Will a Cable Gate Contain Horses?

[Argonne]

The horse that ran through the barb wire was a Tennessee walker

I am very happy for anyone who can afford to dedicate their property to horses by having "horse friendly fencing", but all fences have hazardous features, and horses occasionally find ways to get hurt regardless, slipping in mud, running in to tree limbs, getting kicked or bitten by other horses, etc. Let's not turn this thread into yet another "barbed wire is evil" thread.

 

[Xfaxman]

Ours are Tennessee Walkers. There, I hijacked my own thread posting a horse picture. :ashamed:

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Well since you did it, here are our Peruvians:

 

[prichard]

Cold bloods are draft horses. Hot bloods are the ones like Arabians. Warm bloods were bred to carry knights. They have the strength and temperament of the cold bloods and the agility and speed of the hot bloods. Ours are Holsteiners and Hanoverians, named after the region in Germany where they originated.

Thanks, I know nothing about horses and that statement seemed crazy.

 

[sseelhoff]

Since we've gone to bragging on our horses...

Cremecicle - SGL Photo

Cremecicle - SGL Photo

Showname is Creamsicle. Barn name is Duke. Belgian-Thoroughbred cross. He was somebody's pasture accident that the wife bought (cheap), broke and trained. He was the 2016 Reserve Champion at 3' jumpers in San Antonio.

 

[riptides]

-.1 Impressive!

Ride for the cure, Pimlico Race Track.

 

[TheMan419]

If we are going to talk horses..... If you really want to do some good find your local therapeutic riding facility and support them. They do amazing work with horses and the disabled.

 

[riptides]

If we are going to talk horses..... If you really want to do some good find your local therapeutic riding facility and support them. They do amazing work with horses and the disabled.

Yes, those are some great people and great programs.

 

[tallyho8]

We put on a large horse show at a therapeutic riding center that raised several thousand dollars to help them improve their facility. Unfortunately, a few months later they had a flood they destroyed everything, never to reopen again. Very sad day.

 

[CountryB]

What about the "barb-less" wire. I use that between my (horizontal) fence boards to keep dogs from getting through fence. It's very strong, I don't think it would hurt horses. Plus it cheaper than barbwire. Barbless Cable - For Life Out Here

 

[Dadnatron]

I won't post pics of all... but you opened it up.

But here are my 3yo Tbred Racehorse and our newest filly (1mo)

 

[oercheron]

My question is, does anyone have experience confining horses with a simple cable gate?

I have tried rope enclosures (2 ropes) and electric fences. In my experience neither are reliable enough when containment is critical (beside a busy road, horses unattended overnight, etc)

I have used barbed wire fencing for many years and have had no injuries to my horses. Mine are cold blooded horses, also some mules. The limited experience I have with hot blooded horses tells me with them, barbed wire fencing could be another story.

If you are keeping close tabs on the horses while they are enclosed I might suggest that you train them to picket and hobble, then the cable gate would likely be sufficient.

 

[MF283]

What about the "barb-less" wire. I use that between my (horizontal) fence boards to keep dogs from getting through fence. It's very strong, I don't think it would hurt horses. Plus it cheaper than barbwire. Barbless Cable - For Life Out Here

I tried that, horses will lean on it & push it over, bend T post & I've even had T post pulled where they use it as a scratching or massage device, whatever they think they're doing, I went back to barbwire for top & bottom strands & they poke their heads through the middle strands.
You don't have to use a heavy duty gate for horses, at least we don't, they seem to respect that.

Ronnie

 

[Argonne]

I've decided what Im going to do. Rather than a cable gate, which would have me worrying about the livestock, I'm going to weld up a swinging gate similar to the one pictured. Although it will require a very substantial post at the hinge side, I can place that post anywhere I want (within reason) and avoid the buried power and fiber optic lines on either side of the road, this because I can choose any length for the gate I want because I am building it and am not stuck with standard sizes

One modification I am going to make to the design pictured is to simplify the hinges. Rather than using hinges at all, I will use a steel ground post slightly smaller in O.D. than the I.D. of the hinge post on the gate, and slip the gate assembly down over the ground post, setting it's height with a grade 8 bolt through the gate hinge post and riding on top of the ground post. Since this gate will only be used about 50 times a year, I think it should last decades, and the massive leverage it will provide upon being swung will render any resistance that corrosion in the hinge causes trivial. Come to think of it, I'll have a place to pour my used oil.

 

[JRobyn]

Two totally useless, sway-backed, knock-kneed pasture ornaments. Both were once broke and trail rideable, but had "episodes" that made them untrustworthy. Almost impossible now to capture and harness for worming, but they'll still come running to dosed sweet feed. We've given up on farrier care. Fortunately, they keep hooves reasonably worn down. They survive very successfully in about 20 acres of mixed pasture and woods, all with 4 strands of barbed wire, mostly on T-posts. Storms occasionally take out sections of fence, but they seem to prefer their known habitat rather than escaping down the hollers.