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What Name?
Posts: 1994
   
| So, dad finished the fence this week. Barbed wire(not ideal) no shelters will be put u up until spring, but plenty of wind breakers. Downside, no companion and I refuse to but another horse right now. I'm focusing on school and have to have 1300 paid by the 18th. I've been boarding bug at a facility for the last 3 years. Love them. Unfortunately to save money (and put towards tuition) i really need to bring him home by Wednesday (board will start again and be due for December) I'm going to talk to her, but I can't help feel guilty because I was unable to give warning about when the fence would be finished. Should I just bit the bullet and leave him another month, or do you think she'll understand?? :/ feeling guilty.
I also need to find him a buddy, somehow. But I'm sure he'll be okay for a week or two until I can sort that out. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Oh no,,, barbed wire and horses do not mix.. I would be putting a hot wire between horse and fence. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | You really should give her notice .. sometimes they buy hay and feed ahead of time .. also I agree about barbed wire.. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
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All of my fences are barbed wire and pastures are not huge. Bottom strand is like 18 inches off the ground to stop pawing. The only thing my horses respect. That is what I have had all my life. If you put metal posts in buy the plastic caps for the tops. They are way more deadly than barbed wire. |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | I wouldn't try it with no buddy. Horses are herd animals....pull them from the herd and it can get ugly really quickly (especially with a less than ideal fence). I've seen several lose their minds when you turn them out alone, I just wouldn't take that chance. Pick up a shetland or something. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Barbed wire, I actually prefer over smooth wire, as in my experience, barbed will break sooner, and cause less damage to the horse. Also horses tend to respect barbed more due to the prick or poles they get when leaning into the fence.
I would speak the the lady, you are a starving college student she should understand.
I also would get a buddy, go to a horse sale, and buy a colt, they are cheap, and you don't really have to do much with them for a few years, by then you will be done school. |
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| streakysox - 2015-11-29 10:02 PM
Ask
All of my fences are barbed wire and pastures are not huge. Bottom strand is like 18 inches off the ground to stop pawing. The only thing my horses respect. That is what I have had all my life. If you put metal posts in buy the plastic caps for the tops. They are way more deadly than barbed wire.
This works ... most horse injures occur when they get one of their feet over the bottom strand of wire ..
You horse will be fine by itself ... don't create another problem with a buddy and cost of feeding and caring for something else ... you be your horses buddy.
If this is a horse only lot .. speak to your dad to raise the bottom strand even if it is wired to the next higher strand to keep it from being trash just laying around ... you can do this with pig nose rings or wired with baling wire ..
If you spend any money ... buy the cheapest $20 AC fence charger and just run a 100 ft down the tops of the tposts near water trough or your meeting area by gate or whatever ... you want him to get zapped ... just run an extension cord out to the charger and put charger in one of the cheap plastic storage boxes with a lid and drill a hole in the bottom to insert extension cord ..... drill a hole in the thin flange on nearby tpost and attach your ground wire there with a simple self tapping screw wrapped with the single strand ground wire ... you can buy all of this at tractor supply for less than $30 .... getting zapped a few times will teach respect for all fences .... after a couple of weeks you can take the charger out of the plastic box and store it in the garage and use again if needed ...
I don't know where you are located but Christmas coming up ... ask everyone for money ... and buy you one of the $695 carports you see everywhere around town ... installation is included in the price.. they will screw it in the ground... if worried about wind and want to add some weight to the legs .. get a white 5gal bucket form a restaurant .. saw the bottom off of it .. slit the side .. put around leg and wrap bucket with some duct tape and pour some concrete in bucket .. after it sets .. do the other legs .. ... later you can put tubed or wire panels inside to make a stall ... most of the carports are 12wide by 20 long with 8ft legs ... just pay attention where the north wind comes from ... like face the open ends east and west ... put a long side on north side .. if you have some scrap 4x8 plywood .. screw it to the legs as kick boards and wind breaks .... as you can see they end up making a good cover for your horse summer and winter ..
GOOD LUCK ..
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm going to talk to her, I really love Marie, but she's not hurting for board. She had the biggest facility in the area and probably could use the space for another boarder. I hope she understands.
