Hot Wire

We sectioned off part of the pasture with hot wire, but didn't turn it on, in hopes that Tango and Pony Pete would respect it as it was. Well, Tango did. Pony Pete started out daintily stepping through the fence to eat on the other side. Every morning, I would have to open the gate and put Pete back on the correct side of the fence. Well, Pete abandoned the dainty method and began just barging through to the other side, pulling down the whole damn fence. Err!
So, on the eve of Christmas Eve, Daniel and I went out, joined every extension cord we owned together :) , and turned on the fence. Daniel tested it (thanks), and it worked.

I could tell Tango has been around hot wire, because his ears perked up at the clicking sound and he gave the fence a ten foot buffer zone. Pony Pete ignored the clicking and walked up to push through the fence and BAM! He got it on the nose and tore out of there quick. Well, apparently once was not enough to convince him, so he went in for one more test and got it again. The pony has stayed on the correct side of the fence since, and it is nice to not have to go fix it everyday.

The fence has its own form of (slightly sadistic) humor. Christmas Kitty had only been at our farm for a few hours when he sniffed the fence and got shocked right on his little nose. He jumped about eight feet backwards then tore out of there faster than Pony Pete.
My neighbor's baby goat Odie got it as well, on his nightmarish visit to my farm. I saw him walking towards the fence, and I kept saying "No Odie, don't touch it Odie" but he didn't listen. He got it right on the nose as well and let out a cry that could have been human.

So far that is three for the fence.... This one hasn't got me yet, but I have had my share of shocks, the worst being to the back of my head and to my elbow. Ouch!