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Sheep In, Coyotes Out: High Tensile Electric Fencing

© Gloria Morris

There are some potential downsides to this fencing. One would not want to use this fencing in a more suburban setting, where neighbors are close and where unsuspecting children might get shocked. If one has children, one would want to train them concerning the shocking danger of the fence, and for little ones who cannot understand the danger, one would want to supervise them closely. Of course, if one has such young children as well as livestock, one had better be supervising the little ones anyway!

Further, there are potential dangers inherent in any electric fence, and the high tensile version is no different. One should not build this fencing near a power line. If the power lines were knocked down during a storm and if the lines were to fall across a metal fence of this type, the fence would carry dangerous levels of power. One would also want to use caution when hooking this fence up to the public utility grid, as such fencing can potentially carry deadly currents if not correctly installed and maintained.

But in the right rural setting, this fencing would seem to be the ideal fencing for the shepherd, as it not only keeps the livestock in, but the predators out. Reportedly, this fencing will also work quite well with cattle. I have read mixed reports about its use with horses. Some horses will try to run through it. However, I have also spoken to horse owners who successfully keep horses in such fencing by training the horses to the fencing in small paddocks before turning them out in larger pastures.

We intend to begin building this fencing later this year, after our barn is built. I will be reporting on our experiences as work progresses.