# Perimeter Fence Questions



## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

About a year and a half ago DH and I bought property and we have been tackling 1 project at a time, turning it into our dream property. This spring/summer we are tackling the perimeter fence. We are putting up post and rail, with rails inside.
My husband is insistent that the rails are 2x but I am pretty certain all the corrals I am around (I work for USDA and am out in fields a lot) are 1x, but I could be judging wrong, it's not like I measure each board.

What are your post and rail fences like? 4x4 or 6x6? 2x or 1x boards?
Thanks all!


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Generally posts are either 4x or 6x but generally see 4x, when bigger than that in my area they are usually old rail road ties. I've never seen anything but 1x for rails, you could use 2x's if you wanted I guess.


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## MysticTrev (Oct 2, 2013)

Yeah, I'd have to agree with your husband and Darrin up there. Most rails are 1x's.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

I can't even begin to explain how happy that makes me! 1x is much more economical...plus I love being right 
We are getting some lumber donated from a family member so I am waiting to hear back what the dimensions are and how much he is giving us. I would like the fence to be somewhat uniform in appearance.
Thanks for the input.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

First, I found an article to help get you started:
How to Build a Horse Fence: A Step by Step Guide
You will Want 8 inch diameter, 8 foot tall posts. I have them on my property and I have 4 acres fenced in. (I bought pipe fencing.)
You will want 2 ft. x 12 ft. horizontal boards, although I really like the look of the long posts used AS boards, too.
REMEMBER: *BOARDS go on the INSIDE of your FENCE!!!*
The BO bought fencing from a horse place that went under, used them to fence in the paddock that I rented, and where he put them on the outside of the posts, the horses leaned on them and they came loose.
You can break your arms using a slam in the ground and pull apart post hole digger. I much prefer an auger--sorry can't find a picture of mine, which is not electric--BUT you can rent one that runs on gas, and save yourself a LOT of labor.
You put the 8 ft. post 3 ft. into the ground. The gravel sounds great, but I've pulled up 60yo posts from one of the previous farmers who fenced the property in for cattle and the below ground wood wasn't rotten. I think they try to sell you this to get you to buy more stuff. The ONLY rotten posts were those set in cement. (DON'T get me started on the broken off metal fencepost supports set 3 ft in cement that I've had to remove!!!!)
Always buy treated wood, but honestly, it's about the safest material you can find.
ONE MORE THING: Something I never would have thought to do but a previous owner DID--
Fence in an area in front of your barn. Horses make a beeline for an open gate. I cannot tell you how many times in the last 15 years I've had a horse escape to that area (we call it "The Inner Sanctum") when I wasn't home, and I didn't loose him to a busy highway.
In addition, We have separate turnouts and a small (55 ft x 65 ft.) area that used to be a garden, but is now a training area. We have a rectangular 3 acre North pasture, the training area, the area in back of the barn, the Inner Sanctum, and a 3/4 acre South Pasture. It REALLY helps to not just have one big fenced in spot. My 3 horses do not NEED all of that space, so you can start much smaller, and then add on.
Hope this helps!


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Corporal said:


> You put the 8 ft. post 3 ft. into the ground.


HAHAHAHA, sorry, I shouldn't laugh, but this makes me giggle. I will pay someone to be able to get a post that deep where I am at. Oh, that would be awesome, but it is virtually impossible!

Seriously now, thank you for all your tips. I appreciate it all. My biggest pet peeve is people putting rails on the outside of the fence. It may look "nicer" but I have seen plenty of boards pop off from a horse just leaning on the fence.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

This is where electric comes in, string a strand along the top and they wont be leaning on the top rail. If they start pushing the bottom rail then toss another strand down there. Nothing like spending a lot of money on an expensive fence just to allow the horses to push it over trying to reach grass on the other side.


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## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

1X don't have the strength to hold a mini in. A 1x is actually more likely only 3/4". If someone is out there building a fence with only 1X, my guess is they aren't horse people. I would do a minimum 2x6. If this is your forever property, do it once and do it right. Your perimeter fence needs to be your best fence. I don't care as much if they get out and wander around the property but I sure don't want them out wandering the streets.

