Pasture Management
for
Horses

Post and Wire Fences

Post and wire fencing is not considered to be very safe for horses, but as it is often used, it must be considered here.

Barbed Wire

This is considred to be the most dangerous form of fencing because of the injuries that can be caused, particularly to horses legs if they become entangled.
The most dangerous form of this fencing is where there are perhaps the fencing consists of just two or three strands of barbed wire. This will be most dangerous if the wire is slack, resulting in a strong likelihood of the horse becoming entangled. This type of fencing exists in many fields around the country, possible buried within an overgrown hedge.
When well constructed, with strands that are tight, barbed wire can be a cost effective fencing for cattle, hence its use. If it cannot be avoided, either because it already exists on land you are renting, or because it is necessary for other livestock that graze the land, then it may be possible to use an elecxtric fence to keep horses away from it.

Sheep Netting

Again not considered safe for horses as they can get their feet caught in it, though possibly not having the potential to cause the injuries attributed to barbed wire. Again it will be safest if it is tight and in good condition, but horses are likely to try and tread it down to reach whatever is growing on the other side. This fencing usually has 2 strands of plain wire above it if it is used for horses, or barbed wire if it is used for farm livestock. Again, an electric fence could be used to keep horses away from it.

Some poor sheep netting that has been damaged by horses.

This type of fencing will have posts (usually at least 150mm in diameter) at any corner in the fence, and about every 100m if there is a long straight run. These posts may sometimes be concreted in the ground, but it is usually sufficient to simply have soil rammed hard around them. They should however, in my opinion be in the ground approximately 900mm to be secure. Were these posts are on a corner, it is particularly important that they are braced. The brace will need a block below it to stop it from being pushed further into the ground, and should not be at too steep an angle, as shown below.

If the angle of the brace is too steep as shown below, the brace will act as a pivot, and the tension of the fence will tend to lift the post out of the ground.

The fence will also usually have stakes that are driven into the ground at a spacing of approximately 4m.

Plain Wire

Plain wire may also be used for fencing, using several strands, becoming closer together nearer the ground. The overall tension required to keep the individual strands suitably taught is considerably greater than that required for netting. This type of fence therefore usually has sturdy posts (sometimes of reinforced concrete) at close spacing.
Although a horse may be less likely to get a foot caught through this fence, they may still try to tread it down and run the risk of getting a strand of wire between the hoof and the shoe.

Specialist Netting

It is possible to buy netting designed especially for horses, consisting of diamond shapes too small to allow a horses foot to become caught.