Equine Fencing Options

Deciding on a fence is a major decision and investment for many horse owners. Purpose, budget, safety, installation, containment, durability, and appearance are all important factors to consider.PVC Decorative Board There is no ideal fence for all horse owners or farms. Fence selection will likely vary according to individual needs or the potential uses around the farm.
Planning. The best materials and the best intentions are worthless if the fencing system is not properly planned. Design a pasture and paddock system that will centralize access to the barn, work areas, and feed storage systems. A centralized location will improve efficiency and management and will reduce labor and operating expenses. Future expansion opportunities should be considered.
Design fences with long term goals in mind so that they do not have to be torn down and redesigned if expansion is needed. Gates should be placed near corners closest to the direction of travel. Gates should be large enough to get equipment and several horses through at once.exterior wood plastic wall board Avoid placing gates in low areas where water may pool. Dry lots, or sacrifice paddocks, provide an opportunity to move horses off the pasture during adverse weather events (excessive rain or drought), or times of pasture rest. Sacrifice paddocks can vary in size but should provide a minimum of 400 square feet per horse. The size should be increased proportionally as the number of horses increase.
Budget. A fence can be a major investment, and should include the cost of maintenance. Some fences may have high initial costs but low maintenance costs. Conversely, some have lower initial costs but high maintenance costs. Owners should consider affordability both initially and in the long term and choose the fence that offers the best features within an acceptable price range. Quoting fence prices can be difficult; however,[url=http://www.woodplasticcompositepanel.com/project-case/wpc-materials-for-marine-application]
WPC materials for marine application[/url] Table 1 discusses different fences, and cost and maintenance estimates.
Safety. A properly installed and maintained fence should provide safety for both horses and people. There are several factors to consider in fence safety. First, a horse has limited eyesight. Therefore, a fence should be highly visible, especially to running or startled horses. Second,Wood Plastic Composite Solid Decking it must be solid enough to repel a running horse yet flexible enough to A B C E F D prevent injury. The fence should not have sharp edges (no barbed wire) or projections such as nail heads or wire ends. Spaces between boards, rails, and wire should be large enough for a head to hoof to pass through without becoming stuck, or small enough to prevent penetration. Right angles or 90o corners tend to increase injury potential compared to gradual turns in a fence line.