I can't purchase a buddy, simply can not afford double vet bills, feed, that Ect. I have an ad out for cheap pasture board. $50 a month. Just enough to cover hay. It's a horse only field. Dad has a box for the electric fence already, from our old fence. Were going to string the wire the next few days we get when it's dry.
I'll look into the carport idea. See what dad is, biggest thing is my daddy did this so I could afford to keep my horse while paying for college myself. So he has to approve anything additional. There are huge ever greens that make fabulous wind breakers and he'll be blanketed as needed. He's a hardy fella, and has been I'm barbed fencing before. My biggest concern is he's a young horse and I don't want him to become buddy sour due to being without company. Hopefully someone will be willing to board one or two horses. It's a 6 Acer lot |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | Your horse needs something. Get a goat or a mini. You won't even notice buying extra hay or feed for a mini and you could probably get away with rasping it's feet yourself. I would not pull one and leave it alone. It is not healthy for the horse.
ETA the first time you turn him out you might want to put some plastic caution tape every so many feet on the fence. That way he can see the fence line and won't hit it at a run.... just an idea as I'm not sure how far apart your posts are. Make sure to cap the T posts too.
Edited by barrelracr131 2015-11-30 7:25 AM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1037
| Give your boarding barn notice for sure. Dont run the risk of burning that bridge if you for some reason have to take him back and board there in the future. Especially if she IS full. she has probably turned people down and would have an empty stall for the whole month or more. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 754
Location: Arkansas | Get a donkey--around here you can usually pick one up for around $50, sometimes even free. We have one (a freebie) running with our cows. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | I have barbed wire fencing......nothing has ever happened to my horses with it. You can try a goat or a donkey as a companion.
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| americanpride08 - 2015-11-30 4:10 AM
Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm going to talk to her, I really love Marie, but she's not hurting for board. She had the biggest facility in the area and probably could use the space for another boarder. I hope she understands.
I can't purchase a buddy, simply can not afford double vet bills, feed, that Ect. I have an ad out for cheap pasture board. $50 a month. Just enough to cover hay. It's a horse only field. Dad has a box for the electric fence already, from our old fence. Were going to string the wire the next few days we get when it's dry.
I'll look into the carport idea. See what dad is, biggest thing is my daddy did this so I could afford to keep my horse while paying for college myself. So he has to approve anything additional. There are huge ever greens that make fabulous wind breakers and he'll be blanketed as needed. He's a hardy fella, and has been I'm barbed fencing before. My biggest concern is he's a young horse and I don't want him to become buddy sour due to being without company. Hopefully someone will be willing to board one or two horses. It's a 6 Acer lot
Remember with boarding someone else's horse, you need liability insurance as if anything happens to the horse they can sue and your dad could loose the place |
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| cheryl makofka - 2015-11-30 8:57 AM
americanpride08 - 2015-11-30 4:10 AM
Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm going to talk to her, I really love Marie, but she's not hurting for board. She had the biggest facility in the area and probably could use the space for another boarder. I hope she understands.
I can't purchase a buddy, simply can not afford double vet bills, feed, that Ect. I have an ad out for cheap pasture board. $50 a month. Just enough to cover hay. It's a horse only field. Dad has a box for the electric fence already, from our old fence. Were going to string the wire the next few days we get when it's dry.
I'll look into the carport idea. See what dad is, biggest thing is my daddy did this so I could afford to keep my horse while paying for college myself. So he has to approve anything additional. There are huge ever greens that make fabulous wind breakers and he'll be blanketed as needed. He's a hardy fella, and has been I'm barbed fencing before. My biggest concern is he's a young horse and I don't want him to become buddy sour due to being without company. Hopefully someone will be willing to board one or two horses. It's a 6 Acer lot
Remember with boarding someone else's horse, you need liability insurance as if anything happens to the horse they can sue and your dad could loose the place
Hmm well we will go another route I guess. ?? why does this stuff have to be difficult. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Barb wire is fine. ..good grief....and your horse will be fine by himself.....M |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 851
Location: West Texas | I do not feel barb wire is a good choice. It can cut the dickens out of one and is far from safe (known multiple horses hurt BAD on it). Are there lots of horses in barb wire, you bet. Only takes once. Furthermore, there is simply no need. If you use barb wire, just run one strand electric fence inside of it or attach insulators to T-posts. Just use wire and don't worry about tape or rope, if you don't want to add much cost. I have never and will never run in barb wire without electric fence. Plus its relatively cheap and worth every penny. We run our broomares and foals on barb wire pasture, with electric fence.
