# Fence height choice



## ThinkIcan (Feb 22, 2019)

Ok, we are getting ready for our first at-home horse ownership experience! So after lots of research, we are settled on no-climb horse fence, but now to the height. It seems the recommendations I see for horse fences are between 54" and 60". The no-climb appears to only be offered in 48" or 60" heights.

I like the security of the 5' and we are installing new, so it is an option, but it seems really high. I don't want the place to look like a prison! Also, how do you manage poles? Do you buy 9 wood posts to get to frost line (we are in Michigan here). How many of you have this height? Are you happy with it?

Option 2 I am considering is the 4' with poles set to 54" and a braided rope placed at the top. Has anyone done this? Seems like it could help add to the fence visibility and if we need to electrify, the material is basically there. Again, thoughts?

Finally, ss it just me, or weird that no one recommends a 4 ft fence for horses, but they sell no-climb horse fence at 4'? Why not 4.5'?


----------



## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

The 4' height is for people who need a 5" fence and put a top rail on it. Most no-climb fencing has a rail/plank on the top for visibility. If you get the 5' height and add a rail, you're at 6' fence, which is safer for sport horses, stallions, and yearlings.

If you have 2 gentle Quarter Horses 14.3 hands high who respect fences, the lower height is probably ok. If you plan on having a stallion, warmbloods/TBs, or youngsters, the taller the better. A horse will lean over a 4' fence unless you put electric on top. I've never heard anyone complain they made their fences too high, but plenty complain that they wish they'd made their fences taller. Most horses will not bother trying to lean over a fence 5' or taller. Also, a lower fence will get you by in a large area sparsely populated by horses, but a smaller paddock with several horses should have a tall, strong fence as it will have a lot more pressure on it. 

If it were me and the cost difference wasn't a dealbreaker, I'd go with the taller fence and still put something visible on top like a plank, vinyl belt, or electrobraid. A taller fence is also better for resale. Go for 9' posts minimum. A wire fence is under pressure, and you'll need them deep enough not to heave in the winter, so they need to go below the frost line. My parents' farm has wire mesh field fencing on 9-10' posts that was put in about 1920 and it's still a functional fence. I wouldn't use 8' posts in the upper midwest where it freezes unless you're using metal t-posts that are easy to hammer in if they move. The additional costs and effort using 9' posts will be worth it in longevity, especially if it's windy in your area. The wind really puts a lot of pressure on posts with a no-climb fence. 

Two things to consider:
1.) Make sure the fence height is legal on your property. Some rural and semi-rural areas have minimum and maximum fence heights one must adhere to, even for livestock fencing.
2.) No-climb fence stops A LOT of snow, and in Michigan, you're likely to have it blow and drift completely over the fences in the winter. Have a contingency plan to either raise the fence height with electric tape and additional posts, or snowblow out inside the fencing so the horses can't walk over it. Here in Iowa, even a 4-strand high-tensile wire fence will stop enough snow that the horses can walk over it on the drifts. It seems impossible, but it happens every winter. A pasture gate wide enough to get a tractor and blower through is essential, and make sure it's situated somewhere you can easily dig it out to get it open. The gate should be at least as high as the fence. A big gate is a pain for daily use in the winter, though, so put your big gate in where it can be easily accessed when needed, and a smaller 4' or 5' gate in for daily use.


----------



## rmissildine (Feb 1, 2019)

I agree with SilverMaple. Since you're in Michigan, you'll need to get below the frost line. If you use T-posts, a T-post driver is not expensive, although does require some muscle. If you're using wooden post, I hope you have a tractor with an auger. Post hole diggers, digging a 3' hole will require a heap of work and a bunch or time. I also agree with the the height of the fence, the taller the better depending on the horse.

As SilverMaple said and you too, regardless of your choice, put something on the top for the horses to see. We have two strands of hot wire set at 3' and 4' above the ground with construction plastic strapping tied every so often, usually one or two pieces along the top between the posts, hanging down a few inches so the horses can see it. But again, our horses are dead broke, and we've never had a problem with them attempting to, or running through the fence.


Good luck with your fencing


----------



## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

We have 5' nonclimb with 1x6 boards top and bottom. On the recommendation of a lifelong horsewoman I made sure that the lower board was less than a foot off the ground. But that is only for the stall runs. The pastures are electric braid, 4 strands on t-posts and trees. I have small horses. 

The smaller the paddock the bigger and safer the fence has to be.


