Posts Tagged ‘horse fencing’

Horses and Wood, Wire and PVC Fencing

For horse keepers who need to find a way of keeping their animals enclosed, there are a number of fencing options. There is wood, wire and PVC fencing to choose from, each with different advantages. Before going into detail about the benefits of different fencing materials it is important to underline two of the biggest safety issues associated with horse fencing. First of all it is absolutely vital to walk the length of the fencing regularly to inspect it for damage, breakages or weak points. Secondly, make sure that the height of the fence is appropriate to deter the horses from trying to jump over it. Roughly speaking, the highest part of the fence should be a similar height to the horse’s nose.

Out of wood, wire and PVC fencing, it is wire that is the cheapest. However, for most horses it is not sufficiently durable. The fact that horses find it difficult to see means that it also poses a safety risk. Next cheapest is wooden fencing which is not only traditional but very attractive. Unfortunately, wooden fencing requires a large amount of maintenance. Aside from needing to be painted regularly, it is very likely to peel, rot or blister, particularly following wet weather. Furthermore, it is normally necessary to use nails to install the fences and nails can pose a danger to horses. Horse hide is not as strong as other animals and a horse injured on a nail is likely to become distressed, leading to further danger.

PVC fencing does not come with such disadvantages. It is stronger and longer lasting than wood and does not split or splinter when the weather is wet. Ongoing investment of time and money in investment and repair is not necessary with PVC fencing. With PVC fencing for horses the risk of injury is significantly reduced because simple installation means that there are no nails jutting out from the fence. PVC fencing might be the most expensive of the available options, but the long term costs are reduced because maintenance and repair is not required.