Pampered Dog Blog

Those people who keep horses and need a way of enclosing them on pastures have several options to choose from when it comes to fencing. The most common options are wire, wood and PVC fencing and each has different good and bad points. Before going into the different benefits of different fencing materials it’s important to point out a couple of safety points. First of all it is absolutely vital to walk the length of the fencing regularly to inspect it for damage, breakages or weak points. Second, the height of the fence should be such that it deters horses from trying to jump the fence. Roughly speaking, the highest part of the fence should be a similar height to the horse’s nose.

Of wire, wooden and PVC fencing, the cheapest option is wire. However it is not generally durable enough. It also increases the risk of injury to horses grazing themselves on it because it is difficult to see. After that, wood is the next cheapest which certainly looks good and creates a very traditional look. However, it is unfortunate that wooden fencing does require a good amount of maintenance. It needs to be painted regularly, but is also more likely to peel and rot, especially if the weather is wet. What’s more, their installation usually needs nails which can be dangerous to horses. If horses catch themselves on nails, they are likely to become distressed, which is dangerous all round.

PVC fencing does not come with such disadvantages. It is stronger and lasts longer than wooden fencing and does not split or splinter in wet weather. There is no need for ongoing time and money costs for replacement and repair. With PVC fencing for horses the risk of injury is significantly reduced because simple installation means that there are no nails jutting out from the fence. PVC fencing might be the most expensive of the available options, but the long term costs are reduced because maintenance and repair is not required.