Never take farm fencing projects lightly. You’ll likely have to live with the resulting paddocks and pastures for years to come, and that can be frustrating and inconvenient if you’re unhappy with their appearance or practicality. There’s a reason equestrians often ask, “what’s the best fence for horse property?”

When I moved from Northern Illinois to the Kentucky Bluegrass, for instance, I constructed my paddocks as I would have in Illinois, and they ended up being much too large. Because the grass production in Kentucky is greater, the expansive fields put my horses at risk of founder, and I ultimately had to subdivide them. The differences in fence and paddock types are even more significant in the arid West or the wet Southeast—indeed, one factor to consider when you’re planning fencing is geography.

Other fencing decisions are universal, depending on the type of operation. Most professional horse farms separate paddocks with double fence rows so horses can’t fraternize over fencelines. Corners are radiused (rounded) to avoid inside traps and outside sharp projections.

Download this free special report to learn about additional factors to consider when selecting a fence and different types of fencing available for horse properties.