Electric fence height

[2horses]

I am planning on installing a temporary electric cross fence on my property this weekend, but I"m a little perplexed by the posts I'm finding for said fence. It seems that most are 42" to 48" high, which to me seems a bit low for horses. But maybe they are placed lower to keep horses from going under rather than over? I know I can use 5' t-posts, but then I'm wondering if that's too high and I'll have to run two strands of tape (will be using the 2" tape) instead of one. Plus that makes it less temporary and is a lot more work to install. Anyone have experience running a single strand electric fence that can tell me what the best height for horses is?

Pam <---------------- has no experience with electric fencing - yet.

[FreeRanger]

Let me state up front I don't have a horse HOWEVER my best friends keep their one and only horse in by using a single strand of bare wire on cheap step-in post that are only 35" high. For visibility they run a single strand of white tape along the same path but it's not electrified. The horse has never got out that I know of. Their paddocks are not high quality, meaning little to no grass in some of them, not very bigger either. So the horse must have been very well trained to white tape before they inheritated it. Scout is about twenty years of age, so he's not on his last leg at all.

[Sand Flat Bob]

Originally Posted by 2horses

I am planning on installing a temporary electric cross fence on my property this weekend, but I"m a little perplexed by the posts I'm finding for said fence. It seems that most are 42" to 48" high, which to me seems a bit low for horses. But maybe they are placed lower to keep horses from going under rather than over? I know I can use 5' t-posts, but then I'm wondering if that's too high and I'll have to run two strands of tape (will be using the 2" tape) instead of one. Plus that makes it less temporary and is a lot more work to install. Anyone have experience running a single strand electric fence that can tell me what the best height for horses is?

Pam <---------------- has no experience with electric fencing - yet.

Have 3 mares and a stallion on my pastures. Part is single wire electric, 12 gage Aluminum with red flags tied about every 10 feet. Height is approx. nose height. Most single wire electric is run nose height for the animal involved. You want them to reach out with their nose and sniff it. Once they get zapped. they back up and remember the fence is there. You always want to zap an animal so they back up. If you zap them on the chest or further back they will lunge forward right through the fence.

Bob

[painterswife]

Three horses! Horses are 15.5 to 17 hands high.

I have lots of single electric rope. The heights range from 3-4 feet high.
Some electrified some not. My horses respect it but will test it depending on how bad they want what is on the other side.

As long as they are well fed they will not test it. I do have one horse that was a rescue and starving when I got her. She will go over a five foot fence if she thinks she needs food.

Early spring or late fall when they want green grass from other areas is ususally the time they test it. This time of year I don't ususally have it on.(Like the last 5 days)

If it is too high and green grass is just out of reach the can push under fast. They seem less likely to go over. I adjust the single strand up as the snow gets deep in the winter.

[painterswife]

I think I should clarify.

I would not use a single line in any area where you are close to lots of traffic. It is taking too big of a chance.

I am far from the highway and my neighbors are understanding. The one horse that escapes easily never wanders away from the herd even if she is on the otherside of the fence.

[Wolf mom]

I use 5 ft t-posts & put the connectors about 6" down from the top. My horses get so they respect the zap & won't even want to walk over it if it is on the ground. I use the white woven wire as I move the pasture every so often & that's the easiest to wind up.

Make sure the electric (solar or ..) is well gounded. I keep the earth moist with straw.

Bob' advise is good.

[rambler]

You place the inuslators anywhere on the post from top to bottom. The posts need to be in the ground a foot or 2 depending if it is a thin rod or heavy T post.

So, you need a post that is longer that the height you want to go. You don't need to buy a post exactly as high as you want the fence?

For my cows, I am almost 6' tall & I place the single wire _just_ so I can step over it without harming myself. Seems the best. Placing it too high causes more problems with them getting under it. Placing it too low once in a long while they will go over, but rarely.

That's cows, I don't know much about horses.

Edit - Ok, rereading your message, I see you are temp or cross fencing - I got sidetracked with some other messages. The 4' step in posts should work for average horses of average temperment. If you are more than 3.5' high with your single wire, I would think you have a lot of trouble with them going under. Likely you will end up with the tape 2.5 - 3 feet off the ground at the most.

--->Paul

[Columbia,SC.]

I just posted on the other fence thread a few mins. ago... but here I go again! lol
I have 2 acres for the Bare mare wraped in a single strand of 1/2" ribbon tape hooked to a 15 mile charger. Some of the fence is on T posts, some of it is nailed on the trees with insulators. I check the fence mothly for weeds as needed.
We had a stray horse come to our house back in Jan. I made a seperate 1 acre paddock for her untill we could locat the 'owner'. I had to run 2 ribbons for her, she would sneak out of the 34" high single high tape. I put the second one half way down and she never got away again. 'Lucky' we called her stayed with us for 6 weeks untill 2 more showed up and I called the sherrife again. They got picked up along with 2 more that had been neglegted. Sad to say they all got sold at auction before we knew about the sale! $240 out of pocket but at least we tried to do the 'right thing'.
Sorry to rant and kinda hijack this..
One strand at belt buckle height for a calm older horse, 2 or more for a young frisky/hungry one!

[2horses]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate all y'alls input and I am comfortable now with the idea of it being about 36" high. All three of my horses have been in electric fences before, so I'm pretty confident they'll just look at it and not test it. Plus they have lots of room (about 6 acres) of lush pasture to mosey around in, so they won't be hungry or crowded. The idea of stepping over it safely really caught WBF's attention! LOL!!

Pam <--------------- will be busy this weekend!