Wire mesh fencing - what size is safe??

[Linda]

We just bought a new house with some land for the horses. The prior owners had post and board fencing with wire mesh attached to it in the fields. The size of the holes in the wire mesh seem big to me from the non climb stuff Im used to seeing -they graduate in size from 3x6 to 4x8. The larger holes seem less dangerous as it looks like the horse could pull his foot back out if he got it in there. The smaller ones Im just not sure about. I do plan to put a hot wire on the fence and believe that will keep all the horses off it .....but at the same time, dont want to create a problem. Should I take it down?

[BasqueMom]

Yes!!!!!! Even though the size of the holes are bigger, it won't help if a horse realizes his foot is in
and panics. We inherited 4 x 4 wire mesh on this place that was all sagged and stretched from horses
putting their feet though. A couple of holes in the tack room wall metal from a stall on the other side
of the wall that had no kick boarding. IMO, anything less than non-climb of v-mesh is an accident waiting to happen..even with electric, some one could be full of it and kick out and catch a foot.

[dmalbone]

Yes, anything larger than 2x4 is asking for an accident.

[Linda]

ok thanks
Questrion number two. What do you all know about solar electric fences?When we take the old wire fencing down, I will need to put up an electric fence asap to keep them off the wood fence.

Do the solar ones really work? What happens in the winter?

[Gry2Yng]

Not to hijack, but rather than start another thread on fence. I am putting in the diamond mesh perimeter fence, for the safety of both the horses and the dogs - property is on a busy road. What type of gate would you use on the driveway to make sure the dogs don't go out under or thru the gate? I have seen people add chicken wire to galvanized gates. I would like something a little more classy. Thoughts?

[BasqueMom]

Here's a link to a possibility:

http://www.ranchoutlet.com/Priefert-10ft-Wire-Filled-D-Gate.htm

You might also get a regular pipe gate and attach some V-mesh to it--but unless you
have a nifty way to attach without the v-mesh rubbing against the paint on the gate,
you might have some of the paint rub off over time.

[Gry2Yng]

Thanks.