,Electric fence ???Tape or wire?

[Cinm]

Ok the electric fence will be for 2 mini's what size polytape 1/2 inch,1",1.5" or 2 let me or should I go with the wire? and should I do 2 rows one on the bottom and one on the top and what height should it be?

 

[stormy]

Don't like the tape much, didn't last long out here, the filaments broke and it no longer carried a charge. had very good luck with the braided rope as a divider fence but would never use it as a permanent fence...sags. On the big pasture I have 5 strand tensile with 3 hot...very safe over the years and keeps them in!!

 

[little lady]

Ditto-in our experience tape doesn't hold up very well. We use the rope and really like it but there are different levels of quality. The lower quality will only last about a year and then frays and breaks.(at least that has been our experience) If streched tight as a rule we have had no problems with sagging. I have my Piant mare in two strands of rope 24/7 no problems but she totally respects the electric fence. I think you have to use your judgement on the particular horse as to whether or not you are willing to keep them in electric fence.

 

[Cinm]

I have read that rope they can't see it as clearly as the tape? also how high should it be?

 

[JMS Miniatures]

If I can redo my fencing I would choose the electrobraid fencing. For sure will never use the wire, it's just as bad as barbed wire IMO .

http://www.electrobraid.com/

 

[mini horse mania]

Poly wire is terrific also.we use fiberglass poles 15 ft apartand zip tie it..t posts for corner poles..its cheap..looks good and no sag..you can pull it by hand!

 

[Windhaven]

Well I have had 1.5" tape for years and have no complaint. I used it for 10 years in MI. It was well shaded and protected from the wind and sun and never had to replace it.

Now in GA I have had it for 5 years and it is out in the full sun and wind and still does it's job. It probably won't last as long as in MI but the conditions are more extreme GA. It has been 5 years and I expect to get at least 2 to 4 more years out of it.

If anything the insulators are what needs to be replaced, but not all at once.

It is highly visable for adults and babies.

I have used the step in plastic post but the sun and wind do take it's tole on them. But they do last for about 3 years.

I love this fence!

 

[Baptism]

We have used 16 ga. wire. It is thin enough to break if something gets tangled up in it. We tied survey tape on it at intervals and the horses learned to look for it to judge the new and old fence lines and also lets you check very easily to see your fence wires are still where they should be. We used a weed chopper fencer that would cut any weeds or brush that grew or leaned against it. The bottom strand was kept hot because it kept animals like dogs, coyotes, wolves, etc. out of the pasture.

 

[Bess Kelly]

I have mostly no climb but, wasn't always like that and I also use hot wire along that fence to keep butts off!

When I use a temporary area, that is hot wire only. As others have said, each has it's pro/con issues. If I am putting it up for a few yr effort, then I like to use wire on one or two strands and a poly for visual. I, too, use the tied on colored tape "flags" and the animals know at once to stay away. This works well when I want to partion a large area to help rest some grass. Isn't as neat & pretty as the poly tape for demarkation but, effective. So I choose where to put the combo partly based on where the fence will be and how long. I have a section at the front that has been in wire for 2 yrs but, only daytime use....they go back to other fenced areas at night. That area will be refenced with wood posts and poly tape next Spring -- LOL Want some more permanence to the look but not ready to commit to the harder to remove rolled fence product.

Over the years we have all replaced fence -- almost every kind you can mention!! -- cost, permanance, lay of land and surrounding properties, sex and attitude and number of animals all play a part in our decisions. So, consider the great input from all and apply it to your own situation..........best of luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[Jean_B]

I now have electro-braid and love it. They see it, it's easy to maintain, lasts longer and looks much better than the tape. Tape tends to catch the wind, flutter, stretch and ends up looking like sin because it sags - and if you have to repair a section, you tend to lose conductivity.

Years ago I had high-tensile wire and it was hard for them to see.

 

[Barnmother]

We put up 1 1/2" electrical tape, white 10 years ago and it is still working great. We live in NW montana and the temps go from -22 in winter to over 100 in the summer, we have lots of snow in the winter and it has still held up great. Not quite as white as it was originally but still white and visible. Ours was originally put up for large horses so three strands tall spaced about 18" apart starting about 20" from the ground. We don't let foals out into the main pasture until they are large enough not to walk under it. We use a smaller area, with step in posts and four strands for mares and foals.

 

[Minimor]

For years we used the standard thin 'electric wire' that was all that was available--when the high tensile wire came along we never changed over ad that stuff was just too hard to work with. I also knew of a few horse's that got injured from it when they ran into it so it is not something I would ever use. The old thin sort of electric wire served us well--we would put flags on it when putting new horses out in it, once in awhile someone still ran through it but it wasn't going to do damage to anyone that did go through it.

Now we use the white poly rope fencing. It is much more visible, stands up well, conducts current well and is easy to splice. I was told not to use the wide tape as out here in the open it will blow and twist too much.

 

[Nitsirk]

• Great post - thanks guys - we are just looking at setting up our fence and were wondering what to get - we will likely have 2 minis and need to get an area set up for them!
  

 

[Miniv]

We have the 1 1/2 tape for cross fencing......MUCH more visible than wire, or even rope. It's coming on 7 years at this place without a problem. I'd recommend more than just two lines, though. We have a minimum of four.