Electric fencing for horses works well with the right installation, training and monitoring.

The following aren’t just urban myths; they’re real, true stories from the many people who have successfully used electric fence to contain their horses.

• _”My friend lived in an apartment complex with her horse and a landlord who didn’t want her to keep it there,”_ says Dr. Patricia Harris, PhD., Associate Professor at Cornell University. _”She installed a temporary line of electric fence around her horse’s stall and corral; she monitored it constantly, and found that it was very effective.”_ This is a perfect example of how electric fencing can work well even in highly-populated areas.
• _“I spent $500 on an electric fence for my horse, but I decided not to use it because I thought he would get shocked and die,”_ says Pippa Smith of Denver, Colorado. However, most veterinarians will tell you that the chances of your horse getting shocked are slim to none if the fence is properly installed and maintained—and if you ensure that your horse respects its boundaries by teaching him not to touch the wire or posts.

The key to the success of electric fencing is training the horse in how it works.

Although your horse may be trained to not jump a fence, we are also going to assume that any horse can see an open fence line and will try and run through it. Any time you train your horse, the first step is to get the horse’s attention. This can be done by getting their attention with the “hot” shock or by bringing them into a small area where they cannot escape from. Whatever method works best for your horse, stick with it until they stop trying to run through the electric wire! If you are having trouble training your horse, ask a professional trainer for help; there are plenty of resources available online and in books on how to train a horse properly.

Horses are herd animals with a strong flight response, so it doesn’t take much to train them to stay away from a hot fence.

Horses have a strong flight response, meaning that they will try to escape anything new and frightening. This is why horses are trained to respect an electric fence—it doesn’t take much to teach them that it gives them uncomfortable shocks when they touch it. They will naturally tend to avoid the feeling of electricity by moving away from the fence before it hurts them. Even if you don’t do anything special, your horse will probably learn on his own not to come into contact with your electric fence.

Like training any animal, it’s important to remain consistent and patient throughout the process.

Like training any animal, it’s important to remain consistent and patient throughout the process. Training is not a one-time event. Consistency will build trust between you and your horse, which will in turn make him more confident that he understands what is expected of him. It may be frustrating or time-consuming, but this patience and diligence will ensure that you get the results you want in the end.

Avoid shortcuts – they could hurt your horse or put them in danger of getting loose later on. If you’re uneducated about equine training or behavior, don’t risk hurting yourself or someone else through a lack of knowledge or experience. Instead, reach out to an expert provider for help if you need it! Your local feed store should be able to recommend someone who can assist with these types of issues.

There are several things you can do to make sure your horse responds appropriately to electric fencing.

There are several things you can do to make sure your horse responds appropriately to electric fencing.

• Use a single strand of electric fence, rather than one that includes multiple strands. Your horse will be more likely to respect the boundary, rather than becoming confused about where you want him/her to be.
• Use a single wire, rather than several wires at varying heights. This will help you avoid the potential for your horse getting tangled in the fence and make it more likely that he/she recognizes it as something to respect.
• Use a single strand of smooth wire, rather than one with spikes or barbs on it. If possible, run the strand at shoulder height along the top rail—this gives your horse better visibility and makes it clearer what his/her boundaries are.

Don’t trust that the horse has been trained until you see that it has been trained.

Just because someone says they can do something, or your horse shows you he’s got the electric fence down, doesn’t mean that’s true. I’ve seen one too many owners come to regret not testing their horse over and over again until they were sure. If you’re going to use an electric fence with your horse, leave it alone for a while, then bring it back in unsupervised; then turn it on and see if the horse is still respecting the boundaries of the fence. Even better: get a friend to watch your horse while you’re gone. This way they can tell you if he trips the fence or attempts to go outside of it. The more things you can think of to test yourself, the more confident you’ll be that thing is functioning as expected – whether that thing is an electric fence or a new employee.

Even if you have a well-trained horse, you need to make sure that your fence installation is done properly.

Whether you’re a horse owner looking to install an electric fence to keep your horses in, or you’re thinking of installing an electric fence to keep unwanted critters out, it is essential that you properly maintain and test your electric fence at regular intervals.

Even if you have very well-trained horses, a poorly installed fence can cause problems. There are several different components that go into creating a safe and effective electric fence for your horses. If any one of those components is faulty, the entire system becomes unsafe for your animals. Fence systems have many moving parts that need to be checked regularly to make sure they work properly. Even with proper safety measures in place however, there are still going to be times when a horse gets spooked by something on the other side of the fence and tries to jump it. Without proper maintenance there’s no way to guarantee that in this situation your horse won’t get hurt or even killed by running into improperly installed fencing systems meant for containment of livestock.

Use electric fence properly so your horses will stay safe and healthy

• Use the right fence charger.

Fence chargers are used to energize fencing, giving the wire the power to shock animals who touch them. The size (and strength) of a fence charger is determined by how many joules it puts out and by how much energy it uses from your battery. When choosing a charger for your farm, you’ll want to consider what types of livestock you have and what size your pasture is, as well as whether or not you need an alternative source of power like a solar-powered one.

• Make sure you have the right fence installation.

Your electric fence’s wires should be at least 6 inches off the ground and spaced no more than 12 inches apart—that way, they have enough room to deliver shocks without being so far apart that they miss each other when they sway in the wind! For best results, choose wire over rope or tape because it can deliver more powerful shocks without breaking down over time like rope or tape might do if left outside too long without being replaced regularly; also make sure there aren’t any holes in your fencing where small animals could get through!