One of the most important considerations in keeping horses is the type of fencing that will be used to surround the pasture. With so many choices available, it is easy to overlook the long term costs in favor of the cheapest material. While this may have immediate benefits, the overall costs may warrant a more costly choice. Veterinary bills and maintenance expenses associated with inappropriate fencing may surpass what a safer fence would have originally cost. Listed below are some common types of fencing, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each, and estimated costs.
Estimated costs include the fencing material only, not posts or labor.
Estimated costs are calculated per foot of a four strand wire and tape,
four slat wood, four foot mesh, and three strand polyvinyl fence.
An additional cost is calculated for a polyvinyl fence comprised of of
one four inch polyvinyl top rail, supplemented by three strands of monofilament
wire. Monofilament wire stretches and retracts, instead of slicing
and snapping.
| Types of Fencing | Advantages | Disadvantages | Estimated Costs |
| Square/Diamond Mesh | Cheap, easy to install, fairly effective in predator control | Easy for a horse to catch a foot/leg sustaining serious injuries, low visibility unless a solid top rail is utilized | $1.33 |
| Wood | Visually appealing, high visibility | High maintenance, ideal for cribbers, possibility of protruding nails, splinters/possibility of impalement, expensive | $1.50 |
| Barbed Wire | Inexpensive, can be used for cattle | Extremely dangerous for horses! Must be stretched, rust, difficult to handle, low visibility | $0.11 (coated barbs)
$0.10 (non-coated barbs) |
| Smooth Wire/High Tensile | Inexpensive, difficult to break | Dangerous for horses! Will cause deep wounds with high blood loss, low visibility, must be stretched | $0.06 |
| Electric Wire | Moderately priced, can be effective in controlling small groups of horses, reduces cribbing | Low visibility, less effective with large herds, same injuries as smooth wire | $0.06 (wire)
$49.95 electric box (able to charge one strand up to 5 miles) |
| Electric Tape | Increased visibility, safer than plain wire, does not break easily, less likely to cause serious injuries | Fairly expensive, prone to sagging, not ideal for large acreages | $0.16 |
| Polyvinyl | Excellent visibility, extremely safe, very resistant to breakage and stretching, low maintenance, no sharp edges, available in many different sizes and colors | Expensive (typically requires professional installation) | $2.72 (five inch rails)
$1.09 (combo fence) |
It is important when weighing to pros and cons of each type of fencing to consider: