Using T-Posts for Fencing

[RichZ]

I'm glad you brought this thread back up. I forgot to mention, that as per Cowboydoc's suggestion, I use the Red Brand fencing, and TSC carries it, and TSC's prices on it are the cheapest I've seen by far.

[SteveHCT]

I bookmarked their site, based on one of the old posts. I'll take a look at it again. Mostly what I want now is a good long term-temporary ( if there is such a thing ) solution until we finalyze our pastures borders.

Thanks,

[SteveHCT]

I read on the other forum that someone might use them for a couple weeks - I would be likely using them in a temporary capacity... temporary for about a year. You think they won't hold up too well huh... Is there ever an easy answer??? [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[LazyJ_Arabians]

The key factor in deciding on how much beef to put into a fence is whether it will separate horses or just contain them. Given adequate pasture, horses will seldom even touch a containment-only fence except to scratch their tails. A separation fence line must be much more significant.

My largest pasture is slowly expanding on two opposite sides as I reclaim from scrub, brush, and swamp. For this I use T-posts with 4' large weave field fence thats cheap and easy to setup, just put some good stretching points every 200' or so and you've got it whipped. For my permanent containment-only perimeter fences I use the same construction but add a steel cable on the top for a sight line and to firm up the fence. My separation fences are mostly 6" round posts (some still 5" from my first failure) with crosstie corners and stretch points with no-climb mesh and cable on top and they take a brutal beating, I wish I had all crosstie posts in these areas.

[SteveHCT]

Thanks for the information. Non of my fencing will be to separate horses, containment only. The fact is, the pasture they're in now has some breaks in the fencing and they don't challenge it. So I don't think they're in any rush to break out anyway. If you had a chance I'd like to see a picture of how your fencing is set up. I find that like so many things, everyone seems to go about it in their own way. In the long term I planned on putting up vinyl fencing around the whole perimeter - but that's a good year or two away. Right now, some of these more moveable options are sounding very good.

Take Care,

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> Mike - can you give me an update on the electric mesh tape? </font color>
Steve, the original tape I installed as a 'hot wire' on the inside top rail of my wooden fence is still working well after 10 years. No degradation of the tape. The only thing that's happened to the tape, which is white, is some of the tape has developed greenish tint from mold (?). It's not noticable unless I am close to the tape, so I have not done anything about it. In fact, the original Parmak 6v solar charger is still going strong.

The 3 acre pasture I fenced in this summer with horseguardfence cost $2.62/foot (price includes the horseguardfence items and the 4" x 4" x 8' posts that I spaced about 8 feet apart) for 3 strands. My fence is strictly for containment, not separation.

[SteveHCT]

Thanks Mike - I think we'll be using this for our moving borders. I appreciate the information. I'm intrigued by the solar charger, I just am concerned about down time on it... cloudy days or worse, rainy days. How does it carry on when you have a few days of rainy weather?

[SteveHCT]

I answered this one by going to the website (novel idea huh?). For anyone interested here is an excerpt;

<font color="blue">Will operate for 21 days in total darkness. Totally weather-proof for outdoor use. Comes complete with sealed 6 volt battery, ready for use. Charges up to 25 miles of fence </font color>
Pretty Impressive...

[zuiko]

The power drain on a charger is minimal unless you are discharging (like if you have a short or something is leaning against the wire). All the solar ones have batteries. It's a pretty ideal application for it.

[AK_Mike]

Why bolt the wood boards to the T-posts? Just use 12.5 gauge twisted smooth wire. I have three rows of this wire, with two rows of electric tape between the smooth wire. I have my smooth wire tied into my fence ground in a "hot ground" setup. That way, dry soil is not that big a deal. If the horse touches the electric tape, it will also touch the smooth wire, which completes the circuit and gives them a healthy shock. My gelding that used to go right through fences now won't even go near it.