# Wondering about the push in fence poles for a horse fence?



## New horse mom (Dec 26, 2013)

Hello friends! I am a brand new horse mom having just gotten the 2 new beautiful guys in the avatar pic. 
So, of course I have tons of questions but my main one is about fencing...at this moment anyway.  We're putting together our main large pasture right now and we've been told about the electric wire and push in posts is easy and works fine. My husband got them yesterday and put about an acre of it around it but it seems so short to me. I didn't measure the push in posts but that's as high as it goes. I don't think it will be a problem for my mini and my big horse is 18 and not into jumping much I don't think so will this really be ok? Thank you for your advice. I'm on the coast of NC btw in case anyone else is my way.


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## alsea1 (Dec 26, 2013)

It should be fine. I have used them for years.


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## New horse mom (Dec 26, 2013)

Really? Ok well that will be great if so. We can do even more pasture at this rate and have 3 rotational pastures, which would really make me, and them, happy. But everything I do read says it should be either 4 1/2" or some say "to the withers of the tallest horse" etc. So much info my mind is kind of reeling.  But I am an info junkie (especially when it comes to my animals) so I like to get other opinions also. Thank you for your reply alsea1.


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## secuono (Dec 26, 2013)

One wire goes to the knee, other to the chest/neck connection, for both the mini and the horse. 
If they know hot wire and respect it, it is an easy fence and even 1 wire can work. But if they don't know it or don't care, they will get out w/o any trouble, no matter how many or how high you put them.


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## New horse mom (Dec 26, 2013)

secuono said:


> One wire goes to the knee, other to the chest/neck connection, for both the mini and the horse.
> If they know hot wire and respect it, it is an easy fence and even 1 wire can work. But if they don't know it or don't care, they will get out w/o any trouble, no matter how many or how high you put them.



Thanks for the info but that is where I'm kind of confused. All the step in posts are all 3ft & 2". Thats the highest the top wire would be. But at the places I'm going, they all say this is normal and they do offer more than one style but still, just over 3ft. That seems really low to me. Both are very respectful of a fence/wire so thank goodness for that. I' have a friend that keeps 5 horses in with these step in posts and has for 4 yrs.


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## alsea1 (Dec 26, 2013)

That's very true.
I get the strongest hot box I can.
But you do need to make sure the animal is taught to respect the wire.


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## New horse mom (Dec 26, 2013)

alsea1 said:


> That's very true.
> I get the strongest hot box I can.
> But you do need to make sure the animal is taught to respect the wire.


Ok thanks. I guess we'll give it a go! So excited to get them more room!


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## MDres (Dec 26, 2013)

Electric fence works because it is a "mental" barrier, not a "physical" barrier. If you are near a busy road, I would encourage you to have a stronger perimeter fence than just electric fence. Something that would stop them from getting into the road if they were to run into the fence. If you are in the middle of nowhere and the horses won't be in immediate danger if they get loose, then just the electric can work fine.

Electric wire is cheapest, but even smooth wire can be dangerous if a horse gets tangled in it. Tape is a bit costlier, but not as dangerous to the horse, and it has the added benefit of being more visible to humans and horses. A quick glance to a tape fenceline will tell you if it is "up" or if it has fallen down, even from several hundred feet away. You can't do that with wire.

You can do corners and angles with step-in posts, but they tend to lean. If you are able to use T-posts of wooden posts at the corners and angles, your fence will be tighter and look a lot nicer.

Don't assume that your 18 yr old horse won't jump the fence just because of his age. Eighteen is "middle aged" for most horses, not necessarily ancient at all. I have a 37 yr old gelding, and HE jumped my fence this summer (1 1/2" tape on white step-in posts). His buddys were in the other section from him, and he decided he wanted to be with them, too.

When you install your charger, be sure to read the instruction on whether or not it needs to be "indoors" vs. out in the elements. Some chargers are not meant to be outside.... Also, you will want good, long ground rods driven as far as possible into the ground. Many times, you need more than one, sometimes 3 or 4 ground rods. A lot depends on your soil and your fence. You can start with one, and add more as needed. They are simple to install onesy-twosy vs. all at once.

