Welcome to e-Tips!
Welcome to the September 2010 e-Tips brought to you by My Horse University and eXtension/horses. Effective horse fencing is an important component of horse facility management and one that should be carefully planned considering purpose, pasture use, horse groups, aesthetics and other factors. This month’s “Did You Know?” article and free live webcast will identify the key elements of horse fencing and offer valuable resources to help you select a fence that best meets your facility management needs. Join us on September 28 at 7pm for the free live webcast on Horse Fencing. Register today!
Did you know...?
Fence Planning for Horses
Adapted from eXtension article
Eileen Wheeler and Jennifer Smith Zajaczkowski
Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences
Understand the purpose of a fence. The true test of a fence’s worth is not when horses are peacefully grazing, but when an excited horse contacts the fence in an attempt to escape or because he never saw it during a playful romp. How will the fence and horse hold up under these conditions? A horse’s natural instinct to flee from perceived danger has an effect on fence design. Like other livestock, horses will bolt suddenly, but since they are larger and faster, they hit the fence with more force. Also, horses fight harder than other livestock to free themselves when trapped in a fence. There are many types of effective horse fencing, but there is no “best” fence. Each fencing type has inherent tradeoffs in its features. Read on.
Click here for additional resources
This Month's e-Tips
Follow the tips below to build the best fence for your farm:
• Begin with a comprehensive plan that includes a layout drawn to scale with all obstacles, traffic routes, buildings and other facility features
• Eliminate fence corners and dead-end areas
• Be sure that openings are large or small
enough to prevent entrapment of a head or hoof
• Select materials that are highly visible to horses
• Focus on sturdy construction and post integrity
• Set fence height at 54-60 inches above ground level, or high enough to discourage jumping
• Keep horse side of fence smooth and free of sharp edges or projections
Question of the Month
To prevent dehydration during extreme rises in temperature or prolonged exercises, a horse’s water intake may increase by:
A. 50%
B. 100%
C. 200%
D. 300%
Click here for the answer!
Photo of the Month
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[Above] is my friend Steve Luoni (NJ), with his 2 TWHs (Tennessee Walking Horses). Steve rode DJ and ponied Pavo in 2010 Memorial Day Parade. This is Steve's "Tribute to Our Veterans:" He is wearing a Yellow Ribbon while dressed in black. Pavo, although too young to be ridden, displays a black saddle with boots turned backwards, the traditional sign of a Fallen Warrior. The boots were Steve's Mom's. Steve's Dad was a Navy Veteran serving on the ship "Shangi La."
Photo Submitted by Susan Data-Samtak
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Want your extraordinary equine featured in the next Photo of the Month?
Send your photo along with your name and a little background info to info@myhorseuniversity.com and we'll also feature your horse on our brand new Facebook page!
Write "Photo of the Month" in the subject line.
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September 2010
In This Issue
Gold Sponsor
Purina Mills is a proud sponsor of My Horse University and eXtension.
News & Updates
FREE Live Webcast
Horse Fencing
Dr. Christine Skelly
September 28, 2010
7:00 PM EDT
2010 World Equestrian Games
Lexington, KY
September 25, 2010
NCSU Horse Judging Short Course
Cary, NC
October 29, 2010
FREE Live Webcast from Purina
Winterize Your Horse
November 2, 2010, 6PM CST
November 4, 2010, 7PM CST
NCSU Open Horse Show Judges Certification Clinic
Raleigh, NC
November 13, 2010
Purina Horse Owner's Workshops
Various dates and locations
MHU on Facebook
@MyHorseU
@eXtensionHorses
Ask the Experts
eXtension invites you to Ask the Experts your horse-related questions.
Free Horse Learning Lessons
eXtension's team of horse experts have developed specialized lessons on various topics.
Online Horse Management Courses
Take an online course from My Horse University! eXtension HorseQuest participants can receive a 10% discount by entering the coupon code HQ1 when registering for a course.
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