Baygard Electric Fence 1/4-Inch White Rope Reviews?

[mydaddysjag]

I am looking to put a cheap, safe paddock for my horse. He was being neglected at a previous boarding barn, and no other barns in my area have fencing that is spaced close enough for him (he is a mini). I did send him to the trainer for 6 weeks as a temporary solution to buy us some time, but hes due to come home the 25th. We had so much rain that the field was too muddy to do anything in. This week we will be doing some work adding more ditches and digging out the area where the barn goes, so we can make a gravel bed. We decided if we are going to have to put up fencing out of pocket, we will just put up a small shed row barn and fencing at home for him. We are doing a 24x60 dry lot right off of the barn, and also a 60x120 where we can turnout and I can also drive. The 24x60 will be field fencing backed up with electric.

We wanted to do the 60x120 paddock in hot rope, and I wanted to use electrobraid, but there is no way we can afford it right now, since we also have the expense of putting up the barn. I came across Baygard brand 1/4" hot rope, but cant find any reviews about the actual fence. I was wondering if anyone has used it? Im scared to use something that has no reviews and im not familiar with the brand. Here is a link to it:

Baygard electric fence 1/4" hot rope

Also, does anyone think a 24x60 would be ok as a temporary paddock for a horse who is driven 5 days a week?

 

[Minimor]

For a small paddock like yours the Baygard may be okay. I have a 5 acre pasture to fence and was told not to buy the Baygard 1/4" rope for it; the Baygard is a cheaper variety of fence rope and has a higher resistance--so the current through it is not as good. I was told I would be very disappointed in it--I would be much better going with a better grade of rope fencing. I had a choice of two other brands locally & was told that there wasn't much difference between the two. Don't ask me the two brand names just now--both have gone from my mind--I went with the one that happened to be on a good sale just at the time I went to buy my fencing and am very satisfied with it.

Since you're only looking at fencing a 60x120 paddock, the Baygard may be okay--the shorter distance means the higher resistance will matter less, & you should still have a decent current.

 

[Eagle]

I personally prefer the tape to the rope as it is easier for them to see. I bought the rope to use to divide a field once but in the morning they were all in together so I threw it all away. I have had no problems so far using the tape and both stallions and mares respect it.

 

[Sue_C.]

I don't have an answer to your question, but have a question of my own to add to it.

Right now I have my riding/driving ring fenced with 5x5 posts and three rails of 2x4 (rough) boards. We have wet clay soil, and though my ring is a sand footing, the posts lean over, and/or rot off quickly, and the rails don't last well either...this will be the third time replacing it since 1993.

My question is...what are the experiences of driving a horse in an area that is currently being used as a turnout....when using hot wire? I train my horses to relax on the rail...that is very important to me. How does one do that when the horse has been trained to "know" that fence line will hurt them?

 

[Minimor]

Sue--are you using treated posts? Here we're in sand; the oak posts rot off quickly but the treated posts last very well. My uncle's place is more clay soil & he also has no problem with the treated posts rotting. I have treated posts that have been in the ground for over 25 years & they are still as strong as ever.

As for working horses in a turnout area fenced with hotwire--I have done it, and haven't had any problems. Most horses are not concerned by the fence--they respect the hot wire but they aren't worried/concerned that it is going to "hurt them". When out grazing they will graze right alongside the wire, totally unconcerned and it's the same if you're driving or riding along the wire--they pay no attention.

If I'm working horses in the area of an electric fence I turn the fencer off. I figure that if for any reason the horse wavers and touches the wire, I don't need him getting a shock! My concern about driving in a hotwire enclosure is having something go wrong--if the horse were to bump the fence a shaft could get hooked in the wire. If that happens you definitely don't want the current to be on.

 

[Carolyn R]

I tried to google it, but couldn't find it. TSC carries a rope that is poly that has a high number of copper conductor strands in it. It is in the stores. I am shocked to see they are carrying electrobraid online now.

I has held up fine for me, ads extra visability. I was tired of the deer running through the fence.

