It has been a while since I blogged about horse fence and how some types are inherently more dangerous to any horse, no matter how calm, gentle, old, smart, etc.

Researching for my recent entry about irresponsible breeding brought me to a photo that, well, explains a lot.



This isn't the worst fence I've seen, by far, but it is not safe for pony foals just about small enough to walk under it, nor is it adequate to keep stallions separated from mares and fillies they shouldn't be breeding.

One strand of electric wire is nearly invisible. It is too high for the smallest of them, yet any lower and it would be too low for the taller animals.

I've shared in the past some grisly photos of accidental impalement on uncapped T-posts. It's not pretty, and can easily be fatal if not simply gory and expensive to treat and heal.

There are safer fence options that don't cost a whole lot more than this and are not terribly difficult to install.

XP

P.S. It is also unsafe to turn out a horse with a nylon halter with no emergency break-away. Horses can get hung up on fence posts, trees, or their own hind hoof while trying to scratch, and playful foals are particularly in danger of becoming snared on another horses' halter that is too strong to break when either animal panics.

Our first guest blogger!

The first contribution was so good, I don't really have to add anything myself.—XP

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Three strand high tensil wire fence, electrified. Wooden corners and t-posts.

Pros—Hard to break, it stretches instead of breaking when a horse or deer runs into it. Horses usually stay away because it's electrified 24/7.

Cons—Legs can get caught, horses can slip thru, and the wires can break under extreme pressure, resulting in cuts and dragging wire. Visibility is very low because the wire is thin.



All of our t-posts are uncapped, unsafe, but they were capped once many moons ago. Horses stay away from the fence, caps kept breaking due to weather, so we left them bare vs. shards laying in the pasture, never had any issues.

We do tie flags on the top and middle wire to increase visibility for the horses, and we always walk new horses around the edges before turning them loose, and horse by horse allow them to get acquainted to prevent any psychotic running that may result in a horse thru the fence.

All in all I think the fence is safe enough to keep horses in and prevent major injuries.

The 3 wires are spaced like they are for a good reason, each wire does a different thing.

• Wire 1 keeps horses in/out.
• Wire 2 keeps foals in/out as well as larger dogs and other livestock.
• Wire 3 keeps out dogs, keeps foals in, and also keeps out any other predators.

Any animal trying to get in or out will be shocked by our 100 mile fencer located on just 7 acres, about a 1/2 mile of fencing.

—A.

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Thanks again for your contribution. You covered the cons that I would have mentioned, and explained what you were doing to compensate for those factors.—XP

Looking for your photos.

First, I want to thank Morgue File for existing, as I've used a great deal of content from that site. I'm in the process of submitting my own content to Morgue File as a way to give back to the community for sharing their work for free.

Second, I would like to receive new photos for critique. I am happy to leave the photographer anonymous or provide proper credit, as noted. This is meant to be an educational site—for reference—and especially for the new horse owner who might not realize the danger posed by certain types of traditional fence.

Please post the image(s) to Photobucket, and post the Direct Link in the blog post comments below.

Thanks,
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Invisible fence?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this fence (that you probably didn't see right away, keep looking) is not safe for most horses, and especially not young foals.

This is two strands of a lightweight electric wire fence.

When I first saw the original photo (which includes a lovely and very pregnant mare) on a public message board, I expressed my concern that, as-is, this fence is not safe for a young foal.

My concern was not exceptionally well received by all members of that Web community.

I understand that replacing fence is not always an option. Regardless, if nothing else, the existing fence could be tightened and marked with colorful tape or cloth to increase safety and visibility. I believe that when all was said and done, this is what happened, and I hope mare and foal remain safe.

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What makes horse fence safe?

I'm going to share a site whose author backs up pretty much everything I've been saying.

Here's a few tips I found at Five Star Ranch about good horse fence:

• Safe horse fencing "gives" upon impact
• Good horse fence is highly visible
• Good horse fence doesn't [ensnare] a horse
• Barbed wire is NOT horse fence
• Rounded corners make safer pastures
• Check your fences regularly

There is also a page with the pros and cons of many fence types I've covered here.

See, it's not just me!

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Mesh fence with small openings and top rail.

