Electric Fence Advice for Fuzzy Minis

[BlueEyedPony]

I've been having a heck of a time keeping my minis in their fence this fall (and seem to remember the same thing happening about this time, last year). They have 3-strand electric wire, with strands at 1 foot from the ground, 2 feet from the ground, and 4 feet from the ground. The fencer is working, and works just fine to keep my cows in (not in the same field, of course, but their fences are connected). Duncan, my "fence tester," grows an exceptionally thick winter coat and forelock, and seems to be impervious to electric fence shocks. After he broke the whole group out and went for a romp around the neighborhood a few weeks ago, all the minis landed themselves in "pony jail" (a large chain link dog run) until I could fix their electric fence. I spent two days adjusting all of the insulators so the strands were at the right height, tightening the wire, and testing the electric. All was working great, so they were sprung from "jail" on Friday night. Saturday morning, the fence was down.

My bad; I had closed off half of their paddock and then turned them out near dark without showing them the new fenceline. Fixed the fence. This morning, I see Duncan sticking his head right into the bottom strand of the fence; leaning into it, in fact, and showing no signs of getting shocked. Ran for the fence tester, and the darn thing is WORKING! WHY is it not shocking him??? We've had plenty of rain, fencer is grounded adequately. Hubby re-did the connection from the fencer to their paddock just in case. They're still in the fence for now, but I'm seeing a return to "pony jail" in their future if things keep up the way they've been going. This time last year, I ripped out $300 worth of electric rope, thinking it was shorting out somewhere and allowing the escapes, and put up smooth wire. I'm beginning to think it's more a winter coat thing than a fencing thing. Thoughts? Suggestions (that will fit in my meager budget)???

 

[Baydreamfarms]

The only advice I can offer is to get a bigger fence charger, or to clip part of his chest and a patch on his neck and face where he is leaning into the fence. The long winter coats insulate really well and if the horses don't have a respect for the fence without getting shocked it is hard to keep them in otherwise.

I hope you get some sleep without having to go mini hunting. Tou may also be able to build a smaller fence with T-posts and the 2x4 wire mesh fence. We did our back yard with that for our dogs. I think to do a 25x50 area it was just over $100. That would be my only other idea.

 

[Casnos Minis]

I think a fencer that has a higher shock might work. Mine don't test the fence and they get pretty fuzzy. Maybe the mesh fence would work better, that's what I had at first with the electric on the inside. It kept them in.

Christy

 

[kdhminis]

Hi, I'm also thinking you may need a more potent fence charger. Ours is rated for 30 miles of fence and we probably only have about 2 acres fenced in electric 2" tape. Ours do not test it at all - except when they were new horses in the pasture - then it only took 1 or 2 touches for them to learn. However, at night we put them in their "night compound" which is 48x48 of the fence panels which are about 5 feet tall (mainly for coyote/dog protection). Right now we have a new mini that is still getting pushed around a little - so at night I am not cooping them up in that paddock so they are left in the electric fence pasture - but I do close our driveway gate - just in case

I love the electric tape because of the high visability of it - and we have 3 strands and use the plastic step in posts - works great. We have even used it for a paddock for our big horses and they too never test it either. It makes it thru high wind, summer sun/heat, and ice & snow in the winter. Good luck!!

 

[iloveappys]

I had a little mini stallion that would run the fence and let everyone out.This guy had some hair

We had just moved in and had not had to time to get fences up before the horses were

brought in,so, thinking I was pretty smart,I put up hotwire....okay...maybe not so smart

Little suckers were running all over the place and I think it's the ONLY time they ever turned their noses up at grain.

After a couple hours of running I caught everybody,put them back inside the fence and watched...nothing..

I walked around the barn and watched

Sure enough,Joey (stallion)got a running start,put his head way up in the air and plowed through the fence.

I come running around the barn yelling like a crazy woman.Didn't do any good,he just ran away.

He didn't go far since his "herd" was still captive.Once I caught him...AGAIN....He got a haircut...right down the front of his neck and a part of his chest.

I put him back in the fence,he went to charge it....BAM....he slammed it into reverse

I got a much needed rest

The End

 

[jayne]

I know exactly what you are talking about. My minis are impervious to electric fencing as well, while the clyesdale and donkeys won't even get NEAR it. The only way I could feel comfortable having them out was to finally totally fence their area in cattle panels. These are 16 feet long, about 4 1/2 feet tall and welded heavy wire. We put T posts at every point they joined and in the middle of each one (so every 8 feet). I just couldn't trust them, no matter how hot I got the fence or the placement of the wires or even the hair growing back from shaving. About three years ago they were about $22 a piece and I needed about 16 of them for their dry lot, but it was worth it.

I just couldn't go off to work always worrying if they were going to get out.

Jayne

 

[Bess Kelly]

Some learn early on to charge and will do so

Those who have been hit with it when thin coated -- and wet grass!!! -- rarely even test it again.

You may have to keep the breakout artist in the paddock enclosure while the others are allowed out into the wired area. At least until you can figure something else out.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Oh Duncan! Shame on you! Nikki, I had this trouble with Glow. He'd run any fence for female, he needed a harem (right Suzie?). What I did whilst trying to cope was buy a good fencer at an auction

, now I still have those fencers and if you'll pay shipping, I'll send it to you. let me know and kiss the Kinder child for me..pics are long past due

. I hope you all are doing well.

 

[frekles93]

[SIZE=12pt]Mine have fuzzy hair but they can feel my charger just fine. I just bought a new one because the last one was a pulsating one and my billy goat had NO respect for it. The new one charges 15 miles of fence. I had my stud try my fence once and I wet his hind end down and wet the ground where he was standing in water. Lets say he didn't try it a second time after he hit it that time. Maybe wet down the ground REALLY good then let them out... Are they RUNNING through?? or just pushing it then going through? If they run then there isnt much hope of keeping them in. They hit it so quick they dont feel it. Do you have just wire or polly tape?? Mine ran through the wire cause they could not see it... I put a strand of polly tape and they never ran through it again.[/SIZE]

April

 

[targetsmom]

I wonder how much it has to do with the long hair versus the fact the grass isn't tempting enough this time of year to keep them in. We have flexible vinyl fence, which is fine in the summer, but this time of year the smaller (sneakier) minis squeeze through the fence to get at the greener grass on the other side. Well, that is until we stopped putting them into that pasture! Green "hog panels" and 4 feet non-climb mesh fence keep them in.

 

[BlueEyedPony]

Thanks guys for all the responses! Debs, that is so generous of you! I'd be glad to pay shipping if you don't need it anymore, just let me know! The major problem I've encountered is not high speed running through the fence, but pushing little fuzzy heads against the bottom strand, trying to REACH for the littlest blade of grass. I think I'm going to try shaving Duncan's forehead and braiding his forelock to see if that helps. I've always had problems with him testing my fences, and he knows better than to touch it with his nose. He just doesn't feel it at all through all that fuzz on his forehead!