Choosing Wood Fencing for Horses and Ponies

When contemplating Wood Fencing for Horses please the following in mind:

Paddocks and fields where horses and ponies are kept need to be well fenced in order to prevent the animals from straying. The types of timber fencing used must be suitable for the size, strength and temperament of the horses and ponies being looked after. The financial aspect must also be considered. Check out any landscape timbers that may be available, these are sometimes less expensive due to mass production.

When installing wood fence posts and rails, two of the most important points to consider is that:

- Fences must be easily seen by human and horse alike.

- Fences must provide a strong barrier to prevent the risk of any injuries or escape.


Perimeter fences are generally permanent whilst fencing used to sub divide paddocks can be of a temporary nature, such as rustic wood railings, for example. Fences may also be subject to planning permission if the 'wood fencing for horses' that you intend to erect is:

- Over 2 metres high, or

- Over 1 metre high and next to a highway.

Other planning directives may also be in place in your area. Please check with your local authority, before you start.

Different types and sizes of horses and ponies need different types and heights of fences. A two-rail post and rail fence for large horses will not be suitable to keep smaller horse safe from harm and vice versa.

In general, it is safe to use a standard treated fence post of 100mm x 100mm x 1.8m. This enables 1.3m of the post to be above and the remaining 500mm set in the ground. You can now position the top rail at a height of 1.2m. You can decrease the post size for smaller horses, using a treated 75 x 75 x 1.8 post instead.

Buying Wood Fencing for Horses and Ponies

Buying timber for wood fencing for horses can reasonably inexpensive depending on the types of timber you choose, so too is the job of erecting the fence, if you do it yourself. However, if you are having your fence erected by an outside contractor, the labour cost alone can easily double the cost of a fence itself. Nonetheless, timber fences are generally considered the safest and least expensive. Sawn post and rail fences are most common. These days, fence posts and rails can be of a good quality treated softwood. but you can also use oak or elm posts if required. Two rails are the minimum needed between posts, but three rails are far better, with the top rail protected from being chewed. Whatever wood fencing for horses you choose,don't forget it must be secure and it must be SAFE.

Typical types of timber available are: