Horse Fencing For Beginners: Three Tips For A Whinnying Seal Of Approval

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The wish for a horse has appeared on the Santa list of many children over the years. If Santa is planning to reward your little boy or girl this coming Christmas, you will need to get a paddock ready for its arrival. To keep a horse contained, you need the right type of fence. Before you spend your money on an enclosure that is going to have your new family member hanging their head in shame, learn more about what you need to keep your equine friend protected.

Fence Height

No matter why size pony or horse you buy, a horse fence should be at least 1.5 metres tall. There are several reasons for this:

• Horses will jump fences when they are spooked by loud noises or bad weather. A fence that is at least 1.5 metres tall will deter them from doing this.
• If your paddock is on a road front, a higher fence will discourage those passing by to stop and feed your horses. Obesity problems can result when horses are fed more than they need. Laminitis, for example, is a painful hoof problem which can be brought on by obesity, so it is important that a controlled diet is available to the animal.

Fence Material

While wood is traditionally used for horse paddock fencing, it does require regular replacing as it begins to deteriorate due to weather. A great horse fence material to consider is tubular fencing. This product works well because:

• The tube fencing is made out of steel, which is extremely strong. This lowers the chances of your horse bolting through the fence when in a state of panic.
• Tube fencing can be painted with powder coating in virtually any colour that you like before it is erected. The powder coating paint job is resistant to continuous onslaughts of bad weather. This makes it low maintenance as you will not have to repaint it every year like a wood fence.
• Tube fencing is welded together to prevent corrosion from occurring.
• Tube fences can be purchased in a rounded shape, so there are no sharp edges that could cause harm to the horse.
• There are no exposed nails in tube fencing that could potentially hurt your horse if they get loose.
• Tube fencing is available in a number of different designs. If you choose to continue the tube fencing theme around the house, you can even incorporate helpful features like steel tube automatic gates to keep your property secure.

Tubular fencing is a strong, cost-effective way of keeping your horse contained in a paddock. It is also attractive to look at, which adds to the overall value of your property.

Electric or Not?

The final point you should consider before erecting a new fence in your paddock is whether you are going to electrify it or not. An electric fence should only be used for horses that have no respect for a fence line. For example, if you find that your horse spends a lot of time at the fence and is constantly pushing against it, electrifying it for a time will teach the horse to stand back away from it.

Do remember, however, that if you do have an electric fence, this must be turned off if you child is in the paddock riding the horse. If the horse touches the fence and gets a fright, they could rear or bolt. This will send your child flying into the air for a possibly painful landing.

Now that you know the important facts about building the perfect fence for your child's Christmas gift, you just have to think of a way to get it done without raising your child's curiosity. Do not forget to buy a beautiful big bow for the neck of the new horse on Christmas Day, and a pair of ear plugs for yourself to help muffle the delighted squeals of excitement you will no doubt be hearing on December 25.

17 November 2014