

The many choices available for farm fencing may seem daunting. But going through the following list of questions can help you identify your priorities: 1. How much fencing can you afford? Pricing for fencing materials varies from as little as five cents per foot for wire to $9 or more per foot for wood. Not surprisingly, people with large ranches spanning hundreds or even thousands of acres are more likely to opt for more inexpensive fencing. Economics can influence choices for owners of smaller properties, too. 2. Do aesthetics matter? If you can afford it, of course, there’s nothing wrong with selecting a more expensive fence simply because you like the looks of it. And there are situations where the expense of a better-looking fence is actually a good investment.

“If you have a boarding/ training facility and are trying to attract high-end clientele and charge a lot for your services, your fences need to be pretty,” says Day. “Also,

many rescue farms depend on funds from local philanthropists, and those people want to spend their money on something that looks pretty.” Wooden fences might also add more to your property value, especially if you live in an area where they are common and expected. 3. Who lives in your pastures? “Do you have the same horses who have lived together for years, such as a group of old geldings who are not interested in getting out? They are happy to be where they are,” says Day. “The physical strength of your fence can be much less for those horses.” In contrast, if you have young, active horses, or if it’s common for horses to come and go from your property, herd dynamics will be more unsettled, and new members might be more inclined to test their boundaries, so the fence needs to be stronger, and perhaps electrified, to discourage escape attempts.

If you have foals or Miniature Horses, it might be wise to add woven wire fencing, with openings too small to entrap little hooves. The fencing also needs to go low enough to the ground that smaller horses cannot reach under it and get their heads caught.

If your horses share large pastures with other livestock, such as cattle, sheep or goats, your fencing needs to accommodate those species as well. Woven wire fencing is generally needed to enclose sheep or goats. Cattle are more likely to press against fences, so they will require measures such as electrification. 4. How large are your turnouts? Horses who have plenty of room to roam are less likely to test the limits of pasture fences. Smaller paddocks and corrals, however, have to have stronger fencing.

“In a small pen where there’s more pressure from the horses, you may need something with more visibility that presents more of a psychological as well as a physical barrier,” says Coleman.

The quality of grazing available also matters. Horses with plenty of good hay and/or pasture grass are more likely to be content where they are and won’t put pressure on the fences, whereas those in dry lots or with poorer grazing may be more inclined to try to reach through fences to nibble on vegetation growing just outside. 5. Do you need to keep other animals out? If predators or small animals such as opossums or raccoons are a concern, you may want to choose woven wire fencing or look into adding barriers to other types of fences. “I hear of more people making their existing fences even more secure, such as putting net wire behind the boards, to keep out predators or animals that might carry diseases to their horses,” says Jenifer Nadeau, PhD, associate professor and equine extension specialist at the University of Connecticut. “They are often worried about diseases like EPM0, rabies0 or leptospirosis0, or they are worried about dogs that might come in and chase the horses.”

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