Semi permanent electric fence for horses?

[phylodog]

So I've got two pastures which run approx 1.75 acres each. I also have a piece of ground next to them which isn't fenced in but has plenty of grass on it, especially compared to my other two pastures. I'm starting to research the most cost effective means of fencing that piece in. If I split it into two secions to save a little on fencing costs I'll be doing approx 500' of fence.

I'm considering the 2" wide poly tape figuring it will be more visible to the horses. There is also a visible break via a mowed path around the perimeter of these areas. Will 2 rows of 2" poly tape be sufficient? Keep in mind that my horse Murphy is over 18 hands high but he's a big sissy, if it hits him once he won't soon forget it.

I don't have power run out there so I'm looking at solar chargers, any problems to look out for?

I'm trying to decide if I should buy steel T posts or if I can go with some sort of step in type. I don't see us leaving the horses out in the side pasture at night. Once it starts staying below freezing most of the time they spend nights in the barn anyway.

Anyone experienced with these things and want to offer a newbie some advice or do's/dont's? I'd love to fence it in proper but being a covid vax employment victim money is tight.

 

[Magyars]

Only advice I can offer is that T post are a PITA to get out of the ground...best way I have found is to use a farm jack and chain...but it is time consuming.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Here you go phylo. You just need to order the 12XL collar for each of your horses, and then you can just use your cell phone to fence them in!

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[dak109]

T-posts aren’t horse friendly unless you cap them. The electric tape is only good for a couple of years tops. Step in poles aren’t worth messing with.
Have used a battery powered fence charger. Works as long as you keep it charged. No experience with solar powered.

 

[71silverbullet]

Livestock fence isn't the place to cut corners. Wood fence posts and woven wire will make you and the horses much happier. Like dak said t-posts are good at causing injuries to horses.
Try to think of worst case scenarios when building your fence, Murphys law of you will. Horses are sometimes spooked easily, could be as small as a bird or their shadow. If spooked the poly tape won't contain them. Look for places they could get themselves, (leg, hoof, tail etc) entangled. Also keep in mind they like to rub or scratch themselves on posts so careful of sharp edges.

 

[tmschuller]

A smaller solar charger with the poly tape with the springs as part of it
Many brands and types to choose from. Good advice given. It’s a start.
I have wooden and t posts.. but know of someone that lost a horse to it coming down on the post. Bad day. He thought his hose had been shot.. point of entry should have told him that wasn’t correct.
The deer wreck my fences and posts. Had a 3.5” wood post snapped by a deer hitting the fence. Have to redo mine this winter so look to see how you do yours.

 

[mike trible]

We use the solar powered fence chargers, have two going now that we have had for about 5 years with no problems. I even test them sometimes when I get careless. We use 6x6 wood posts for corner posts, but use T posts with caps for line posts , have the whitw rope instead of the whitw tape. Putting T posts in and removing them are easy if you have a bucket on the front of your tractor, one person in the driver seat, and one to hold the posrtand direct the driver. Turn the bucket all the way over to the dump position, bring the bucket over the the top of the T post, while one person holds the post to keep it verticle, the driver pushes it down with the hydralics. After the first couple and both people get the hang of it, it is easy. I attach a tow strap to the bucket and wrap it around the T posts and pull them straight up to take them out.