If you put in 4x4 posts when you join 2 boards, that only give you about 1 1/2" to nail to. Too easy to split the board when you nail that close to the end of the board.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

I love how I am getting support to both sides of the arguement! I see both sides. Now I can't wait to see what is being given to us. I have been to the ranch the fencing is coming from (it is extra that wasn't used) and for the life of me I can't remember what was used. I am pretty sure it was 6x6 8' PT square posts and 2x6 boards. Which means a lot of $$$$ to match it, but I agree, safety is top priority. Luckily 1 side of our property already has posts (but no rails) so that helps.

Another question: If the rails are on the inside, how do you do the corners? Stagger them? Two posts? Blocks? Nail to the outside for the corners only?


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I would butt them up against each other. It won't matter if you get a small inch or two gap.


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## MysticTrev (Oct 2, 2013)

karliejaye said:


> I will pay someone to be able to get a post that deep where I am at.


If you have a Bobcat rental place near you rent a bobcat with a Post Driver attachment. TOTALLY worth the money! We put in over 120 posts in less than 3 hours. The bottom half of our land is nothing but rock so we put a point on the bottom of each pole before we drove it into the ground. If it did hit rock most times it either went around it or pushed it out of the way. 

Cost us almost $600 for an all day rental but we also needed it to hull stuff around. You could get away with renting it for a half day. Something to think about.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

We are already going to rent an auger. 
See, when we put up the pole barn we hired a guy with a hydraulic auger to come do the holes. 8 holes total took 4.5 hours and the deepest one was 32 inches....we literally don't have that much soil before hitting continuous very hard bed rock.

ETA, after about 15inches you hit hard pan and boulders, then at about 24 inches it is bed rock.  That's why a lot of fences have rock cradles and underground jack legs around here.


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## MysticTrev (Oct 2, 2013)

Oh WOW! Yeah sounds like auger is the best way to go in that situation. I feel for ya!


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I am sure that you'll figure out the posts. Be sure to post pictures when you're done! =D


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

I will! I should snap some pics of the posts that are along the back of the property. They are ridiculously huge. Bigger than railroad ties, but covered in creosote like rr ties. The guy who lived at the neighbor's place before the neighbors did was a heavy machine operator and supposedly he got them in trade for a job. The neighbor's fence is made from them but he never finished the part that backs up to our property.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

karliejaye said:


> I will! I should snap some pics of the posts that are along the back of the property. They are ridiculously huge. Bigger than railroad ties, but covered in creosote like rr ties. The guy who lived at the neighbor's place before the neighbors did was a heavy machine operator and supposedly he got them in trade for a job. The neighbor's fence is made from them but he never finished the part that backs up to our property.


I haven't seen it myself but a friend of a friend's fence was put up by her non horse husband. He works for the highway department so the fence is made out of guard railing and the posts they use to attach the railing too. Guess it's one heavy duty fence and he made the gaits using the same material...to say the least she's quite irate with her husband for those heavy gates.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Darrin, I see you are from Oregon, too. Is this friend of a friend in Eugene? I grew up there and vaguely remember a fence looking like guard rails.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Nah, she's in central Oregon somewhere.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Nickers2002 (Nov 25, 2009)

Left Hand Percherons said:


> 1X don't have the strength to hold a mini in. A 1x is actually more likely only 3/4". If someone is out there building a fence with only 1X, my guess is they aren't horse people. I would do a minimum 2x6. If this is your forever property, do it once and do it right. Your perimeter fence needs to be your best fence. I don't care as much if they get out and wander around the property but I sure don't want them out wandering the streets.
> 
> If you put in 4x4 posts when you join 2 boards, that only give you about 1 1/2" to nail to. Too easy to split the board when you nail that close to the end of the board.


