How to "unweave" a horse from your smooth wire fence.

dixie · 02-11-2008, 08:58 PM

First, you need a horse agile and silly enough to figure out how to take a four strand fence and put the bottom strand inback of his heels, the next strand up goes in front of his knees, the third strand from the ground goes where a girth should be and the top strand goes over the head and rests on the withers. Now once he gets there he needs to stand still and not come up for his morning feeding so that mom (who happens to be wearing scrubs and a light weight coat in 28 degree weather) is forced to come to him to check out why he is not moving.

Then the horse needs to stand still while mom calls the ER and explains to the charge nurse why she will be late to work this am (by the way do you know how many times I had to explain this at work today?). Then when human starts to move - because of course she has no tools - horse decides to try to follow and human has to say "Stand T, Stand" "Please don't move baby" (like he understands english

). All the while I am explaining to my non-horse owning supv what he has done. Now I call hubby - who has already gone to work - and he asks if he needs to come home - of course he does.

So I get him to stand still while I get hay to keep him busy, and still, so I can get a better look at his situation. Of course the other 4 have to come and check this out. Ended up having to get grain to get them in the other half of the pasture and feed him a little, undo part of the fence, feed him more undo more of the fence. over 45 minutes later I have 3 loose fence wires, 2 loose electric wires, and get them all on ground holding them down with my foot while T backs up.

So he has effectively taken a year or two off of my life but did not even rub the hair off of his legs. I have no clue how long he was like that. I do know he was a very good boy and stood still even as the wires wiggled while I got them loose so I could free him.

Note to self - find or buy a new fencing tool so wires can be cut if needed.

crittermom · 02-11-2008, 09:03 PM

Happy ending! My boy wasn't so lucky and we had months of rehab to go through. I no longer use tensiled wire. Glad it worked out for you and your horse.

AlbertaGirl · 02-11-2008, 11:49 PM

THAT would not be a sight I'd want to come upon! Thank goodness he didn't struggle, and you and hubby were able to get him out unscathed!

Maybe adding fence stays would help?

Gotta Love Duns · 02-11-2008, 11:55 PM

Wow that would be a site!! I'm glad you got him out alright!
Have T and Libby been chatting? She likes to get her legs wrapped in hay bags?

It doesn't matter how high they are hung, she gets her legs caught in them.

dixie · 02-12-2008, 03:40 AM

Alberta Girl - there were stays on the fence - they were part of what I was undoing to get him loose. This horse somehow works on my electric fence, grounds it then pushes on the smooth wire fence, stretching it. I think I am just going to have to start buying the no climb fence a little at a time and put that around his pasture - maybe it will work.

gbarmranch · 02-12-2008, 05:24 AM

What a good boy to stand so still for mom.. Lil P did that this fall, which is the reason we train the colts to stand still if something is around their feet..

Sounds like you have one good minded boy there..

dixie · 02-12-2008, 07:26 PM

I was amazed and greatful that he stood so calmly while waiting for me to "fix" his problem. I was told I sounded nervous on the phone to my supervisor - I bet I did. I was imaging the amount of damage he could do and the $$$$$$ of vet bills was going through my head. I was off today and was constantly looking out the window to see where he was. I guess with all the rain and dropping temps the "other side" of the fence did not look so interesting.

He was usually several feet away from the fence.

He did come running up to me this evening - usually more standoffish than that - but then it is cold and I was standing next to the tarped hay we feed him

I could send him to be Dillons buddy - he can show dillon how to properly disassemble the fence - escapade from 2 years ago.

sugarsgal · 02-15-2008, 08:37 PM

Reason why I HATE wire fencing. I refuse to put my horse in a pen surrounded by it.

I had a similar thing happen to Sugar, except it was on the top row of wire

She had reared at the horse in the next pen and got her leg caught up in it. I was by myself and freaking with 6 other horses panicing around her. I started walking away from the pen and she freaked more so I had no choice to go in and help her. Have you ever had to do the splits up a 6 foot fence?..It's amazing what you can do when you have to.

I got her out and she had some Nasty cuts up her legs. Nothing serious but it could have been if I hadn't been there. Every time I heard that Squeeky sound of the wire fence, My guts dropped to the floor. Needless to say..ALL wire is gone off the farm.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
How Hard To Work Him? Photos added "before" and "after"	NoniMe	General Horse Advice	26	08-29-2007 09:10 AM