----------



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

My fence is set at 56" high.
Corner posts are 8' long, then we have brace posts...these are set at 4' distance and 2 on each side...so corner and 2 brace poles for each corner with a horizontal l-l-*l-*l-l is how it looks.
This allows you to tighten your fence but not move your posts.
Line posts, those that go between the corners are 6.5' long...
My corner posts measure 7" - 8" diameter, my line posts are 4.5" - 5.5" diameter...
All my fence posts where I have no-climb horse fence are 8' on center so then my top board which is a 1x6x16' hits on a post every 8' evenly.
If you are running hundreds of feet of fence, occasionally adding those cross-strengthening posts like you did with the corner adds strength and no post shift.

The wire fence is 48" high...do look around as there is marked difference in quality of the fence itself and knots that hold the wires are made differently = strength and no sharp edges.
Your looking for "gauge" of wire = thicker stronger fencing. 12 gauge is thicker than 14 gauge...this is because in manufacturing the wire is drawn through dyes, a type of reduction tool...the more times it is drawn through the thinner the wire becomes.
My fence is 12 gauge wire.
So...
Pressure treated posts are a must no matter where you live...or if you can get locust it is superior is what I've been told.
I use PT...there are different saturation levels so the more saturation the better the protection.
Many concrete posts, but then you are not removing to replace it unless you dig the entire thing out at a later time if it breaks.
Determine how high your fence is truly needed to be and whether you are going to top-rail the fence or not..
Set your fence line and string a string tight so your fence is straight...make appropriate bends as and if needed where they are needed.
Mark your posts so you know exactly how much needs buried with a clearly seen mark/paint as each post may be slightly different in height.
Now dig each hole centered on that marked string...
We sank ours in dirt, we leveled, back-filled and tamped the dirt tight and added small amounts of water at the same time so it solidified the post in place darn solid.
Once all the posts were in place we unrolled the wire, added the anchor devices to the rolled out lengths we could manage so we could stretch it tight and then nailed it in place with burred fence staples.
We placed our fence 1" above the ground...then at the top we met top-board and fence with a 1" overlap so no "open" seen space the horses would try to put their heads through.
That top board not only keeps my horses from reaching over, bending the fence for _"greener grass on the other side of the fence :icon_rolleyes:"_, it also is a visual barrier so they see the fence when they are running full tilt around the pasture playing they not collide.
It also is a deterrent as it is high enough that people not bother to try feeding the ponies...:|
Unless you have horses who are accustomed to jumping 4' fences or breeding animals then to go higher is really not needed... Then again, if you have 17 hand horses, 5' fence would be to me a necessity.
My horses are right around 16 hands and they are nicely contained behind my fence. They can put their head over, but the fence is to high to put chest to and push easily without choking themselves.
Our fence is black coated so it lasts longer, cost a bit more but do not plan to do this job for near 20 years again...black fence also fools your eye and turns invisible when you look at it...hence another need for top rail!!

Always string your wire fence _*inside*_ your posts, so the wire goes to the inside of your paddock/pasture as well as any top board or electric wire so any leaning body leans against the support of fence posts...or they can easily push the fence right off the fence posts and be wandering. :evil:
Remember you need to allow for gates and place them where you want them.
At the locations of gates...you again need corner posts for support as you will not only be hanging heavy gates that do sag when not supported enough, but you will be again starting to string and tighten wire that is not done correctly will sag and be a dangerous hazard to your horses limbs and hooves.
I've seen some fence installation company do a slant cut for water/snow/ice deterrent on top of the posts. I don't know if it works or not, just something I've seen.

Enjoy your project...
Do shop around for product and don't be afraid to ask for price matching and discounts as near every retailer will do this for your $$ and business.

If you should decide to do plank fencing the spacing of posts need to be different for optimum strength.
You also can safely use 1"x6"x12' when properly supported and staggered joints. 
I have done that kind of fencing and it might be overkill what I did but I know for fact that my fence will stop a herd of cattle from sampling another field of grass they so wanted...let me know and I'll share those dimensions too. :smile:
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


----------



## ThinkIcan (Feb 22, 2019)

Great fence info. Thanks everyone!

btw, went to the store to check out the fencing. Redbrand seems to be the common choice around here, and seems to have good wire gauge, top/bottom listed 10 gauge, filler 12. The 5' did not seem imposingly high, and since i would like to try to get by w/o electrification, and given the replies, that is my direction. now to find those darn longer posts...


----------

