Wire Fencing

[Julie White]

Hi Everyone

My horse is kept on a yard where the fields are separated with 3 rows of taut wire. My horse has now injured himself twice by getting his leg stuck through the wire. Does anyone have any ideas on preventing this? The owners of the yard refuse to put electric on to the fencing to keep the horses away. I have sent for some pastern wraps to put on him to protect him to see if that works. Any other suggestions ? All your comments would be greatly appreciated.

[CarolineR]

I would move yards I' m afraid, wire is not good fencing for horses and your horse being injured just proves this fact.

[Busterbum22]

We had barb wire fencing at our yard, when we first got there, one of the horses has injured himself, and was taken to lea hurst. The farmer at first won't admitt that the fencing was to blame, anyway in the end we ended up paying for plain wire fencing as he wouldn't allow us to buy post and rail, or elecy fence
although he did put the plain wire up for us, and luckly no other accidents have happened.

We are still not happy with the plain wire and are moving yards at the end of the month.

If i were you I'd move.

yvette

[Kerry's Partner]

I agree with the first reply you had. You should move yards - and tell your current yard manager why you are doing this. It just isn't worth the risk keeping your horse there in my opinion.

If it is truly impossible for you to do this then all I can think of is to tie ribbons or some such thing on each wire at short distances -at leas this may remind your horse that the wire exists.

What is the grazing like? Is your horse trying to reach something more succulent outside of his/her paddock?

Good luck.

[Julie White]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, moving yards does seem the obvious answer but we are at a lovely small DIY yard, lovely horses who all get on, really nice people, a big sandschool and lots of off road riding and no restricted turnout. The only worry is the fence. Other horses at the yard have been injured on it too, so the yard owners are aware of it. I have considered moving and did look round but there are not many good DIY yards in my area.

Appologies everyone for putting this question in the wrong section, I am new to all this and still finding my way around. I will improve, honest!

Hi Kerry's Partner

Thanks for your valued comments.
His grazing is good, but he does try to get to the grass over his fence, he thinks its 'greener on the other side'. He also puts his back leg through the fence to itch his scar tissue on from his previous injury and he also paws at the horses on the other side of the fence, getting his leg over the wire, which I think is how he got his last injury.

[Janice Corbett]

Why don't you buy your own electric fence system - a battery powered energiser, some posts and some tape? Then you can be sure your horse is safe and that he's protected from further injury!

[Julie White]

Thanks Janice

That would solve the problem.
I suggested that to the yard owners after Jakes first injury, all the girls on the yard were going to club together and buy it between us, but the yard owners wouldn't agree to us putting it up. They seem to be against electric fencing for some reason.
Think I will suggest it again to them, nothing to lose!

[Waikato Valuta]

The place I keep my horses had just plain wire and then one horse injered himself so the yard owner put up electric fencing straight away. I think putting plastic pags on the fence may help as they will make the horse keep his diference(one problem, They soon get bold and dont care about them any more). I think you should tell the yard owners that you dont want to more but your horse getting injered is not good enough and that if the safty of you horse is not improved then you will move. If they care about horse safty they should not have let this happen so many times.

[Waikato Valuta]

This is a pic of my horses paddocks Although they are wire they have electric wires and no horses have been hurt on the fences since they were put up 7years ago.

[Laetitia]

Not sure about this, but don't the yard owners have a duty of care towards your horse.You could ask the BHS. On the other hand you probably don't want to start a fight and get evicted.L