A paddock is a fenced area, typically smaller than a pasture, used for housing, exercising, or grazing livestock (especially horses, cattle, or sheep). It serves as a controlled environment for animals, unlike an open field.
Purposes of Paddocks:
- Grazing: Multiple paddocks allow for rotational grazing, rest periods for grass, and parasite control.
- Exercise & Training: Usually near barns or arenas for daily turnout in a safe, enclosed space. Commonly used for groundwork or starting young horses.
- Management: Paddocks make it easier to monitor livestock health, feeding, and behavior. They should be designed to encourage movement and safe herd dynamics by allowing ample space and avoiding narrow areas in corners and feeding areas.
- Quarantine/Isolation: Designated areas to isolate and house new or sick animals.
- Stud: Built with a focus on strength and safety since they contain stallions or high-value horses.
Size and Layout:
Paddock size depends on livestock type and stocking rate. In most cases, one acre per horse or cow is recommended to provide enough space for grazing and exercise.
Why Paddock Fencing Is the Most Important Kind of Fence
Unlike field fencing, which is primarily used to define large boundaries, divide land, and keep people and predators out, paddock fencing is designed to safely contain and manage your livestock within designated areas.
Horses often spend 8-12 hours a day in paddocks, with some experts recommending 24-hour turnout for maximum health benefits. In many cases, your horses will spend more time in your paddocks than anywhere else. For this reason, your fencing must include the right features that are essential to good paddock fencing.
1. Safety
Horses are flight animals which means they have lots of energy and can be easily spooked. It’s not uncommon for them to collide with fencing during sudden bursts of movement. When this happens, you want a fence that is designed to minimize risk of injury. Flexible rail and coated wire are ideal because they absorb impact, flexing 6-8 inches before returning to their original shape. These materials also allow horses to free themselves more easily without cuts or abrasions.
Fencing with sharp edges, protruding wires, or splinters significantly increases the risk of injury. Bare wire fences can create a “cheese-cutter” effect on the skin on contact, especially at higher force. Wood fences make livestock prone to splinters, especially as the wood wears. These splinters result in many injuries and vet bills which are not good for livestock or owners.
2. Longevity
The durability and lifespan of a fence greatly affect the long-term value it provides once installed. Treated wood rail fences generally have the shortest lifespan, often lasting less than 20 years. Wire fences typically last 20-30 years, placing them at the higher end of fence longevity.
3. Low Maintenance
The level of maintenance your paddocks require has a big impact on how much time you have left for your horses and other responsibilities. Wood fencing demands the most upkeep, as it deteriorates quickly and requires frequent painting, staining, and replacement of boards or posts. Other types of fencing are generally low maintenance, needing only occasional cleaning, tension checks, and voltage monitoring if electrified.
4. Appearance & Visibility
The visibility of your fencing directly affects how well it works for your animals. Highly visible fencing allows livestock to clearly recognize boundaries, reducing the chance of accidental contact. This not only protects your animals but also helps preserve your fencing investment. Rail fences generally offer excellent visibility, while bare wire can be difficult for animals to see. Visibility improves when wire is coated or paired with a top rail.
5. Cost
When evaluating fencing costs, it’s best to consider the total cost of ownership over the expected lifespan of the fence. Options that wear out quickly, require frequent maintenance, or pose safety risks to animals ultimately cost more for owners in the long run.
Additional: Electrification
An electric fence can be both more cost-effective and safer than a non-electric option. Its primary benefit is the psychological deterrent provided by a safe but effective shock, which trains animals to respect the boundary and protects your fencing investment. Electrification also discourages habits like rubbing, cribbing, or reaching through the fence. These are behaviors that negatively impact livestock health and reduce the lifespan of your fence.
Types of Paddock Fencing
There are several commonly used options for paddock fencing, which generally fall into two main categories.
Post & Rail Fences
Post-and-rail fencing is one of the most traditional and recognizable styles. These fences are built by setting posts into the ground and attaching horizontal rails to them to create a continuous line. Depending on the design, they may use two, three, or four rails to meet the paddock’s height and coverage needs. Post-and-rail fencing is most often made from wood, PVC, steel, or flexible rail.
Wire Fences
Wire fencing uses strands of tensioned wire stretched between posts to form a continuous barrier. It is popular not only for paddocks but also in many other fencing applications because it is both cost-effective and versatile. Today, the key choice comes down to low carbon wire versus high-tensile wire. Low carbon wire is most often used in woven wire fences, while high-tensile wire is in coated wire and flexible rail systems.
Low carbon wire has lower strength and stretches more easily, which means that when animals push against it, the fence may lose its shape, break, or lose tension in certain sections. This reduces both the appearance and the effectiveness of the fence. High-tensile wire, on the other hand, is stronger, lighter, and far more resistant to stretching. When pressure is applied, it returns to its original shape, helping the fence maintain both its look and its function over time.
How to Install Paddock Fencing on Your Property
1. Determine the available area to fence if you don’t know already
The first step before you begin fencing for your paddocks is to determine the boundaries of your land.
