Electric fence questions

[Anonymous-0]

Morning, fellas. I am putting up a 2-acre horse paddock that I expect to use for a couple years until I can fence in my whole property.

I have driven all T-posts on 8' centers and am using the 2" poly tape. My question is, this being my first electric fence, what happens when the snow and ice load up on that tape? Is it pretty stout?

When the snow drifts up against it, does it short out? What about wet weeds? I've tried to clear all the trees and brush from around it but down in the woods it gets pretty grown up.

Last question: how long does that 'temporary' poly tape last?

Thanks.

 

[Allan in NE]

Oh, oh.

'Nother "electric fence" topic. I'm gonna stay clear out of this one.

However, you really sure you wanna do that with horses? Just don't think that is a good plan at all. :>(

Allan

 

[Leland]

come spring he will fly to town to buy woven wire after chasing them all winter

 

[kyhayman]

I'e normally gotten good service for a couple of years, to three at the most from poly tape. Its strong, not much breakage trouble. As to shorting out, thats more a function of your energizer than the tape itself. I use a Parmark 110v charger, one of their top of the line 110v models and it doesnt have a problem with wet weeds and such within reason.

Will ice build up on it, sure, and the sagging will stretch the wire or tape. Got to go retighten it. If you want perminant, might as well go high tensile and do it right. For temporary fence, it is that, temporary and requires some ongoing upkeep.

I dont like the poly tape, even for horses I use 14 ga wire. Just hang some surveyors tape on it so they can see it. Lots of horse owners use it here, I just dont like it. The wires can break inside the tape, leaving the tape in tact. Almost impossible to locate the short in the wire.

 

[Allan in NE]

No doubt

If they have constitution enough to tough it out and live that long. :>)

Allan

 

[Mike (WA)]

We've used electric fences for horses for 30 years, never much of a problem. Keep 'em hot, they won't go near them. We have used a lot of poly tape, and about all its good for is a couple years. The little wires break, and at night, the sparks are like a light show. So now, we string wire with it, to carry the juice. Reason for using it at all is so the nags can see it- they'll walk through wire alone without seeing it. If it were me, I'd forget the 2" stuff- just get the narrower type, and string a wire with it.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I remember hearing about a farmer who bought an electric fencer when they first came out. He used it to keep his team of mules corraled. In the Spring he hitched the mules to the corn planter and headed to the field to plant corn. Unrolled the wire, and when he turned the mule's around to start planting they would take off running away from the wire. HE couldn't keep then on the mark, and had to borrow a team of horses from a neighbor to plat his corn.

Bob

 

[Pitalplace]

My dad used to run horses against electric fences a lot on our ranch. Fenced out cane fields for the cows and would have several horses with them that were not being used. We never had any problem and just used the small smooth electric fence wire. We always used the 12 volt chargers and one thing I learned early was not to reach down and grab the wire to test the fence while on a horse. She did not like that at all and I am not sure how I stayed in the saddle when she jumped.

 

[phillip d]

My neighbour uses tape for his horses.The stuff sags,breaks and blows in the wind all winter.In the spring he just ties the pieces together again and away he goes.pd

 

[Clint Youse MO]

we use electric fence for cattle and the snow and ice will stretch it never had it gorund one out enough to tell just make sure you get a good charger not a farm and home special they are not worth the trouble I would check on some hitensile wire if you have not bought the tape it is probably cheaper weeds should not effect it to bad I try to spray all of mine at least once a year.

 

[Dairy Farmer in WI]

fer the weeds and stuff, get a higher power fencer that will just burn the weeds off ( kill them, not litterly Burn, as in fire,) as for snow, never had a problem with the fencer shorting out in snow. that nylon tape stuff should not break if ice builds up on it.
DF in WI

 

[Bob Kerr]

I have a friend up the road who used the tape to keep his horses in. He seemed to like it fine. If a tree fell on it it would break, but he just tied it back together and it was fine.( that is why I was out at his place cutting up the tree that fell on it and had to ask him if the fence was on) He said his horses know when it is on and when it isn"t. He says they can hear the juice going through it. I suppose so.

 

[Lee in Iowa]

Go to www.premier1supply.com they have good products that they have actually used themselves. Usually not much higher if any than other places. No they didn"t pay me to say that. Lee