Horse Fence Installation

Installing a horse fence is essential to owning and managing horses, but it can also be quite difficult to do. While there are many different types of horse fencing, most of them are installed in roughly the same way. If you need some help getting the installation finished, then reference this quick guide to getting the fence installed.

Step 1: Choose the Materials
Before installing the horse fence, you need to choose the right materials. This largely depends on your budget and the type of materials you prefer. Electrical wire is often the best for dissuading horses from leaving the ranch, but it tends to be expensive when compared to more budget-friendly materials like smooth or barbed wire.

The posts can also be made from different materials. Wood is common and cheap, but it can grow mold and often needs annual maintenance. Plastic or vinyl are typically more expensive, but they also tend to last longer.

Step 2: Corner Posts
To properly secure the fence, you need to set corner posts. When you dig and set the posts, you need to fill the hole with concrete to ensure they do not move from stress. As you dig the hole, analyze the dirt. If it is soft, then you may need a deeper hole than instructed on the fence kit.

If you want to get a blend of materials for your posts, such as wood and vinyl, ensure the corner posts are the best material. Since they bare the brunt of stress, they need to be the most durable.

Step 3: Run the Guide Lines
Use some string and run it between each of the corner posts. The line should be low, about four to five inches from the ground, and it should be reasonably tight. This is going to be used to help guide the fence post installation, so it will only be temporary, but the line will be very useful.

Step 4: Install the Fence Posts
Using the guideline to help you measure where the posts should be, start installing the fence posts. Unlike the corner posts that need concrete, you can just dig a hole for the fence posts.

When spreading out your posts, make sure they are about eight to ten feet from each other. Some systems, such as electrical wire, need to be further apart, but most are within the eight to ten feet realm.

Step 5: String Wire
You now need to string the wire between all the posts. This can be done by drilling a hole in each post and stringing the wire through the hole, or you can tie the wire around the post.

Make sure the wire is tight before finishing the installation, as weak wire will be useless if a horse comes close to the fence.

Conclusion
Setting up a horse fence can be a little tough, and it definitely takes some time to finish. However, if you follow these steps and remain diligent, then you should be able to get it done with a few hours or less.