Best Electric Fence for Horses – Buyer’s Guide

Horses are beautiful animals that need a lot of care and love. Anyone who owns livestock knows the responsibility needed to keep an animal within its confinements. One of the biggest challenges can be larger animals, such as horses. Although horses usually stay within their confined areas, it is necessary to take precautions. Since horses can be easily startled, you want to invest in fencing that is both strong and visible. By doing this, you can minimize the chances of the horse escaping or injuring itself. The best alternatives will be electric fences. These types of fences will surely keep your horses safe within their fenced areas.

Best Electric Fence for Horses in 2020

1. ElectroBraid PBRC1000 – Best Temporary Fencing for Horses

ElectroBraid electric fencing comes with a distinctive design that is hard to miss. This is an important aspect to give the horses a visual alert to spot the fences. ElectroBraid comes with a variety of options in color designs, which are white, black and speckled. The fabric materials used to make this product include a braided polyester fiber jacket design with a strong polypropylene core finish.

It measures 1000 feet of checkered spool ready to be installed. It is excellent to give you that electrical charge you need for the fence itself with its design of mixed metal and steel wire. Its performance is optimized by excellent copper conductivity within its make and composition.

Installation can also be an easy process by following the instructions. However, if you feel that you cannot install the fence yourself, it would be better to hire a professional. You can simply install three or four strands of fence conductor reel to insulators and fence posts when you space them 30 to 40 feet apart.

2. Zareba PT656W1-Z – Best for a Permanent Electric Fence

Zareba PT656W1-Z is an excellent option for an electric fence. This is a 1-inch poly-tape design that works in conjunction with a fence that is already in place. It is important to note that it is not designed to work with extreme tension. Moreover, the combination of a permanent fence and this item should work great to keep your horses safely confined. You will find Zareba PT656W1-Z much easier to repair and splice compared to other regular wires. The spool measures about 656 feet in length and 1 inch in width. It will also come with eight strands of electrical conductors, which should be evenly distributed throughout the fence.

This is an ideal solution when it comes to electrical fencing because it is more visible than your traditional wires. It has a breaking load of 320 pounds, which is perfect for horses. Many also find Zareba PT656W1-Z appealing because of its easy installation process.

3. Gallagher G620300 – Best Electric Fence Wire for Horses

Gallagher G620300 works best as an electric poly-wire fence combo. You’ll have a variety of buying options when it comes to Gallagher. You can buy one single pack, two, three or four packs. The roll measures 1,620 feet, which is a great option for those who need a large area fenced. The ultra-white color is designed to be easily visible to horses. Although the thickness of the wire is thin, it is still reliable and durable. Moreover, because of the wire’s thin design, it can be easily adjusted as you install it. Gallagher G620300 is designed for portable electric fences.

As you install these types of electric fences, it’s important that you wear protective gloves. The edges of the Gallagher has rough edges but can be easily installed if you take the necessary precautions. Gallagher G620300 is composed of six stainless steel wires for proper conductivity.

Buyer’s Guide

The Uses of the Electric Fence

The main use of an electric fence is to keep animals in a confined area safely. The idea is to invest in a fence that is not heavy in materials because it can cause injuries to the animal, such as a horse. Since horses can be startled and have panic episodes, a heavy fence can cause injury to the horse as it’s trying to escape. This is the main reason an electric fence would work. An electric fence is not made with heavy materials but can still provide security for the animal while being safe in the process.

Components of an Electric Fence

The components for an electric fence can be broken down into a few parts. The wire fence itself is what carries the electric current throughout the entire fence. This fence would give an electric shock to anyone or anything inside and outside the fenced area. Another component is the energizer, which is also known as the charger. This is what pulsates and moves the power along the fence. It is set as a pulsating current so that the charge is not continuous and can give the animal a chance to break free from the fence. Many opt for a ground system to work with the fence. By using a ground wire, it simply operates as a series of metal rods in the ground that are connected to the energizer.

How it Works

The fence works by emitting a small, yet effective electric current when someone or anything touches it. You can measure the strength of the electric shock by the number of joules you use. The electric current can be compared to a slap. Although the shock itself is not very painful, you are sure to remember the electric current’s sensation. Animals, such as horses, will quickly learn the unpleasant sensation of this shock and stay away from it. A basic idea of how the electric fence works is by using a closed-circuit system, which is the only way electricity can travel. The circuit is composed by three parts: a fence wire, an energizer and grounded rods.

Facts about Electric Fences

A few known facts about electric fences can help you understand its mechanics a bit more. One common misconception about electric fences is that they are more expensive than your traditional fences, such as barbed wire fences. However, electric fences are much cheaper compared to a variety of other traditional fences. Another fact about an electric fence is that it is made to be permanent while others mistakenly think it’s only a temporary solution. You can also consider the difference in installations between traditional and electric fences. When it comes to electrical fences, you won’t need to use as many line posts like a traditional fence. Moreover, you don’t need to use high-tension installations with the electrical fence, such as it is required with barbed wire or other types of traditional fencing.

Advantages of an Electric Fence

The biggest advantage that an electric fence can have over other fences is its cost. You are sure to find any type of electric fence much cheaper than a traditional fence. Another advantage is that electric fences work much better in protecting your livestock. The electric fence is also made so that you can easily see your animals without any big, physical barriers. You will also find electric fences convenient as it works both inside and outside the fence. The installation process is much easier than installing a traditional fence as well. If you need to move your horses, you can easily move the electric fence due to its portability.

Functionalities

The main functionality of an electric fence is to keep your horses and other animals safe.  When you give your horses enough room to run around, you won’t have to worry about the horses trying to escape. It’s also a good idea to have enough food and water to keep your horses fed and happy. The electric fence will do the rest of the work by keeping your animals at bay.  Since the electric charges of the fence are emitted by pulses that are distributed one second at a time, you don’t have to worry about the horses getting stuck in the fence by the electricity. Horses and cattle are two animals that may benefit the most from electrical fencing. Because of their size, an output of three to eight joules will be enough to keep them safe.

Protection from Predators

The electric fence is an ideal solution to protecting your horses from predators. If you have your horses in a rural area, chances are that you will find a greater number of predators compared to a city location. An electric fence can keep these animal predators from breaking into your fenced area. Aside from keeping the horses safe from predators, the fence will also work to keep your other animals safe as well, such as chickens and cattle. The fence will deter an array of predators, such as foxes and coyotes. If you have a garden or greenery inside the fenced area, an electric fence will also be able to keep deer and other animals that are herbivores away.

Buying an Electrical Fence

When it comes to buying an electric fence, it is a good idea to shop around for the best prices. Keep in mind that an electric fence will be much cheaper than a regular fence. You may notice savings by the hundreds when you buy the electrical fence. Remember to get everything you need to install the electrical fence, which can include an energizer, metal rods, wires or conductor reels. Although you will find local stores and shops that will carry components for the electrical fence, you may find more varieties online. Nowadays, options in electrical fencing can include solar powered chargers, which is good for the environment. If you have your horses in a large and clear area where they get lots of sunlight, a solar-powered electric fence could be the way to go.

Conclusion

In the end, keeping your horses safe and secure are your main goals no matter the cost. The fact is that the technologies behind electrical fencing have changed for the better in the last few years, and experts recommend these alternatives for fencing in horses. The old beliefs that electrical fencing is unsafe, dangerous or inhumane are not true anymore in the world of caring for livestock. The future for electrical fencing keeps getting better with new technology advancements, such as wireless transmitters, solar-powered fences and more control for the caregiver. However, if you do decide to install an electric fence for your horses, it would be a good idea to hang warning signs along your property.