02-11-2008, 08:58 PM
dixie Long Yearling Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Southwest TN Posts: 1,455	How to "unweave" a horse from your smooth wire fence. First, you need a horse agile and silly enough to figure out how to take a four strand fence and put the bottom strand inback of his heels, the next strand up goes in front of his knees, the third strand from the ground goes where a girth should be and the top strand goes over the head and rests on the withers. Now once he gets there he needs to stand still and not come up for his morning feeding so that mom (who happens to be wearing scrubs and a light weight coat in 28 degree weather) is forced to come to him to check out why he is not moving. Then the horse needs to stand still while mom calls the ER and explains to the charge nurse why she will be late to work this am (by the way do you know how many times I had to explain this at work today?). Then when human starts to move - because of course she has no tools - horse decides to try to follow and human has to say "Stand T, Stand" "Please don't move baby" (like he understands english). All the while I am explaining to my non-horse owning supv what he has done. Now I call hubby - who has already gone to work - and he asks if he needs to come home - of course he does. So I get him to stand still while I get hay to keep him busy, and still, so I can get a better look at his situation. Of course the other 4 have to come and check this out. Ended up having to get grain to get them in the other half of the pasture and feed him a little, undo part of the fence, feed him more undo more of the fence. over 45 minutes later I have 3 loose fence wires, 2 loose electric wires, and get them all on ground holding them down with my foot while T backs up. So he has effectively taken a year or two off of my life but did not even rub the hair off of his legs. I have no clue how long he was like that. I do know he was a very good boy and stood still even as the wires wiggled while I got them loose so I could free him. Note to self - find or buy a new fencing tool so wires can be cut if needed.

02-11-2008, 09:03 PM
crittermom Greenbroke Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 3,233	Happy ending! My boy wasn't so lucky and we had months of rehab to go through. I no longer use tensiled wire. Glad it worked out for you and your horse. __________________ Peace!! I wish the people of the world could get along as well as the animals in my backyard.

02-11-2008, 11:49 PM
AlbertaGirl Greenbroke Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Alberta Posts: 3,906	THAT would not be a sight I'd want to come upon! Thank goodness he didn't struggle, and you and hubby were able to get him out unscathed! Maybe adding fence stays would help? __________________ Some people say horses don't have a sense of humor... they obviously haven't met mine yet ;o)

02-11-2008, 11:55 PM
Gotta Love Duns Bombproof Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dixonville, Alberta Posts: 10,798	Wow that would be a site!! I'm glad you got him out alright! Have T and Libby been chatting? She likes to get her legs wrapped in hay bags? It doesn't matter how high they are hung, she gets her legs caught in them. __________________ A penny saved is a penny you can spend on your next horse. http://nightfireranch.webs.com/index.htm

02-12-2008, 03:40 AM
dixie Long Yearling Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Southwest TN Posts: 1,455	Alberta Girl - there were stays on the fence - they were part of what I was undoing to get him loose. This horse somehow works on my electric fence, grounds it then pushes on the smooth wire fence, stretching it. I think I am just going to have to start buying the no climb fence a little at a time and put that around his pasture - maybe it will work.

02-12-2008, 05:24 AM
gbarmranch Pasture Pet Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mayberry Posts: 32,635	What a good boy to stand so still for mom.. Lil P did that this fall, which is the reason we train the colts to stand still if something is around their feet.. Sounds like you have one good minded boy there.. __________________ http://home.earthlink.net/~vpgann Quality Foundation Quarter Horses If you believe what you like in the Gospel, and reject what you don't like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself." Augustine of Hippo

02-12-2008, 07:26 PM
dixie Long Yearling Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Southwest TN Posts: 1,455	I was amazed and greatful that he stood so calmly while waiting for me to "fix" his problem. I was told I sounded nervous on the phone to my supervisor - I bet I did. I was imaging the amount of damage he could do and the $$$$$$ of vet bills was going through my head. I was off today and was constantly looking out the window to see where he was. I guess with all the rain and dropping temps the "other side" of the fence did not look so interesting. He was usually several feet away from the fence. He did come running up to me this evening - usually more standoffish than that - but then it is cold and I was standing next to the tarped hay we feed him I could send him to be Dillons buddy - he can show dillon how to properly disassemble the fence - escapade from 2 years ago.

02-15-2008, 08:37 PM
sugarsgal Started Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,750	Reason why I HATE wire fencing. I refuse to put my horse in a pen surrounded by it. I had a similar thing happen to Sugar, except it was on the top row of wire She had reared at the horse in the next pen and got her leg caught up in it. I was by myself and freaking with 6 other horses panicing around her. I started walking away from the pen and she freaked more so I had no choice to go in and help her. Have you ever had to do the splits up a 6 foot fence?..It's amazing what you can do when you have to. I got her out and she had some Nasty cuts up her legs. Nothing serious but it could have been if I hadn't been there. Every time I heard that Squeeky sound of the wire fence, My guts dropped to the floor. Needless to say..ALL wire is gone off the farm. __________________ There is no such thing as an Ignorant horse, there are only Ignorant people!