Noel Cooney’s motto is "Remember the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten".
THE EQUESTRIAN FENCING TOP THREE:
1.Post and rail
2.Hotcote wire
3.Equestrian Mesh with a top rail
Post and rail would previously have been the most popular type of fencing used for equine establishments. However, it is now rivalled by other types of fencing due to being more expensive and costly to maintain than other types of fencing. New studs are using equestrian mesh with a top rail as the fencing for their perimeter and then using post and rail or hotcote wire for internal boundaries.
POST AND RAIL
>The traditional type of fencing used for horses.
>Post and rail looks smart and is safe for horses.
>Creosoted post and rail will have a 15-year warranty and horses are less likely to eat the fencing.
>Even after the warranty is up the rails should not rot or decay they will just require fresh creosote in order to be maintained.
>To re-paint or creosote post and rail is expensive.
>This type of fencing is not suitable for containing sheep.
HOTCOTE WIRE
>This type of fencing has excellent durability lasting 20 years or more before needing maintenance work.
>A creosoted round post is used to secure the wire fencing.
>This type of fencing is 50% cheaper than post and rail.
>Hotcote wire would usually be purchased directly from the manufacturer.
>Hotcote wire is the easiest type of fencing to install.
>Three rows of 6-8mm wires are used. The wire comes in green or white. White is the most popular as it is easily seen by the animals.
>A fourth row of wire can be added to prevent sheep from escaping through the boundary this has been very effective.
>Standard wire insulators are used with this type of fencing and are easily bought in most stores. >Make sure to use good quality fittings along with the fencing to ensure that you get the full 20 years out of the fencing.
>The posts which hold the wire can be placed farther apart (4.5m) than post and rail.
>It is safe to use for horses and has an in-built tension device in the system so that if a horse spooks and runs blindly into the wire the wire will break away and not cause injury to the horse.
>Cattle are so afraid of the shock they are very unlikely to ever test the boundary.
>The wire is very easy to replace and the tension is easily restored.
EQUESTRIAN MESH
>V-mesh used to be the most popular type of mesh fencing for horses but people are starting to move away from this now as it can be hard to get and very expensive.
>Equestrian mesh is a high-tensile mesh. There is close spacing between the mesh preventing horses and foals from putting their leg through the feeling and getting stuck.
>This type of mesh will keep in cattle and sheep.
>Mesh and rail can be expensive, in relative terms it would be on par with post and rail.
>However, this type of fencing would be much stronger and more durable than post and rail, lasting 20 years or more without requiring maintenance.
>Equestrian mesh is most suitable for fencing large areas. To fence a very small area with this type of fencing would be more expensive because of the necessary fittings and the extra time it will take to install. Post and rail or hotcote wire would be a better alternative.
INSTALLATION TIPS
>Be sure to drive posts into the ground to the required depth, this is best done using machinery rather than being done manually.
>Rot is not going to be an issue for creosoted timber, I would recommend that all rails are creosoted it might be expensive to begin with but it will pay for itself in the long run.
>I would recommend spraying the bottom of the equestrian mesh with weed killer once a year, this stops grass and weeds from growing up through the mesh and potentially pulling the mesh down.
It also will keep the fencing looking neat and tidy.
Noel Cooney Fencing Limited, Ethelstown, Kells, Co Meath
Tel: 046-9240235 or 086-2575518