No Climb Fencing
Today we’re going to talk about various applications, the advantages, and disadvantages of no-climb fencing.
What is it?
No climb fencing or non-climb fencing is primarily used for horses, sheep, goats, and other livestock. It’s a woven fence with 2X4” wire spacing. The construction of the openings prevents animals from getting their hooves or other appendages stuck in the links. The wire is coated for protection and runs about 12 gauge for strength and durability.
Safety
Safety is of a premium concern for horses. Many people choose to run an electric wire up at the top of the fence to remind the ponies they want to stay away from it, and don’t want to lean against it.
Some horse ranchers want a sight rail on top since horses sometimes don’t see the top of the fence and will run right into it without the reminder. Sight rails can be made of any number of things, including wood, PVC pipe, mesh webbing, etc.
Advantages
The advantages of this kind of fencing are that it’s durable, beautiful and lasts a long time. It isn’t susceptible to vermin or weather. It comes in varying heights, but 5-6’ is the best option for full-size horses. Horses can’t chew on it and won’t get tangled up in it and panic.
Disadvantages
If the no climb fence is installed flush with the ground, grass and weeds will grow up into it which can create a maintenance problem. Some rangers counteract this by raising the fence a bit, however, raising the bottom will also create an issue because fences aren’t just intended to keep animals in--they should also be able to keep animals out. Thus, a no-climb flush with the ground will be able to keep out dogs, coyotes, bobcats, and vermin who may have a particular interest in your animals or their food.
No-climb also means the rider, who will have to find a gate to get through the fence.
Perimeter versus interior
Some ranchers prefer a 4-foot interior and 5-foot exterior runs. The 5-foot will keep horses from putting their heads over and potentially damage the fencing if it doesn’t have a hot wire at the top.
User comments
The ranchers who have no climb fencing have overwhelmingly positive things to say about it. The one admonition we haven’t mentioned is that they do say it has to be installed right to keep its great shape for years to come. Whether this means it needs to be a bit off the ground to allow for weed control or all the way to the ground to keep other animals out is dependant on the circumstance of the location where it’s to be installed.
If you're considering a fence or gate project in the Phoenix area, Sereno Fence builds custom fencing, fence repair, custom gates, gate repair, RV gates, horse corrals, pool fence, pool gates, custom welding, and wood fences. For more information call (602) 481-1604 today!