I've been looking for a photo of this...

For keeping horses both young and old safely in (and roaming dogs out) I don't think anything tops this careful installation of mesh fence (note that the openings are too small for a hoof to become ensnared) with a sturdy wooden top rail.

If I were to ever lose my mind completely and breed or board broodmares and foals, this is what I would want to have. Foals can run into this and bounce off. The visibility is great, and it does not require electricity.

It does require a significant investment, but for those able to afford it, there is likely no equal in horse safety.

Metal pipe fence.

You don't see a lot of this around here. This looks like a temporary pen set-up at an event, such as a rodeo. The thin metal tubes might make movable panels weigh less, but I'd be wary of using fence that light for everyday use.

A more conventional, permanent use of metal pipe fencing features sturdier, horizontal tubes, with far less opportunities for a caught hoof or a broken metal bar.

Properly installed, metal pipe fence looks good and is one of the safer types of fence for your horse. Generally it is also an expensive option, which you may notice if you've tried to price a 60' round pen lately with 6' tubular steel panels.

Barbed wire is not recommended for horses.

These are beautiful horses.

Why take the chance that they could end up scarred, disfigured or killed after an accident with barbed wire?

Many rescues will not allow you to adopt a horse if you have barbed wire. The BLM will not allow you to adopt a wild horse if you have barbed wire. There are hundreds of horror stories about horses becoming ensnared in barbed wire. Don't bet on your horse being one of the many who never get hurt ... just replace it!

Uncapped T-posts, barbed wire, stock fence.

What DO we have here?

Looks like stock fence with holes big enough for a hoof to pass through, topped with a strand of barbed wire to keep the horses from riding it down, and an uncapped T-post.

The trifecta of unsafe horse fencing ... not to mention the nylon halters left on which may not break if the horse gets caught up on something.

No, there is no 100% safe horse fence ... but that is no excuse to use a combination of the most well known unsafe options available.

If removing the existing fence is not possible for whatever reason, consider installing an electric tape fence 2-3' inside the existing fence to keep the horses from coming in contact with the unsafe fence.

Electric tape fence.

Electric tape fence can look very nice when installed properly. Unfortunately, too many times I've seen it not well maintained, sagging, twisted (although I'm told twisting it helps by tape-enthusiasts) and overall appearing cobbled together.

Electric tape provides good visibility, which is one of the most important considerations for all horses, but especially the young and frisky. I also have not heard of many horse injuries involving electric tape in comparison to barbed wire, smooth wire or high tensile wire.

Tape fence will require use of a dependable electric fencer or "charger" as it is more of a psychological barrier than a physical one. If your power goes out, so does the effectiveness of your fence. Be careful!

Plastic/vinyl (PVC) rail fence.

Nothing looks as nice as properly installed PVC rail fence, IMHO. I wish I had it.

I don't, due to the oppressive cost of fencing four full acres, not including pasture dividers. But if money were no object, this would be my first choice.

One consideration when using this fence, is that horses can push and pop a rail out of place. To help prevent this, run a strand of electric wire along the inside of the top rail.

Another consideration is to be sure that the bottom rail is low enough that a foal (or clever pony) cannot roll under.

Low, sagging barbed wire.

1. Not tall enough.
2. Barbed wire.
3. Loose and sagging.
4. Uncapped T-post.

Recipe for disaster.

Why risk it?

Diamond mesh fence.

When installed and maintained properly, this diamond mesh no-climb fence may be one of the safest horse fences, especially for foals and other youngsters.

Many of them advertise that horses simply "bounce off" if they run into it. I have not seen this fence in use locally for first-hand information, but I am inclined to believe that it runs toward the expensive side as it seems to be used less often than it should.

(Like welded wire 2 x 4 inch mesh fence, there should be a sturdy board or at least an electric wire at the top to prevent the horses from "riding" the fence down.)

Loose barbed wire and young horses.

This is one of a series of several photos, with this young foal mouthing and "playing" with the loose barbed wire fence.

It makes me cringe. Every time.

Any horse—but especially the young or nervous—can crash into barbed wire and severely lacerate their skin, ripping flesh to the bone.

