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dnotcy

Living Fence

dnotcy
13 years ago

Hi I live in Central WI zone 4. I have horses and want to put up a living fence to keep my stallions from striking at my fence and to keep my donkeys from chewing on my wood fence posts. I want something that can in no way poison my horses, something with short thorns will probably detour them better without harming them.

Here is my criteria: at least 3 ft tall, up to 6 feet tall, likes full sun, thrives in clay, can handle standing/running water in the spring, something that does not spread or at least spreads very slowly so it does not become invasive to my pastures, finally it has to be affordable - I have 40 acres to fence ;-)

Any help with this will be greatly appreciated! Please include places to purchase your suggestions, that is if you know of any.

Thank you Tracy

Comments (6)

  • oregonwoodsmoke
    13 years ago

    Horses won't go through Himalayan blackberry. You'll need to have field fence installed first and then the blackberry grows up and over it and forms a thicket.

    No stallion is going to stay inside any fence that is only 4 feet tall. Forget that idea.

  • dnotcy
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks I will look into the Himalayan blackberry. I do not have field fence installed so it may not work.
    I do have my fences up. They are 6 ft tall throughout my farm so that I can put my stallions in any pasture. The problem arises when they get excited and threaten each other or try teasing a mare. It is not always possible to keep them a pasture away from other horses. I need something to keep them off my fencing. I am afraid that they may get hurt if they catch a foot on it.
    If I plant something with thorns they have to be on the small size so that my guys don't cut up their legs. Basically I want to add a live fence to my existing fence to add width to help keep them further from other horses - about 3 ft wide 3 to 6 ft tall. The living fence won't have to be all that tall because I do not plan to take down my existing fence just add width to it.

  • ga_karen
    13 years ago

    We used to raise horses years ago...I agree w/goodhors!
    Have you tried stabeling one while the other one exercises?

    Personally, I wouldn't have more than one stud at a time on my land...but that is just me!

  • brendasue
    13 years ago

    I wouldn't have more than 1 stallion either, however if I did and I had the OP's situation, I think I would opt to keep the stallions in smaller, manageable, stallion-proof pastures, moving as needed, even keeping a companion mare depending on his temperament. Our QH stallion was with the mares 24/7 with no issues.

    It would be far better to restrict 1 or both stallions in their respective safe areas than stallion proof 40 acres, hoping the fences hold or not get damaged (intentionally or by nature) to the extent of them getting at each other. As an added precaution I would probably run electric netting between the mares & the stallions paddocks, just in case of an escapee.

    2 raging hormonal stallions is NOT something I would want to deal with, but to each his own.

    Brendasue

  • Deborah lippitt
    last year

    Himalayan Blackberries are a vastly invasive species here in Oregon.. a noxious weed!

    And 4 of my horses cleared a large portion of a 20' x 40' wall of them and they had plenty of feed too.

    With my stallion...we ran a hot wire 2.5" high on the inside of his run...because he too was hell on fences..his daily fun..see how much fence he could destroy!! But make it hot! Another stallion was across from some mares with a hot wire across the top..I found him patiently waiting for me to cut the fence (brand new tight 5 strand barb wire with the hot wire too)..he was straddling it as he a tried to mount a mare over the fence..good thing he is a smart horse..didn't thrash around at all...

    I'm really interested in a living fence too though..stallions all gone.

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