Choosing the right horse electric fencing is important for the safety of your horse(s). We still often see people opting for an aesthetic fence that looks nice with the house. Or that a cheap solution is chosen, to keep the horse on the pasture. All well-considered choices, but often the safety of the horse is not the main focus.
Gallagher stands for Protect what matters most. Our mission is that your horse is safe. At all times. Even if the horse goes on the run. Strange as it may sound, that is precisely when the horse should not be kept inside. It should be able to break through the fence safely and unharmed. Horses are flight animals by nature. If the horse is startled by something, it will flee and run away blind. And although a horse is highly visual, it will not shy away from any barrier at that moment. It will go right through everything. And that can have major consequences for your horse's well-being.
By choosing electric fences from Gallagher, you are choosing solutions that have been developed together with horse owners and have proven themselves in safety for years. Moreover, these electric fence solutions are three times cheaper, many times more durable and easier to maintain than conventional fences such as wood or barbed wire.
Why electric fences for horses?
There are several reasons why a horse owner chooses an electric fence for grazing his/her horses.
1. Safety
Every horse owner naturally wants his/her horse to be safe. Because a horse feels the pulse of the fence even at a distance, it will be discouraged from going further and will avoid the fence. Thus, you minimise escapes and prevent your horse from getting into dangerous situations. This, of course, is the basis of a fence: keeping your horse safe on the pasture. However, another important part of safety is that if your horse is startled by an external factor, it must be able to break out, without injuring itself. The horse will flee blind when startled and will then go straight through everything. To prevent your horse from getting hurt in such cases, use safe posts that bend with you, insulators and joiners without sharp edges and conductors that break when it really matters.
2. Electric fencing cost savings
Electric fences are up to 3 times cheaper than traditional wooden or metal fences. They require less material and labour to install, significantly reducing overall costs. Moreover, electric fences are easier to repair in case of damage. Which, of course, also saves costs in the long run.
3. Flexibility
Electric fences can be adjusted and moved more easily than traditional fences. This is especially useful if the layout of the pasture changes frequently or if the horse needs to be placed in a different area temporarily. With an electric fence, horse owners can easily adapt the layout of the fence to the needs of the horse and the environment. For example, if two stallions need to be separated, electric fences can help.
4. Ease of maintenance
In general, electric fences require less maintenance than traditional fences. They do not need paint or other coatings and are less susceptible to damage from weather conditions. Checking the fence periodically with the Gallagher Check is enough to keep it functioning properly.
5. Landscape conservation
Electric fences for horses have developed considerably over the years. One of the arguments for not using electric fence was that it was landscape pollution. The white ribbons or tapes disturbed the landscape, so people preferred conventional fences, which were less disruptive to the landscape. The conductors, but also the posts and other accessories are now designed to blend into the surroundings. The colour terra has been added for conductors, gate handles, posts and other accessories to ensure that the fence blends into the landscape but is still clearly visible to the horse. Because: safety for the horse always comes first!
Paddock management with electric fences
Paddock management is the careful management and maintenance of the pasture or paddock in which horses are kept. The aim of good paddock management is to create a healthy and safe environment for horses, in which adequate exercise, power supply and shelter are central.
When it comes to paddock management, electric fences are a good tool to use. This can be done with both permanent and mobile solutions. For example, with electric fence deployment, you can deploy a rotation system if you have multiple paddocks. With this, you ensure that the horses are regularly moved from one paddock to another.
This helps prevent overgrazing and maintain the quality of the grass, Also, by using electric fences, you can separate horses properly if necessary. This way, you can make sure that all horses in one paddock have high-quality grass, are healthy and can still graze outside together.