Permanent scarring and disabilities are common, and injuries may result in the horse being humanely destroyed.

Chain link fence.

This type of fence, chain link or cyclone fence, CAN be a safe and suitable horse fence, but it would require the use of both top and bottom supports that are sturdy enough to withstand 1,200 pounds of abuse.

A simple tension wire will not do, as you can see by the damage to the top of the fence in this photo.

(Sunblock might not be a bad idea, either.)

Low wood rail fence.

As much as I prefer wood fences to most other types, this fence is not tall enough for the size of the horses kept inside.

The top plank should be higher than the point where the horses' neck and chest meet, at minimum.

I like to see them higher, so that the horse has to LIFT its head to put it over the top rail. That way, if they push against it, they cannot throw their full weight into it like they could if it were chest-level.

Barbed wire and nylon halters.

Halter doesn't fit, and could easily get hung up on a barb. Right at eye level, too.

Nylon is not recommended for a turnout halter because it tends not to break in an emergency, but this one looks old enough that it might break if he stopped walking and you didn't.

Barbed wire: not intended for pets.

The grass is definitely greener on the other side of the fence.

If this mini spooked and threw her head up, she could become ensnared in the wire and horribly maimed. Not worth the risk.

Fraying nylon halters can also easily get caught on the barbs.

Uncapped T-posts.

Impalement is never pretty.

This horse was lucky ... he'll live, and probably make a decent recovery.

Horses impaled through the chest when panicked and attempting to jump ... not so lucky.

T-post caps were made for the purpose of protecting your horse from impalement. Use them. Better yet, are T-post sleeves.

Better than both ... wooden posts. More expensive to install, and worth it.

Wood plank fence.

This looks like a very sturdy wood fence, suitably tall for the horse kept inside.

The bottom plank is close enough to the ground to prevent pushing under, yet not too close so that a hoof is unlikely to get caught under.

It would be somewhat safer to mount the boards on the inside of the posts, so that the posts themselves do not become a hazard, and so that if horses are pushing on the planks, they are less likely to push the planks out of the posts if the nails are not secured well enough.

Whatever fence can be cobbled together.

I can't even determine exactly what kind(s) of fences are being used here.

I see sharp broken wire protruding, and what is possibly an electric tape that is loose and most certainly not properly electrified.

Plus, non-breaking nylon halters should not be left on for turn-out.

(They do sell nylon halters with a leather break-away crown, for those of you that can't catch your loose horse otherwise.)

Never, ever safe.

I don't care how old and gentle and lazy and unspookable you say your horse is.

I don't care if you say he respects the fence and is too smart to get caught up in it.

I don't care if you've used barbed wire for 200 years and NEVER had an accident.

Barbed wire will never be acceptable fencing for horses, IMHO.

Poly/vinyl rail fence.

For pastures with foals, it would be better to have a somewhat taller fence with a fourth rail closer to the ground, so a rolling foal could not roll under the fence and find itself separated from its mother, and panic.

Yes, I can find fault with pretty much any fence! My own included—to be featured later on.

Welded wire fence.

This type of fence can make great horse fence, BUT it must be tall enough AND must be topped with an electric wire, or better, a wood plank, to prevent horses from "riding it down" as you can see has happened here.

The openings in the fence are small enough that hooves cannot fit through. This fence is typically used for chicken runs, goats and smaller livestock, so make sure the height of the fence is adequate.

The other problem you will run into with this type of fence used for horses, is securing the bottom of the fence to prevent horses from reaching under it, WITHOUT creating a dangerous possibility of hoof entrapment.

Barbed wire, again.

Only unsafe if you consider losing an eye a bad thing.

As the owner of a one-eyed horse (cause having nothing to do with fence issues) I can tell you it is most interesting, and I wouldn't recommend it.

Barbed wire, loose and low.

These two look like pretty nice horses, from what I can see.

Why on EARTH are they kept in too low, too loose, too dangerous fence?

Metal pipe fence.

Metal pipe fencing has many fans. Properly installed and maintained, it is considered one of the safer options.

While I'm not the biggest fan of it, I also have never used it or been at a farm where it was the primary fence type, so I'll try to reserve judgment.