Your horse will be fine without a shelter or pasture buddy. Wind break is the most important, even then, it takes pretty darn bad weather to bother one, as long as it is acclimated and has plenty of forage. Horses don't get buddy sour from being alone, they get buddy sour from having buddies. Now, I do like to run horses together, but it won't be a big issue, especially if it is just a short time. Of course getting an miniature or donkey is a good recommendation, if that was a concern and you wanted to.
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| The hot wire is a work in progress. But we already have it set up, it just needs to be hung and connected. The barbed wire honestly doesn't bother me too much, as he was in it before when he was younger. I worry more about him being lonely.
Anyone have opinions about a goat.? I'm hoping him and my Pyrenees will bond and that will help a bit too. After my classes are fully paid, I have the intention of helping my best friend find a solid pony-sized horse for her to ride as a beginner. She will be keeping it with my horse and I'll care for it minus the feed/vet bills.
Any who. There is a beastly line of cedars and ever greens for him to use as a windbreak. Also have a fully weather proof blanket set for him. For the really ICKY cold days.
Thanks so much everyone for the advice. of course barbed fencing isn't ideal for horses. But you make do with what you can afford and live in your means. The hot wire should help protect him from dumb accidents. I think I'm just going to bit the bullet, as much as I would like to just bring him home tomorrow. I'll pay the board and give myself another month to sort things out. It will also give me plenty of time to desensitized to blanketing in all kinds of scenarios.
Thanks ladies! ( and any gents lurking! =P ) 
Edited by americanpride08 2015-11-30 11:29 AM
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Expert
Posts: 3147
| Barbed wire fencing creates a problem when there are other horses on the other side of the fence. They get to picking at each other and can get a leg hung. While it isn't my fencing of choice I kept my horses in it for years with one accident and it was due to my horse getting tangled in a swing set and running through the fence in a panic. Hot wires solve the problem if there are horses across a fence from each other. |
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 No Name Nancy
Posts: 2715
Location: never in the right place | are there other horses near by? I have always only had 1 horse at a time and they have all been fine by themselves. 1 came from TX and was with other horses and he settled in ok. I have no other horses around either so he has no buddies. I only have a dry lot and he can get in out of the weather. If you need a buddy get a mini or a goat-won't really cost any extra.
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 Lived to tell about it and will never do it again
Posts: 5409
| I would rather have the barbed wire then the woven wire. Horses get caught up in the woven easier and yes it can cut them also. I think you are over worrying about it. |
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Veteran
Posts: 174
Location: Wisconsin | Barb wire is fine and being my themselves is fine. I have done both. It actually helped my horse not be buddy sour. |
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Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| americanpride08 - 2015-11-30 4:10 AM
Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm going to talk to her, I really love Marie, but she's not hurting for board. She had the biggest facility in the area and probably could use the space for another boarder. I hope she understands.
I can't purchase a buddy, simply can not afford double vet bills, feed, that Ect. I have an ad out for cheap pasture board. $50 a month. Just enough to cover hay. It's a horse only field. Dad has a box for the electric fence already, from our old fence. Were going to string the wire the next few days we get when it's dry.
I'll look into the carport idea. See what dad is, biggest thing is my daddy did this so I could afford to keep my horse while paying for college myself. So he has to approve anything additional. There are huge ever greens that make fabulous wind breakers and he'll be blanketed as needed. He's a hardy fella, and has been I'm barbed fencing before. My biggest concern is he's a young horse and I don't want him to become buddy sour due to being without company. Hopefully someone will be willing to board one or two horses. It's a 6 Acer lot
I have two of those carports. One on one pasture and one in the other. They have held up through hurricane force winds when Ike came through. I left the sides open because is gets HOT here in TX. Panel stalls allow for penning when necessary and good airflow in the summer. |
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Expert
Posts: 3147
| americanpride08 - 2015-11-30 4:10 AM
Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm going to talk to her, I really love Marie, but she's not hurting for board. She had the biggest facility in the area and probably could use the space for another boarder. I hope she understands.
I can't purchase a buddy, simply can not afford double vet bills, feed, that Ect. I have an ad out for cheap pasture board. $50 a month. Just enough to cover hay. It's a horse only field. Dad has a box for the electric fence already, from our old fence. Were going to string the wire the next few days we get when it's dry.
