OT---Horse question

Some time ago, I was at a friends home and we walked from one pasture to another. He told me to watch out for the single strand wire that was about 5 foot high, stretched betwen two wide apart posts.
I asked him why it was there and he said--"to keep the horses out, they won't go under the wire but the cows will"
All his horses are Tennessee Walker, is this true with all breeds of horses or are his trained.

I've got a Quarter horse that makes it his business to go under fences.

Never saw a horse that wouldn't walk under a 5 foot high fence.

In my experience, it is unusual for a horse to go
under a fence. That seems rather high though. I have
had fences at least 3 ft. high that horses wouldn't
go under.

(quoted from post at 00:07:38 10/05/11) Never saw a horse that wouldn't walk under a 5 foot high fence.

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That's what I was thinking but this older gentleman was a very serious person. I knew him and worked with him for many years we were close friends and he never once joked with me about anything.

If it is a hot wire they will not challenge it if they are use to one. My T-W are held in by one single strand. I do have to keep it checked for limbs or deer tearing it down. But at the same time the horses will not get out even if I unplug it for a few days. When the ice storm hit a couple years ago we were out of power for 14 days and the horses stayed in. Mine is more like 3 ft instead of 5 ft though.

(quoted from post at 00:55:36 10/05/11) In my experience, it is unusual for a horse to go
under a fence. That seems rather high though. I have
had fences at least 3 ft. high that horses wouldn't
go under.

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It has been many years and the height was just an estimate but we went under the wire. I guess it could have been 4 foot.

horses will not hunker down to go under something so as long as it touches the top of there shoulders they wont go through it of course this is in general theres always an exceptional animal that wont stay in no matter what

Yep,

Horses are probably the laziest creature on earth.

If they are well fed and happy, Hey! It's just way too much darned effort to scurry under that four foot wire, let alone take the time to bust through it.

While at the same time, leave a gate open and they'll be at the other end of the farm in a minute and a half. There! We sure outsmarted you this time!

Then, they'll stand there swattin' flies waiting on you to come get 'em with that look of "Who? Me? What's all the fuss about" :>)

Allan

it has to do with something touching their shoulders, we had 1 that could go under a 4 foot wire when he walked up a steep hill, this put him in between 2 fences in a narrow chute where he could not turn around,all he had to do to leave was duck down and walk out, but he would not volantery get back out, as once he was in there he stood level and the wire touched his shoulder, even if he dropped his head and neck down it was a real pain to get him out of there, after about the 3rd time, i changed the fencing up so the condition didnt exist

Our pony will drop to his knees, fall over, and roll under the lowest fence rail; with electric fence at 4 ft, one of our mares does it occasionally as well.

Guys, When I was in the OK Panhandle we regularly kept our horses on wheat pasture in the winter, or on some sort of summer graze out. Under a single hot wire fence. A hot wire at 5ft or any height over 3.5 ft high is worthless! Wrong proportions in height to animal to ground!!!
We ran fence height at point of hip for Stocker calves, Cows, Horses and never had a problem.
One needs to turn animal out in traps where the animals have time to find the boundaries and learn the fence at least 2 hrs before dark at a minimum.
The wire height was at the point of hip, (just under belt loop high) our re-bar post with adjustable plastic insulator were every 15 steps. Our hot wire was a slick, 14 ga, single strand wire.
We had had 10+ spools that were 2 ft wide, with a 20 in plow disk on each end to make the sides of the spools. Each spool had enough wire on it to put a single strand hot wire around 2 sections. About 8 miles of wire. Or one section +cross fences.
The Real Secret to a hot wire fence is the Charger, like old, International Super 98 would knock a calf to its knees or horse one hit after that they will give that fence a wide berth!
If a charger is one that is a so-so hot charger you will have trouble keeping animals in.
We had a round tube style New Zealand made charger that would do a number on a calf in short order too.
In dry weather is hard to make a charger work well, wet weather or adequate moisture is when best results are obtained.
Yes every spring we rolled up all hot wire fences after grazing winter wheat and corn stalks, and needing to get in that yrs corn crop.
Hope this helps .
Later,
John A.

Horses each have individual traits I have one stud that is held in with one hot white rope. He will not cross a baler twine stretched out on the ground. I have a three year old mare and a yearling male that if they can get their head under a bottom hot white rope without hitting it with their nose they will take the tickle and go thru. I have two other mares and a stud that would go thru a single rope but a three rope fence keep them in easy.

(quoted from post at 03:45:18 10/05/11) Horses each have individual traits I have one stud that is held in with one hot white rope. He will not cross a baler twine stretched out on the ground. I have a three year old mare and a yearling male that if they can get their head under a bottom hot white rope without hitting it with their nose they will take the tickle and go thru. I have two other mares and a stud that would go thru a single rope but a three rope fence keep them in easy.

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Exactly............ They just have to respect the fence....if not, they're out (in my case anyway) I'm lazy so have mine trained (?) to go under stuff when I hold it up. Saves walking to a gate when they are out, just raise the fence up and they go under......... If there is no (or weak) electric on it, they wil go under, thru, or over....babies being the worst........

So I guess it depends on the animal :?:
Since the wire appeared to just be temporarly wrapped around two fence post, it was not "hot" at that time.
Cows were in both pastures but horses were not.
Never really thought about it at the time and wish I had asked my friend why his horses wouldn't go under.
I distinctly remember his statement that "[b:fe1dd80f95]Horses[/b:fe1dd80f95] wont go under a wire"

If those horses wanted to go through that fence they would. Probably just well trained or they psychologically think it is a barrier or will shock them.

I have a three strand poly fence that is hot. If the horses and cattle wanted to mow through it they could. But it is amazing how a small electrical shock will "behavior" train a large animal.

Old horse pulling trick. If they seem to not wanting to put their all into the harness, take them out of site. Yell get up and hit them with a cattle prod at the same time. Take them back out to the sled and they have the meaning of get up down pat.

I kept one in with 1 strand hot wire (3' high) and had a gate handle on one end at the corner post. You could remove the wire from the "gate" area and he would not cross it even with me pulling on him. He remembered the fence was there, but wasn't sure if it was still there. This would work for 1 hour or so until he realized the fence was gone. Then he would walk out.

My daughter's horse is quite respectful and even
afraid of any fencing she thinks might have spark in
it. To her they all do. She won't even step over a
wire laying on the ground, but only go through a
gate. Now I wish our cattle were so consistent.

Christopher

mmmm... horse...
Tasty... Try the back straps with butter adn garlic on the bbq. Sometimes crushed red pepper flake, and some cajun spices. definitely not yoru greasy horse meat.

The other thing to try is a hind quarter on a spit, cut at the hip.

Or you could ride it, but not that much fun after trying a Polaris 500 scrambler.



[u:07a1a28baf][i:07a1a28baf][b:07a1a28baf][size=24:07a1a28baf][/size:07a1a28baf]JOKE FREAKING JOKE!!!! DON'T SEND HATE MAIL!!![/b:07a1a28baf][/i:07a1a28baf][/u:07a1a28baf][i:07a1a28baf][/i:07a1a28baf][size=12:07a1a28baf][/size:07a1a28baf] unless you liek horse meat...

Far from an expert but the only reason I seen a horse break out,escape etc.Was because they were looking for food or love.


Good Luck

Stan