Re: [RC] Boards At The Top of Fencing - Karen Sullivan
Barbara, I certainly do agree with you. All
my paddocks around the barn are pipe...but horses can be hard on pipe
too....have to have really thick gague pipe! I was thinking more of big
pasture fences (post and no climb)
It may be too late for this answer, but
here is my observation......
We are in the lumber business; we
manufacture it, so it is readily available to us. After replacing rotten
and chewed posts for years, after replacing chewed fence boards, I finally
persuaded my husband to put out the money to buy galvanized corral panels to
enclose our horses. They are six-rail panels and we've had them for
many, many years. I could never go back to wood. There is no
upkeep, no nails, no worries. The only troubles we have had with
any of the panels was when a tree or a branch of a tree fell on them. Of
course they will dent badly under those circumstances, but my husband has both
a welder and an acetylene torch. He can return them to complete
usefulness, if not original beauty. I'm big into "no maintenance".
There is so little time in our lives, with all else we do, to replace fence
posts and boards around horse paddocks. Now with the cattle, that's
another matter. Where we are dealing with miles of fencing, or working
corrals, we build these of posts and boards. Cattle are not known to
breakfast on wooden boards. You say that your horses are free to come
and go and that they would not chew, but all you need is a chewing horse
introduced into your collection, and the others will likely pick up the
habit. Well, this is my opinion and experience. Take it for what
you will.
FYI, we live near the ocean, so moist and
salty air contributes to rotting, as well as acidic soil (from redwood
trees). If you live where it is dry, you may not have the same issues we
do.
OK ridecampers; some of you gave me some great
tips when I was into building my new barn. I now need some more
tips. I am into replacing all the fencing in the barn area that was
taken away. I bought horse wire since I know that cattle wire is a
pain since I was into helping the equine critters lift their hooves
out when they would put them through that cattle woven wire
fencing.....horse wiring will stop that. Now I don't want barb wire at
the top as I have had ....but would prefer to have boards at the top.
Ok, my question is should I use treated or untreated? My horses are
free to come and go on numerous acres...so I have never had a chewing or
other problems dealing with boredum....but just in case...should I avoid the
treated boards? Help me please ridecampers.
