Gallagher - Turn your wooden horse fence into a safe and durable fence with an electric fence
Turn your wooden horse fence into a safe and durable fence with an electric fence
For many horse owners, wooden fencing is the first choice. It is very easy to add an electric fence to this existing structure. An electric fence makes the fence safer and ensures it lasts longer. Horses tend to gnaw at or rub against wooden fences. Adding an electric fence to the wooden fence will help prevent this damage from occurring. Furthermore, horses are more likely to respect the fence than if no electric fence has been added. If you wish to add an electric fence to a wooden fence, it is important to choose the right electric fence energiser and conductor.
Which electric fence energiser do I need?
When adding an electric fence to a wooden horse fence, you start by choosing an electric fence energiser. Generally speaking, most wooden fences are located near a shed or house with mains power. In these cases, mains-powered electric fence energisers are recommended. You can recognise these by the letters in the name: M(Mains), MB(Mains or battery) or MBS (Energiser has option to work with either, Mains, Battery or Solar)
If you do not have access to a fixed mains power supply, opt for a solar energiser or a battery energiser. You can recognise these by the ‘S’ or ‘B’ in their name (for example, S60li). Depending on the size of the fence and whether it also needs to keep wildlife out, choose the power rating of the energiser. Bear in mind that you must earth the energiser. Always check how many earth stakes you need to ensure the voltage on the fence is as optimal as possible. In many situations, a low-power energiser is sufficient.
Which type of electric fence wire should I choose?
Once you’ve chosen which electric fence energiser best suits your situation, the next decision is which type of electric fence wire to use. In principle, any type of electric fence wire is suitable for use with a wooden fence. The purpose of the electric fence is not only to keep the horses inside, but also to protect the wooden fence. For this reason, with existing wooden horse fencing, the electric fence is usually installed on the inside of the fence. This teaches horses to keep their distance from the planks and rails, thereby minimising damage caused by gnawing, biting and rubbing. As the wooden fence forms the physical boundary, various types of electric fence are suitable for this application.
In practice, high-tensile, medium-tensile or plastic wire (vidoflex) is often added. Normally, Gallagher does not recommend using vidoflex with horses. However, when combined with a wooden fence, it is a viable option, as the wood forms the primary physical boundary of the pasture. The colour ‘Terra’ is often chosen, as it blends in with the wood or is less conspicuous. It is important that the electric fence wire is mounted as close as possible to the wood. This can be achieved by using w-insulators. By positioning it as close as possible to the wood, you ensure greater safety for the horse.
Other options include adding tape or rope. Equifence is also an excellent choice. However, a professional fencing contractor is often required to install this.
Tips & tricks
With a suitable electric fence energiser, the correct conductor and appropriate insulators, you have selected all the key components. Before you start the installation, there are a number of practical considerations that contribute to a safe and effective fence.
- The number of conductors you add depends on the number of rails in the fence. In practice, a conductor is usually placed just above each rail or plank. This discourages horses from leaning against the fence or gnawing at it.
- With W-insulators, you position the wire as close as possible to the wood. Ensure that the electric wire is properly tensioned and does not come into contact with the wood. This prevents short circuits and, consequently, a loss of voltage. It also reduces the risk of a horse injuring itself on loose wires.
- Do you also want to make the wooden fence wildlife-proof? In that case, the extra wires are usually placed on the outside of the fence. High-tensile wire is often chosen for such applications due to its long service life and excellent conductivity. Consult Gallagher’s white papers for the correct number of wires and recommended heights for each animal species.