If you can't do a plug-in charger, you can look into solar. I have a Parmak solar that I have been using for several years now, and it packs a whallop - it will knock your socks off! It keeps it's charge even thru multiple days of cloudy weather.


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## MDres (Dec 26, 2013)

http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/new-to-electric-fencing.27468/#post-347417

The link above is another thread about electric fencing. I posted some pictures in that thread of my rotational pastures that I have used step-in posts on.


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## New horse mom (Dec 27, 2013)

MDres said:


> Electric fence works because it is a "mental" barrier, not a "physical" barrier. If you are near a busy road, I would encourage you to have a stronger perimeter fence than just electric fence. Something that would stop them from getting into the road if they were to run into the fence. If you are in the middle of nowhere and the horses won't be in immediate danger if they get loose, then just the electric can work fine.
> 
> Electric wire is cheapest, but even smooth wire can be dangerous if a horse gets tangled in it. Tape is a bit costlier, but not as dangerous to the horse, and it has the added benefit of being more visible to humans and horses. A quick glance to a tape fenceline will tell you if it is "up" or if it has fallen down, even from several hundred feet away. You can't do that with wire.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much MDres for all the info! And your pics! Your area looks wonderful! I can't hardly believe you have a 37 yr old horse!! But I did like hearing you say my horse is "middle age" because that is how I view him but so many gasp when I say I just bought an 18 yr old horse and ask me what Senior feed I have him on etc. He is so young acting and healthy that he is perfect for me at age 47 now finally getting my first horse. I haven't rode in 18 yrs so to me, he's perfect! And I don't like everyone calling him OLD but I guess its normal. I am definitely in the middle of nowhere so that is a plus as far as not being by the road. And we are doing wood posts on the corners. We definitely want a solar charger since it's kind of out there so I will look into the one you mentioned. I'm kind of scared of the electric fences myself, just need to get use to them like anything else. I don't want myself or my kids to ever accidentally get shocked. I don't know how bad it is but I of course don't want my kids, or any kids, to get hurt hurt. My poor dog has figured it out now after 4 hits.  I am sure I'll pop back on with more questions! Thank you again for your time!


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## Bunnylady (Dec 27, 2013)

When you get down to it, _most_ types of fencing are mental rather than physical barriers. I've known quite a few horses that were perfectly capable of jumping a 4-foot fence, but lived happily behind one. I've also know a few that proved they were capable of clearing the fence when suddenly, they weren't happy to be confined by it any more.

What's really obnoxious is the horse that knows it can knock down fences, and will do it whenever inspiration strikes. I've known a couple of those, and they can be very hard to contain. 

Most animals respect an electric fence. They don't understand how it does what it does, but they know they don't like it, and will avoid touching it - most of the time. I have had goats that occasionally felt a need to be on the other side of a multi-strand electric fence. They screamed bloody murder as they were going through it, but through they went! Because of that kind of pigheadedness, I prefer a solid fence for the perimeter, though inner fencing may be much less substantial.


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## Kitsara (Dec 27, 2013)

Oh my, goats can be pigheaded  My queen doe sliced her ear because she had to get into our neighbors cow pasture and she caught it on his barbed-wire fence. We now have them behind woven wire attached to 4x4 posts in the ground, stapled 5-6 times and with three strands of electric wire on the inside. Finally! They are letting themselves be contained.


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## secuono (Dec 27, 2013)

I use the white posts for horse fencing, pony has learned that when there's a row of white poles, a hot fence is there. I can now move the fence w/no wire on it and he will wait, thinking the wire is there on the white posts. 
I only use one strand, my mare knows hot wire and literally looks at it. She also has no interest in escape. The perimeter fence is 4ft woven wire, though. I could never have just the hot wire, pony will and does test it or sometimes slides right into it. He'd end up out and on the road if there was no solid fence.


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