Every farm I've been at uses 1x6. My property has 1x6 with an electric top rope. It was like than when we bought it last year and haven't had an issue. My gelding likes to destroy things and hasn't had a problem in fencing like this. Honestly, I don't know anyone that uses 2x. Oh, and they originally had drafts here with the 1x.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Huzzah! This girl is uber excited! We got confirmation from the family member that they have triple what we need in lumber and found out they went super sized since they were housing studs and broodmares. So it will be a hefty fence of 6x6 square posts and 2x8 rails! No breaking out for these horses.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Though now I have to find a way to transport the lumber, since what we need is over the capacity for a U-Haul box truck...time to find a contractor I think


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Just thought of yet another question...
How far down do you put the lowest board? I don't want stuck legs!


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## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

If you put the bottom of the lower board even with the top of the knee or higher, you shouldn't ever have that problem


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Most Home Depots have a flat bed you can rent. 

Spacing conundrum. To high and they get their head under the board. If you go to low then the spacing is to wide or you have to add an extra row. Personally I like my fences about 8" off the ground to prevent the going under syndrome.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

We estimate the load will weigh 8-9 ton...isn't that too heavy for an average truck and flatbed? Honest question, I have no clue about max loads...and no truck at the moment.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

karliejaye said:


> We estimate the load will weigh 8-9 ton...isn't that too heavy for an average truck and flatbed? Honest question, I have no clue about max loads...and no truck at the moment.


My bosses one ton dually can handle 16,000 lbs well, including the weight of flat bed trailer. 

Even if using a one ton truck, I would split a load that heavy. Going is real doable. But, you'll notice a big difference when stopping.


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## Sangria2 (Mar 29, 2014)

karliejaye said:


> We estimate the load will weigh 8-9 ton...isn't that too heavy for an average truck and flatbed? Honest question, I have no clue about max loads...and no truck at the moment.



We have hired rollbacks to carry sawmill lumber, utility bldngs, etc, and of our heavy loads. Check with the towing companies in your area.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Got a trucking company scheduled for the last week in May! The quotes we got were all over the board, from $4,000 to $750 for the 250 mile haul...talk about variability!
Now I'm trying to find a driller/digger, but where I am at there is rimrock escarpments, so a lot of cantractors won't touch it  Anyway, I have 3 scheduled to come look at it and give estimates.

Now, another question, which I am sure I am overthinking: *How far apart do you have the boards? *I don't want the horses to get their big heads stuck, but we also have limited materials.
Does this sound right: 5 foot posts with the rails (8" wide) 12" apart? This would make it 12" from ground to bottom of the lowest rail? We are planning on having 3 rails and 1 board on top of the posts (like a cap).


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

A sketch to clarify what I sloppily described above:


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

We have three 2x6 rails on 4x4 posts.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

This is the safest horse fencing there is. I put the electric on 5 inch extenders, top and middle of the fence because I have one who loves to drag down mesh. Unlike the picture, I fasten the mesh to the boards and the posts so she can't just walk up and put one big old foot on it and squish. 










Post and rail will get chewed to toothpicks by the beavers, er horses, if it's not electrified.

Most of the post and rail I've seen around here looks like this:


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

The lumber is here! The lumber is here! A few of the bottom rows need to be tossed, and the exteriors of the bundles are weathered, but inside they are nice and protected and not rotten or anything. Now comes the hard work!

Does anyone have any photos of their fence corners if they have boards on the inside? Or does anyone have photos or suggestions of how to attach the boards on 135 degree angled corner?


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

The fence building has begun. After consulting with a few different local experts, we opted to dig holes with a jack hammer (dig as far down as we can with shovels and a polaski, then hit the durapan and bedrock with the hammer). Oh mylanta! It is HARD work. We got 10 holes done this weekend...about 50 more to go for the upper half of our property :shock:

But I have to say, it is sturdy and it looks beautiful. We are going to be putting 1 more rail up and lopping the tops of the post off and adding a horizontal rail "cap"


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## Jasonh (Jun 23, 2014)

KarlieJaye- On the corners I bring one end outside the corner post and the other side, inside the post. It works great and looks more professional. I have 4x4 posts and 1x6 corral boards for the rails. I have the 4x4's 8 ft apart and the corral boards are 16ft in length. Works great! I also have 6x6 posts and 2x6 rails dividing paddocks but they pay about as much attention to the 1x6 as they do to the 2x6. I also use 6x6 at the gates for more reinforcement.


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