Posts Tagged ‘horse fencing’

There was a time when livestock owners follow a general mandate: sheep and cattle are enclosed using electric wires while horses are left enclosed in wooden fences. The excuse was that horses’ eyes have poor vision, hence, it is not suitable to use thin electric wire horse fence. Horse fencing needs to be blunt or the horses would get caught in the wires. Nowadays, new varieties of electric horse fences are available. The new horse fence, horse fencing wires, and cables are designed with larger braids, bands or ribbons for greater equine visibility. The newly-developed electric fencing quickly became the choice of the increasing horse-owning population who have proven that the old thinking that electric fences are unsafe is an outdated and obsolete idea. As safety is the most primary concern, electric fencing expert Jennifer Corkery assures users that as long as precautions and proper maintenance are observed, there is no need to worry about electric fences injuring your horses or escaping.

Corkery suggests the following steps in putting up electric fences. Put grounding rods and poles in constantly damp ground or ground with high moisture content. Ninety five percent of electric horse fence, horse fencing, and wiring problems are caused by too dry grounds. Regularly check horse fencing, especially if it’s woven. Wind movement may make the fence ineffective by breaking wire conductors in it. Use electric rope that is braided and has a large diameter. You can save money by making it your stable perimeter fence since it is strong, durable, and highly-visible. Run current on the second cable of your fence. This will ensure that your animal will be grounded and shocked if it comes to contact with the grounded and hot line. Horse psychology expert Dave Bryson suggests that receiving shock teaches the horse to “respect” and steer clear of electric fences. Fence voltage must be checked regularly to be sure that the voltage remains at a constant, strong, but safe level. Using a voltage regulator to monitor fence voltage is also a good option. These regulators will sound alarm if the voltage changes. These will also stop running current on the fence until the source of the voltage increase or decrease is detected. It is advisable to situate water troughs well away from the fences so the horses will not get shocked when they go for a drink. Surely, you don’t want to teach your prized animals to dehydrate themselves.

However, Corkery also instructs users against the following practices. Never use charger boxes and energizers for your horse fence, horse fencing, and electric cable needs that are not UL approved. Chargers that are UL certified are guaranteed safe for people and the horses. High-tensile electric wire horse fencing is not safe for horses. This is because they are too thin, and almost invisible to horse’s eyes. Plus, they lack resiliency and pose the risk of cutting horses’ skin. Avoid placing fence lines in areas where horses regularly play and exercise (running, rolling). Never cut the fences’ power. It is recommended that fences must be powered up and charged everytime. A dollar increase in your electric bill is insignificant and negligible when compared to your horses’ safety.

For more valuable information on horse fence please visit http://www.horsefences.net

Author: Andrew Corner
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Here’s my story and suggestions on how to avoid making the mistakes I made, and almost made, when I came to buy a horse! I was in my early 50′s when I started riding. I was full enthusiasm and keen to get really involved. I’d just bought a 10 acre property with lush pasture and so had plenty of space to keep a horse. The fencing was excellent as the property had formerly been a deer farm and was fenced accordingly. So I decided to buy a horse. I’d heard of a horse for sale some distance from me and he sounded like he could be OK. So I arranged to see him for an inspection, even although I was totally inexperienced.

I took a horse owner friend with me for guidance and went to see him. He turned out to be a rather tall, chestnut thoroughbred. The lady owner didn’t offer to ride him (my first mistake as I should have insisted she did) and my friend mounted him and did some walking, trotting and cantering.

Then it was my turn. With some trepidation I mounted up, but due to my total inexperience, only managed to walk him around the property for a short time. However my friend gave the nod of approval and said he looked fine, so I made my first major mistake. I said “yes” to the seller and so became the owner of a horse of unknown origin known by the name of Ziggy.

After I had Ziggy back on my property I enlisted the help of an instructress from our local Saddle Club who came to my place and gave me a series of lessons. Initially I only rode on my property, but then ventured out my front gate and rode on some of the riding tracks that were plentiful in my area. And finally I took him to the monthly all-day training meetings at the Saddle Club. I learnt a lot, but the only problem was that Ziggy obviously sensed my inexperience and was inclined to fight my every move.

I persisted with Ziggy for six months or so, but then decided that he wasn’t the horse for me. So I decided to sell him to someone more capable of handling his strong spirit and did just that. My second mistake (well, almost!) when I went to buy a horse. By luck, this “almost a mistake” turned out in my favour!

I’d heard a consistent rumour about a beautiful, big black horse that had apparently been left out in a paddock somewhere in my local area for quite some time. As I wanted another horse I was intrigued and decided to check this rumour out. As it turned out it didn’t take me long to find that the horse was actually well attended and was agisted on a horse riding facility not far from my property. I promptly went and had a look. And, yes, he was big, beautiful and black and I instantly fell in love with him. But was he available to be bought?

I found that the owner was an advertising agency principal from Melbourne. I phoned him and he told me that he’d owned the horse, Midnight, for two years with the idea of using him at a Hunt Club but had never had the time. Subject to where and how I’d keep Midnight he could be bought for what I thought to be a high price. I arranged for an inspection meeting at the facility where he was agisted.

The day arrived and I waited for the owner to arrive and was rather amused when he turned up in a BLACK BMW duly dressed in neat BLACK riding gear, making a good match to the BLACK horse. We took the horse to any undercover riding area and owner did several circuits in varying gaits. Then suddenly Midnight went lame in the right front shoulder. The owner instantly dismounted, but it was obvious that I wouldn’t be able to ride him in that condition. It was left that I’d call a vet to look at the shoulder and obtain a full “vet check”.

