Large-scale fencing projects always have financial considerations
Horse Fence in Calgary
Horse fences need to be highly visible, practical, and durable but you may want yours to look the part, be easy to maintain, and come within a certain budget too.
How do you do that?
At First Class Fencing, we’ve been helping agricultural properties in Calgary and southern Alberta install horse fences for many years: practical, cost-effective solutions that safeguard your prized possessions.
As one of Calgary’s leading professional fence installation companies, we have the necessary skills and manpower to handle large-scale projects like horse fencing – and the expertise to advise you.
Horse fencing: Key considerations before choosing
Perhaps you keep your horses in a pasture, paddock or corral, or maybe you provide horse boarding facilities in Calgary or southern Alberta.
Either way, there are some major considerations before you start building any horse fence:
Locally Owned
We are a locally owned and operated company specializing in standard and custom-built fences in Calgary and the surrounding area.
“Customer-First” Mindset
To lead and inspire the fence industry towards improved quality and service. Our mission is to lead and inspire quality and service in the fence industry with the mindset of customer first.
Standard or Custom-Built Fencing
If you can dream it, we can build it. From wood fencing, vinyl, architectural, ornamental or chain link to extensive farm and ranch fencing, we build quality fences in Calgary.
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Main Types of Horse Fencing
Below is a quick rundown of the types of horse fencing available in Calgary and the surrounding areas.
Wood remains the most widely used fencing material for horses in Alberta. It offers a practical and cost-effective solution for securing your horses safely in their pastures.
Wood horse fences are strong and durable. They can be stained or painted to provide extra protection from the harsh winter elements and from insects, as well as bringing the aesthetic you want.
Some of the most popular wood fence options include:
This usually has vertical wooden posts every 8-10 feet with three sets of round horizontal rails connecting them. The wood is usually pressure-treated to make it more durable, reducing the maintenance requirements.
This provides a classic rustic look that is very common around Calgary.
The top rail fence consists of one horizontal wooden top rail with vertical wooden posts for stability. Wires are added in between the posts.
Again, this provides a rustic feel and provides a more open view of the landscape than the three-rail post and rail fence. However, top rail fences may not offer quite the same level of stability as other wooden fence options.
The post and plank fence is similar to the post and rail fence but instead of round wooden rails, it has two or three sets of planks running between the vertical posts.
This provides superb stability for a horse fence and it may also be slightly cheaper than a post and rail fence.
A post and plank fence is also a very safe option for your horses because planks are generally very smooth with little chance of rough edges.
A high-tensile fence consists of sturdy metal wire between wooden posts.
Many horse owners use high tensile wire fencing for their paddocks and pastures as it is a very safe option. It also provides good visibility. If you choose the vinyl-coated tensile wire, it can provide a more appealing aesthetic than plain wire fencing.
These horse fences can last for up to 40 years. They are also low-maintenance as they naturally stand up to the harsh elements in Alberta.
You will occasionally need to check the wires to tighten them to prevent any sagging and ensure that all corners are smoothed out to prevent any sharp wire edges from sticking out.
You also have the option of adding a few electrical wires to the fence system to create an effective physiological barrier. This should help reduce wear and tear.
Standard high-tensile wire fences are generally cheaper than wood and vinyl options.
Vinyl is increasingly seen as a viable alternative to wood fencing and it can be effective as a horse fence.
Some of the reasons why property owners may prefer vinyl to wood are:
- It is maintenance-free: a great alternative to wood for horse owners who do not want to stain or paint their fence
- It is not susceptible to insect damage or damage from moisture
- It is equally strong and sturdy as wood
While the installation costs of vinyl fencing may be slightly higher than wood, these fences provide excellent longevity so are generally a great investment for horse owners who want to “set and forget” their fence.
If you have a rural property, you might consider a page wire fence for your horses, cattle, or other livestock.
This type of fencing is made of durable, galvanized steel wire that is knotted or welded into rectangles, creating a continuous mesh that is connected to treated wooden or steel posts.
You can construct your fence with different mesh sizes, spacing, and fence heights. Obviously, your fence needs to be high enough to prevent horses from jumping it.
What’s the Right Horse Fence for You?
It can be tricky to find the right horse fence in Alberta with all the available choices.
By checking and comparing the qualities of these best horse fencing options based on safety, aesthetics, maintenance, and cost, it will be easier and faster for you to take your pick.