I'll look into the carport idea. See what dad is, biggest thing is my daddy did this so I could afford to keep my horse while paying for college myself. So he has to approve anything additional. There are huge ever greens that make fabulous wind breakers and he'll be blanketed as needed. He's a hardy fella, and has been I'm barbed fencing before. My biggest concern is he's a young horse and I don't want him to become buddy sour due to being without company. Hopefully someone will be willing to board one or two horses. It's a 6 Acer lot
Six acres is not much land for three full grown horses if you don't want it eaten down to the dirt. A full grown horse and small pony would be ok. |
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 Toastest with the Mostest
Posts: 5712
Location: That part of Texas | pepsi - 2015-11-30 1:13 PM Barb wire is fine and being my themselves is fine. I have done both. It actually helped my horse not be buddy sour.
+1
There are times when I purposefully pull one of mine up from the pasture so they spend some time alone by themselves here at the house. It puts them in a better frame of mind to get training done and takes them out of the herd/buddy mentality that can be a distraction. Mine are also out in mainly barbed wire fences because it's cost prohibitive to pipe fence the area they are in. Most learn to respect it and if your horse has been on it before, he probably already knows the drill.
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| BMW - 2015-11-30 6:47 PM
americanpride08 - 2015-11-30 4:10 AM
Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm going to talk to her, I really love Marie, but she's not hurting for board. She had the biggest facility in the area and probably could use the space for another boarder. I hope she understands.
I can't purchase a buddy, simply can not afford double vet bills, feed, that Ect. I have an ad out for cheap pasture board. $50 a month. Just enough to cover hay. It's a horse only field. Dad has a box for the electric fence already, from our old fence. Were going to string the wire the next few days we get when it's dry.
I'll look into the carport idea. See what dad is, biggest thing is my daddy did this so I could afford to keep my horse while paying for college myself. So he has to approve anything additional. There are huge ever greens that make fabulous wind breakers and he'll be blanketed as needed. He's a hardy fella, and has been I'm barbed fencing before. My biggest concern is he's a young horse and I don't want him to become buddy sour due to being without company. Hopefully someone will be willing to board one or two horses. It's a 6 Acer lot
Six acres is not much land for three full grown horses if you don't want it eaten down to the dirt. A full grown horse and small pony would be ok.
We have a total of 35 fenced. The 6 is just a small area we fixed up to bring him home. Were have a few patches and posts to put in in the spring before we can release them into the rest of the property. Looks like I'll be getting a goat to keep him company though...lol little devils they are |
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Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | americanpride08 - 2015-11-30 11:14 PM BMW - 2015-11-30 6:47 PM americanpride08 - 2015-11-30 4:10 AM Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm going to talk to her, I really love Marie, but she's not hurting for board. She had the biggest facility in the area and probably could use the space for another boarder. I hope she understands. I can't purchase a buddy, simply can not afford double vet bills, feed, that Ect. I have an ad out for cheap pasture board. $50 a month. Just enough to cover hay. It's a horse only field. Dad has a box for the electric fence already, from our old fence. Were going to string the wire the next few days we get when it's dry. I'll look into the carport idea. See what dad is, biggest thing is my daddy did this so I could afford to keep my horse while paying for college myself. So he has to approve anything additional. There are huge ever greens that make fabulous wind breakers and he'll be blanketed as needed. He's a hardy fella, and has been I'm barbed fencing before. My biggest concern is he's a young horse and I don't want him to become buddy sour due to being without company. Hopefully someone will be willing to board one or two horses. It's a 6 Acer lot Six acres is not much land for three full grown horses if you don't want it eaten down to the dirt. A full grown horse and small pony would be ok. We have a total of 35 fenced. The 6 is just a small area we fixed up to bring him home. Were have a few patches and posts to put in in the spring before we can release them into the rest of the property. Looks like I'll be getting a goat to keep him company though...lol little devils they are
Have you ever had a goat? Speaking from experience - a shetland or mini would be ever so much easier. They're cheap and lot of people are giving them away. |
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Veteran
Posts: 260
Location: Gonzales texas | Agree the goat can be trouble! There are so many little ponies that need to be rescued. Please consider that option. |
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what would you do?