As with all fence, maintenance is as important as installation. Care must be taken to prevent rust and watch for bends that could turn into cracks and exposed sharp edges.

Barbed wire over heavy gauge high tensile wire.

Oh, poor sweet face. This pony is saying, SAVE ME!

What happens when that blanket gets good and stuck on a few flesh-ripping barbs?

There ARE alternatives.

Traditional wood rail fence.

Time tested, properly installed and maintained wood plank fencing is superior to most types of fence available. The high cost, however, keeps many horse owners at bay.

You'll see plenty of wood fenced pastures in the communities with big money horses, and for good reason: it is probably the safest fence available.

Strong and highly visible, works in all weather and without electricity.

Small diameter electric twine fence.

This looks like either a very lightweight electric rope fence, or a possibly coated high tensile wire.

Either way, while superior to plain wire, and FAR superior to barbed, the visibility is not as good as properly installed electric tape, thicker braid or other non-electric visual deterrents such as wood or synthetic plank.

Fencing like this should be marked with brightly colored flags every 10-20 feet to increase visibility. Running, bucking horses forget that they "know" where their barriers are.

Electric tape and/or twine fence.

What exactly IS keeping this horse in, anyway?

Even if this is a quality tape fence on the bottom and a good plastic/wire combo thin braid rope fence on top, with electricity, the fence is too low for the horse, inviting a jump if spooked or otherwise motivated. (Perhaps by the green grass on the other side.)

Proper installation is key to making the safer types of fence as safe as possible.

Braided or "rope" fence.

Braided or "rope" fence infused with metal wires and charged with a good electric fencer is far superior to barbed or plain, uncoated wire.

Proper installation is essential; not too much space between posts, tensioners used to keep the fence taut, etc.

Visibility is superior to plain wire, but not as good as wood or synthetic rail.

Sagging woven wire with uncapped T-posts.

This may be one instance where the barbed wire is actually HELPING this fence to be 1% safer, but this is still an accident waiting to happen.

If the openings in a fence are large enough to allow a hoof to pass through, even the laziest horse can become stuck by a stray kick at a bothersome fly.

Fence that is not tight, sags and has broken in places adds immeasurably to the risk. If the fence were tighter and a hoof went through, the horse might be able to pull it back out, BUT if the fence "gives" because it is not tight, it is more likely to become entangled.

T-posts without protective caps can impale a frightened, fleeing horse.

PVC rail fence.

One of the safest types of horse fence, poly/vinyl rails are sturdy when erected properly and provide a great visual deterrent.

Be sure the fence is high enough to keep horses from thinking they might jump over.

One pitfall of this type of fence is if a tree falls on it or something else happens to shatter it, the splinters can be extremely sharp and jagged.

Barbed wire and foals.

Hard to see in this photo, but there are at least four strands of loosely hung barbed wire keeping this very pregnant mare contained.

I hope she was moved before she gave birth. Foals cannot be expected to be born respecting fence.

Loose barbed wire over low woven wire.

Triple whammy here.

Stock fence = no-no.

Barbed wire = BIG no-no.

Loose fence, too low = DANGEROUS for any type of fence!

Woven wire, barbed on top.

Stock fence with openings large enough for a hoof to go through is not safe for horses.

Top it with barbed wire (common practice to keep cattle from "riding" the fence down) and we've got double the danger here.

A horse kicking at another horse in a neighboring pasture could get a leg stuck in the fence. (Been there, seen it happen.)

A panicked horse attempting to jump a barbed wire fence and not quite clearing the top wire could result in worse than a big vet bill.

Woven wire with barbed top strand.

Barbed wire fence has its place and purpose. It is pretty darn good cattle fence.

It has no place in the horse world, except for possibly a reference for tooling the skirts of a custom Western saddle.

Introduction.

There is no 100% horse-safe fence.

Horses find inventive ways to harm themselves.

Even the most safety-obsessed stables where all bits of wire and horseshoe nails are picked up, and where all stall connections and feed bins have rounded corners, horses still get hurt.

One of the easiest ways to prevent common injuries is to provide the safest horse fencing available.

There are many options on the market today, but the biggest obstacle to safe horsekeeping is the existence of old, rusted, inadequate fence.