The vet could find nothing that caused the lameness, but recommended that I not buy him. I was devastated! I reported this to the owner. He then suggested that If I was prepared to take him to my property and call in what ever veterinarian treatment was needed to fix the lameness that he’d re-inburse me for all costs and we could then discuss possible purchase. This is where I made my “next big mistake – well almost!” In spite of the vet’s advice I said “yes”.

I called the best veterinarian care people I could find including the senior vet from the Melbourne Racing Club, chiropractors, and even an acupuncturist. All with no success. Then by chance I found a local young lady chiropractor who had a brief look and said “his shoulder has frozen up through lack of riding. Just exercise and ride him and he’ll come good”.

Once again I reported back to the owner who promptly came down to see me. Standing in the paddock with Midnight he said that if I was prepared to work with the horse and accept all the fees I’d incurred, I could keep Midnight with no purchase cost. I immediately said “yes”. The owner asked if I’d leave him alone with the horse before he left, and I could see he had tears in his eyes.

I worked with Midnight, whose name I abbreviated to Middie for everyday use, constantly. I lunged him, rode him in short bursts at first, and finally took him to Saddle Club. He was improving, but if he showed too much sign of soreness I cut the day short.

And to cut this long story short Middie’s lameness cleared up completely and we became the very best of friends He was an absolute gentleman, probably because he was a Percheron/Thoroughbred cross with the Percheron characteristics showing through strongly. I had total trust in him and he appeared to have complete trust in me and we’ve had many, many happy years of riding.

But pleased be advised not to take my pure luck with Middie and feel that it could happen to you. When you buy a horse, have a qualified “vet check”, and take the advice of your vet!

So here are my Top 10 Things for you to do BEFORE you buy your horse based on my experience…

1. Have you had riding lessons? Have you done a personal assessment of your riding skills?
Before you buy a horse be sure you have had at least six months of riding lessons.

2. What type of riding activity do you want to do?
This is important. Do you want to to go in for jumping? Dressage? Hunting? Just trail riding? Be sure of what you want.

3. What sort of personality do you want your horse to have? Full of fire and enthusiasm? More quiet and passive?
A lot will depend on the type of riding you decide to pursue.

4. Do you have any preference on the breed of horse you want?
Once again, the sort of riding you want to do will have a major influence on your choice.

5. How big a horse do you want? Pony size? Mid-size? Or tall because you like a big horse?
Be sure that you choose something that you can easily manage.

6. Do you have a preference on gender?
Geldings usually make great riding horses. Mares can also be good if they have stable personalities. Avoid stallions unless you’re going in for breeding.

7. Have you given proper consideration as where you’re going to house and keep your horse?
If you’re planning to keep your horse on your own property, ensure that you have safe fencing and a clean barn or other shelter. If you’re boarding out, check out the available boarding stables before you commit to buying your horse.

8. Bearing in mind the costs of horse maintenance, have you set a affordable budget figure for purchase of your horse?
Budget all costs carefully and don’t over-commit yourself. Be ready for unexpected costs such as vet fees in case of vet care due to an illness or accident.

9. Have you had a serious look at the monthly/yearly cost of keeping your horse?
Take the time to look at costs of such items as feed, food supplements, hay, farrier charges, worming, etc..

10. Have you considered your needs and costs associated with equipping yourself and your horse with tack and supplies?
You’ll need a saddle, halter, headstall, bits, lead rope, and a wide variety of other tack and supplies. Review everything carefully.

I hope that these suggestions will assist you to buy a horse that you’ll truly come to love. If you’re ready to own a horse learn more about how to buy a horse at http://www.easyhorsecare.com

Author: J Russell Hart
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If ever there is a chance of you considering ownership of a horse, then you need to understand that this is not an easy responsibility. Besides providing food and shelter, a lot of equipment and materials are needed to keep them strong and healthy. Stable supplies are very important when it comes to taking care of horses.

With so many tack supply and equipment choices these days, you might get confused as to what to consider first. In any situation, saddle blankets are one of the most important. Aside from keeping the horses warm, they can also protect them from insects and flies, thus keeping your horse healthy and clean. Horse blankets greatly provide these animals with better blood circulation too.

When they are already in the stable, these blankets play a very important role. When choosing blankets, be sure to go for the ones that are durable, breathable, water proof, and made from the highest quality of materials. However, keep in mind that horses can withstand even the coldest of temperatures. It is ideal, therefore, to consider the weight of the blanket and the weather conditions in your area before you decide on which horse tack equipment item is suitable for your animal.

Horse fences are the second most important stable supplies or more correctly stable accessories. For ranchers and estate owners who want their stables to be secured and safe, proper fencing is very important. Keeping horses away from unwanted predators is crucial and the only solution is strong and reliable fencing construction. There are some factors that should be considered, such as the number of animals to be fenced, the nature of the field, and the budget. Additionally, the age of the horses in the pasture is just as important. Young, untrained, abusive, and highly spirited horses need special fencing. When it comes to horse fencing, there are basically three types of approaches, which include rail horse fencing, wire mesh horse fencing, and electric horse fencing. Whichever your preference is, it is still best to have a horse-care professional around to help you make the correct decision.

When visiting your local horse tack shop, consider purchasing tack trunks to store your stable supplies. You can easily organize your stable accessories in this way. This can help keep your horse tools from becoming lost. With so many things to consider about horsemanship, be sure you know how to properly care for the animals. For more information on horse care and supplies, visit www horses com.