 

[Annabellarose]

It is my experience that if using any of the Baygard brand ropes, you HAVE to-HAVE to-HAVE to keep your fenceline and fenceposts PRISTINELY weedeated. A single blade of grass or anything that could come in contact with the rope will cause the plastic filaments of the rope to melt and once the plastic filaments of the rope melt the wire filaments are not very strong and the tension on just the wire filaments (once the plastic filaments have melted away at that spot) will cause the rope to break (at that spot).

I don't have an answer to your question, but have a question of my own to add to it.[snip]

My question is...what are the experiences of driving a horse in an area that is currently being used as a turnout....when using hot wire? I train my horses to relax on the rail...that is very important to me. How does one do that when the horse has been trained to "know" that fence line will hurt them?

It is my experience that you cannot expect a horse to fully relax while working on a rail that is electrified or even looks to be electrified (thin rope or thin chain) if he or she has been contained in and expected to respect an electrified fence. A part of that horse's focus is always going to be spent on making sure that he or she remains a respectful/safe distance away from the potentially electrified rail.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

If this is going to be a permanent measure I would go for the "permanent" tape or at least the deer fence (broad) tape. The experience I have with the "rope" is that it stretches- a lot!

So, you try and get some tension on it- and you do need to, just to make it safe, to say nothing of making it look OK- and it just stretches out in the slightest little breeze or even if it gets warmer, and sags again. This is not all that good for current passage.

So, for looks and ease of usage, I would definitely go for the tape- but as this is an external fence I would get as heavy a duty one as I could.

 

[Sue_C.]

It is my experience that you cannot expect a horse to fully relax while working on a rail that is electrified or even looks to be electrified (thin rope or thin chain) if he or she has been contained in and expected to respect an electrified fence. A part of that horse's focus is always going to be spent on making sure that he or she remains a respectful/safe distance away from the potentially electrified rail.

This is exactly how I think. My mare that I am training now will not come within three FEET of an electric fence...so I cannot think that going with an electric arena/paddock area would work with her.

Yes, the posts are treated, but it is just so wet...they rot right off at ground level.

I am thinking of perhaps going with some form of wire fencing, and steel posts...sheep wire perhaps...I HATE page wire, but the sheep stuff has very tiny holes...that would save having to replace rotting boards every few years at least.

 

[mydaddysjag]

The tape for whatever reason does not last in our area, many people around here use it and hate it. I have seen it installed by a professional fence company and sagging in 6 months. Maybe it is our weather, im not sure?

My horse is currently at the trainer, and their driving ring doubles as a turnout area. It is board fencing backed up with hot wire. My horse was relaxed on the rail when I drove him.

 

[Ashley]

I dont have that brand. I will get the brand later when I go to the barn. I got mine at Fleet Farm. Its the best fence I have ever had. I keep my front fence line weed free anyway, but I have never had a juice problem. I have accidently touched this fence plenty of time and I can say it carries way more juice then any wire fence I have had.

I would guess the area you live is the reason the tape fence doesnt last. Its sold here but it dont go over very well either.

 

[Minimor]

The narrow tape may be okay--the wide tape doesn't work well here--it stretches, sags and blows in the wind. You're supposed to take some twists in it I believe, but I don't know how much that really helps. The narrow tape I tried once weathered really fast and was soon fraying--I wasn't happy with it at all.

The rope is what I've been using for 2 years now & so far I am pleased with its performance. (Still forgot to go & look at the brand when I was out, sorry) I'm bad for putting up the electric fence, using it now & again, and for the most part leaving the current turned off. The horses don't need it all the time once they learn respect for it. We don't use it through the winter because once the ground is frozen several feet down and there are 2-3 feet of snow on the ground the fencer doesn't put out much of a shock. So, over winter where we have wire along the top of the corrals the horses start leaning on it or chewing or rubbing on it--and then it does stretch some & sag. In the areas where they aren't putting pressure on it though, it hasn't stretched/sagged. Obviously if we kept the fencer turned on most/all the time, the wire would stay in better shape a lot longer!