If you don’t know, you can hire a land surveyor which normally costs between $800 to $5,500. This amount depends on the size of your land and availability of existing records.
2. Paddock Design
Conventional paddock design typically involves multiple paddocks with centralized lanes that allow easy rotation with minimal labor. Here are some important considerations when designing your paddocks:
- One acre per horse or cow is a good starting point. Some start with two acres and then add an additional acre per animal. Smaller animals can be 2-5 per acre.
- Gates are usually 10-12 ft wide, placed in corners closest to barns or lanes for efficiency.
- Placing paddock gates opposite from each other across a laneway will allow you to create alleys to funnel horses between pastures more easily.
- Paddock shape avoids long narrow designs. Squares or rectangles with 90-degree corners are best.
- Paddocks should be sited on well-drained ground, ideally sloping 1-2% to encourage runoff.
- Run-in sheds in the paddocks help with shade and animal comfort.
3. Map out or sketch your paddocks
If you only know the area of your paddock but not the exact dimensions, you can still calculate an estimate for the amount of fencing required. Start by converting the area into square feet (1 acre = 43,560 sq ft). Once you have this number, assume a shape for your paddock. This is most often a square or rectangle.
For a square paddock, the side length is the square root of the area, and the perimeter is four times that side length. For example, a 5-acre paddock has an area of 217,800 sq ft. Taking the square root gives a side length of about 467 ft, and multiplying by four gives an estimated perimeter of 1,868 ft of fencing.
Perimeter = 4 × Side Length
Rectangular paddocks can change the calculation. To estimate, choose proportions (such as a 2:1 rectangle), then calculate the length and width so that their product equals the paddock’s area. Once you have those dimensions, apply the perimeter formula:
Perimeter = 2 × (Length + Width)
Keep in mind that long, rectangle paddocks require more fencing for the same area than square ones.
If your paddock is an irregular shape (not a square or rectangle), walk the boundary using a measuring wheel or use a GPS app.
4. Determine the specifications of your fence
Take your estimated fencing length and subtract out the length of any gates. Then take the number and divide it by your desired post spacing to get the number of posts required for your paddock.
Post spacing for paddocks will generally be 8’ to 12’ with the amount of pressure being the determinant.
Post sizing recommended is:
- 4” to 5” for line posts
- 5” to 6” for corner posts
- 7” to 8” for end/gate posts
Posts should have a third of the length in the ground.
Height for paddocks will usually be 4.5’ to 5’ which is the recommended height for most horses.
5. Reach out to local utility providers
Before any posts are driven into the ground, it’s important to contact the appropriate local services and neighbors. Utility companies should be notified to mark underground lines, ensuring you avoid costly or dangerous damage. If the fence will be on or near a property boundary, discussing plans with adjacent landowners helps prevent disputes and ensures clear understanding of where the fence will sit. Taking these steps before installation saves time, money, and potential conflict.
6. Post installation
Hire professional installation for getting posts driven. Driven posts create a more resilient fence because driving the posts packs the ground densely around the post to help keep it in place. Renting a post driver is rarely practical due to liability concerns and the experience required. A good professional installation will ensure proper fence lines and post depth. This will help maximize the lifespan, appearance, and function of your fencing to give you the most out of your investment. Professional installation will usually cost one to two times the cost of the fencing materials.
7. Add bracing to your fence if needed
This step pertains to tensioned fences which need fence bracing in ends and corners, to provide support to prevent collapse of the fence line due to lateral forces. The most common braces are H-braces and angle braces.
While a skilled property owner can install basic bracing, professional installation is often recommended. Contractors have the right equipment to drive posts deep, set braces at the correct angles, and make it look professional.
8. Putting up your fencing
The final step is installing the fencing for your paddocks. Professional installation is recommended, but if you choose to do it yourself, make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and rely on prior practical experience to guide the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best fencing for a horse paddock?
The best fencing in terms of the most features would be flexible rail horse fencing. Flexible rail has every feature you want in a paddock fence: safety, longevity, low maintenance, electrifiable, appearance, and costs around the same as a wood fence.
What is the best time of year to install a paddock fence?
Fall is generally the best season to install paddock fencing. The weather is typically milder and drier, which makes installation easier. Fall is also a slower season for contractors compared to spring and summer, which can mean lower costs and faster turnaround times. Winter installation is possible as well, provided the ground isn’t frozen or overly wet.
What is the cheapest way to fence a paddock?
The most cost-effective option that still provides safety, strength, and longevity is coated wire fencing. It combines the strength of high-tensile wire with a durable, UV-resistant polyethylene coating that reduces the risk of injury. Alternatives such as tape or rope fencing are less reliable for containment and often end up more expensive per year when measured against their shorter lifespans.
Making the Right Choice for Your Property
The right paddock fencing is more than just a boundary. It is an investment in safety, durability, and peace of mind for you and your horses. By considering the layout of your land, the type of animals you are containing, and the quality of materials, you can build a fence that stands the test of time and keeps your property looking its best.