The Electrobraid Electric Fencing systems lends itself nicely to temporary or movable applications. It is so easy to work with the flexible braid because it is soft on the hands, and is easy to coil up or re-wind on a spool, because it has no memory like that of steel wire.
Step-In Post
It’s largely about getting posts in the ground that fit your needs, and for temporary situations, you don’t have to string it so tight necessitating the usually desirable rigid corner posts. The inexpensive ($2.17 each) and easy to install “step-in posts” make the line posts go up in a jiffy. This is all useful for rotational grazing, or for creating temporary partitions while you mow or work in another area of the pasture. You can also create corridors, or chutes for easy loading of livestock.
Do’s & Don’ts – Electrobraid Safety and Maintenance
To keep your horses safe, use good horse sense:
- Know your horses and recognize the limitations of your property.
- Separate aggresive stallions from other horses by a laneway.
- Always introduce a horse to a new pasture. For your own safety, turn OFF the fence energizer so the horse you are leading won’t get accidentally shocked and bolt. Lead the horse around the fence perimeter. Once the horse understands the boundaries of its new pasture, release the horse and turn the energizer back ON.
- Take particular care when you introduce a new horse to a pasture where other horses have an established pecking order.
- Don’t torment your horses with accidental electric shocks by putting water troughs close to your electric fence, hanging grain pails on your fence posts, or throwing hay near your electric fence.
- Don’t build a new fence close to where your horses roll. If necessary, relocate the fence away from where they habitually roll.
- Small paddocks can be hazardous to very active horses. They need room to roll. To fence small paddocks and pens, consider using an ElectroBraid™ Top Line with Diamond Mesh or V-Mesh or a heavy grade of 2-by-4 No-Climb.
Fence Sense:
- Install your ElectroBraid™ fence as recommended. Choose either three strands or four strands of Braid™. Set the highest strand at 48 to 54 inches and the lowest strand at 18 to 26 inches.
- Don’t turn off your fence energizer to save electricity. The cost of electricity for a fence energizer is the same as a 100-watt light bulb – about a dollar a month.
- Regularly inspect your fence to ensure the Braid™ is taut and properly electrified.
- Thoroughly check the fence after heavy rain or stormy weather.
- Take particular care to make sure your fence is well grounded. 95% of all electric fence problems are due to poor grounding. Check your installation manual or our website, or call us for advice.
- Use a hot-cold system – ground the second-from-the-top-strand of Braid™.
- Always turn the energizer off before servicing the fence.
- When testing an electric fence with a voltmeter, wear rubber gloves or rubber-soled shoes to minimize any accidental electrical shock. Wet or sweaty hands or wet feet intensify electrical shocks.
- Use only one energizer per paddock or continuous fence line. Never use two energizers on the same fence.
- Use extreme caution if you are considering installing an electric fence near overhead lines or underground power lines.
- Do not stand beside a fence during an electrical storm.
- Use warning signs to mark an electric fence every 200-300 feet.
- Never attempt to service your energizer. If it fails, seek professional assistance or send to the manufacturer for servicing.
- ElectroBraid™ is engineered for your horses’ safety. Don’t take shortcuts!
- Please manage your horses with care and maintain your fences. Courts hold the property owner responsible for the security of their animals.
Do not …
- Hang feed buckets on the fence;
- Drape water hoses over the fence;
- Stack feed or manure near the fence;
- Run water lines parallel to the fence;
- Allow feed or water barrels to be located too close to the fence.