Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Fencing Turnout Areas
Although all fencing must be safe, be sure to choose the very safest fencing you can for
small enclosures such as pens, runs, and paddocks. The smaller the enclosure, the great-
er the “pressure” on the fencing, the greater the likelihood the horse will get hurt, and the
safer and stronger the fence should be. Make sure that corners are safe and that waterers
and feeders do not protrude with sharp edges or create dangerous spaces where a horse
could get caught. Be certain that no bolt ends protrude; use round-headed bolts (carriage
bolts) on areas exposed to horses whenever possible. Design all gates to be the same height
as and flush with the fence when closed. Low roof edges and the corners and bottom edges
of metal sheds are particularly dangerous, and turned-out horses should not have access to
them.
Keep absolutely no junk, garbage, or machinery in any area that horses frequent. Guy
wires for telephone poles, power lines, or antennas located in pastures should not be ac-
cessible to horses. If you have power poles running through the middle of your pasture, ask
your power company to provide plastic sleeves for the guy wires and/or tie something on
the guy wires so they are more visible. Or you can set two 8-inch-diameter posts with a
crossbar at the base of the guy wire to keep horses from running into it.
The areas where horses are turned out vary in size, footing, and amount and kind of ve-
getation present.
Pens
are at least the size of a generous box stall (16 feet by 16 feet) and
are meant to be a horse's outdoor living quarters.
A
run
is usually a long, narrow pen specifically designed for exercise. A 20-foot by
80-foot run will allow a horse to trot; if you want your horse to be able to canter, provide
150 feet and make sure there is enough width for him to turn around safely at high speed at
the end of the run.
