Figure 1. Angled corners give horses a sense of security.
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Fence post construction
End posts (3-1/2' to 4' deep) and line posts (30") should be sunk with concrete (see fig. 2) or driven into the ground.
"The type of soil may help you determine how the posts are set.
Extremely wet or sandy ground requires posts be set deep in concrete. A
freezing climate requires putting posts below the frost line to prevent
them from being moved by frozen ground."
"There should be no sharp protrusions such as nails, bolts, or brackets.
Generally, the smoother and more visible a fence is, the safer. To
prevent horses from pushing fencing off posts, attach fencing material
to the inside face of posts."
Michael Plumb's Horse Journal, Nov. 1996.
If the fence line is to be longer than 160', set concrete for pull posts
160' apart to help erect tight wire. Use string to line up the inside of
the posts.
Set line posts in 7' 10" intervals, and again line up posts in position
and wait until concrete has completely set before you begin attaching
fence.
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Angled corners
Corners set in at an angle give horses a sense of security. Construct
angled corners for your pasture with these steps.
- Set end post at the end of the original line.
- Using string, outline a 16' square starting from the end post.
Mark with stakes.
- Set another end post in the opposite corner of the square.
- Again using the string, draw a diagonal line from post to post.
From the midpoint of this line (11' 4'), attach string to the corner
of the square. Attach another string from the midpoint of this line
(5' 8') to the center of each end post (see fig. 1).
- Set line posts 7'10" from the center of each end post.
- Attach fence to the outside of the end posts and line posts and
back to the inside of the first line post in the new direction. The
wire pulled against the posts in the corner will increase fence
strength.
If square corners are used, line wire should be stapled to the outside
of the corner post to achieve proper tension.
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| Figure 2. Set posts in concrete.
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