Cross Fencing Plans

Well, I am finally being forced to cross fence (Again. My first attempt failed, I wrote about it here.) I have wanted to do so anyway, but after my vet told me that both my mare and pony are heading down the road to foundering if I don't get the weight off them, I have decided the time has come. I have to get them off the pasture before spring grass comes!

So, I went out Saturday to measure. I am going to do two different sections of fence, creating a front paddock of about 3/4 an acre, a sacrifice area around the barn (where the 'herd' will live, also about 3/4 an acre), and a larger appr. 3 acre field in the back.

So, I need about 250 feet of fence, all together. I want to use the 2" wide white electric fence "tape" (looks similar to this:)

(Not my horse or fence, I borrowed this image from a google search...)

So, anyway, 250 feet of fence, if I am doing three strands of tape, is about 750 feet... So, I am planning to start pricing this out. I will also need insulators for the t-posts, six 8" dia. end posts, two bags of 'sacrete' (concrete, gravel sand pre-mix) per post hole (according to Uncle Tom, who has graciously offered to dig holes with his tractor for said end posts), t-post caps, end connectors (I don't know what they are called, but for where you connect to 'tape' to the end posts), those big hinge things for hanging the gates, ummm, and probably a million more things before the job is done.

I measured my current fence and the t-posts are set ten feet apart. So, I counted every loose t-post on the farm, and I have 44. (Thanks Dad) So, if my calculations are correct, I won't have to buy anymore t-posts. I also have two gates that my old neighbor Sharon gave me when she moved. (Thanks Sharon) They aren't the purdiest gates in the county, but they will work.

I am also wanting to purchase a solar paneled fence charger. (They are expensive!) So hopefully I can find one on Craigslist for cheap. I have a little charger that plugs in, but a) I don't feel safe leaving anything plugged in all the time in my old, dusty, hay filled barn, and b) Dan thinks it will make our electric bill higher. So, my little cross fence project will probabely cost like $500 by the time it is done. (Hopefully not more!)

So, come over this winter break and watch Daniel and I trying to drive t-posts into the frozen, rocky Missouri earth. Fun!