# Field and arena fencing



## back in the crosby again (Feb 4, 2009)

I am looking at fencing in our approximately 8 acre front pasture as part of phase one to get ready for a horse. The basic shape is a long rectangle. Depending on what I can find at the time I will use either t-posts with caps or wood posts. Prices seem to be fluctuating on wood posts around here. I will have at least one strand of hot tape on top with 3 or 4 strands of smooth wire under that. Before I get started I am going to need to get a good measurement of the area I want to do. I am going to break it up into 5 acres in front with the pond in it, and a 2 acre paddock towards the house and the barn (which will be built in phase 3). Somewhere in this I want a arena. There is a good large flat bit on one side of the 5 acre front pasture. I want to have a 100 by 200 arena with a few jumps.

How should I separate the arena from the pasture? Could I use the same fencing? If not how could I do a transition.


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## shmurmer4 (Dec 27, 2008)

hmm. I'll be back.


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## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

Our arena is fenced with pipe.. but 2 sides of it are connected with a pasture. Its not a big issue with pasture horses bothering riders in the arena... we just ignor them.


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## back in the crosby again (Feb 4, 2009)

Yeah, I would love to have pipe fencing, but it is not in my budget. Do you think the type of fencing that I am planning to use for the pasture would be ok for the arena?


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## back in the crosby again (Feb 4, 2009)

Anyone have an opinion??:-|


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## LacyLove (Feb 12, 2009)

i think that would be fine, thats how our arena is


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I know a lot of folks are anti wire but in a large pasture I see no problem with it since there wont be any crowding. I have a 7 acre pasture that has pipe corners/braces and Tposts with barbless wire. I have an arena/dry lot of about 2 acres that is the same pipe corners T posts and woven (not welded) wire horse fence. Its worked great for us. Our driveway runs down between the two so there is separation.
Sorry I'm adding to this...YOu can see a corner of our dry lot area in my avatar. thats a corner and the rest is Tpost and woven wire. I'll add a photo taken from the pasture side with the driveway seperation sorry its not great but its the best I have. You could use wood for the corners too.


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## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

My pastures are cross fenced with t-posts and barbless wire and its topped with electric wire. All my stretcher posts are pipe. 

I would never use wire or t-post around an arena area (I'm visualizing impailment right about now).. I would use a 4 or 5 ft wood posts with a single wooden top rail.


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## Dumas'_Grrrl (Apr 2, 2008)

I would highly suggest using electrical string instead of tape. 2 reasons, the tape gets lots of abuse from the wind and sun. So IMO it wears out much faster than the string. 2nd reason is that the string is SO so SO easy to work with. Literally a pair of scissors and a few knots later, you're hot and ready to go.

I'll add a picture of the string I'm talking about, ignore the ice around it, that was from this past storm, but it's a really good pic of the string.








I have had to patch this string where the tractor got ahold of it on accident and broke it, it was as easy as tying 2 knots. I HIGHLY recommend it. I know the tape is sold because of it's high visibility...but horses aren't stupid. They saw this hot wire just fine.


We had about 1 acre fenced off with this hot wire. It did a great job. We used the plastic push in the ground type posts and 2 strands of wire. Never had a problem with it. After a while the horses didn't even test it. There were many days/weeks/months when we didn't even have it plugged in.


As far as how to break up the farm...I dunno. I do like the suggestion of the Arena being wooden posts with a top rail.....MUCH safer IMO.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I'm in total agreement with Dumas about the tape. If you live somewhere that the wind blows at all then the tape is a mess and catches the wind very easily. the rope like what she's talking about is much sturdier and easier to work with if you plan on putting in hot wire.


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## ShowJumpLife (Jan 17, 2009)

post and rail the area your wanting to put the arena in, the last thing you want is a hot arena fence lol.


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## hotreddun (Jun 27, 2008)

I think with the big 100X200 arena that will be fine. If it was a smaller arena the wire and t posts would be inappropriate. But for a jumping arena your not going to be riding on the rail much anyway.


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