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Corral Construction Advice

Posted by leftcoaster on 5/20/2012, 6:45 am
76.21.65.217

Hi There,
I'm about to start constructing a corral on the "South 40" of the ranch I work at, I have heard a top and bottom strand of electric tape are best to keep horses in and possible predators [the area is pretty rural] out, anyone have any insight on fencing or protection from predators? The horses will be all together in a mini-herd of 3 and I have a little donkey in with them

Re: Corral Construction Advice

Posted by Sally on 5/20/2012, 9:26 am, in reply to "Corral Construction Advice"
208.53.76.80

How large of a corral? What materials are you building it out of? If you are using electric tape to keep predators out, place it on the outside. I think it's very helpful for keeping dogs out. The only wild animal that I am ever concerned about bothering adult full size horses in our area is a cougar. The bears never bother them. Not sure how effective the top strand is for cougars since by the time they hit it they would already be coming over the top of the fence. My neighbor's goat was killed by a cougar that managed to get over her 5' fence with hot wire on top. OTOH, their chicken coop is surrounded by hot wire and in 5+ years the chickens have been safe, even though we have raccoons, foxes, bears, and coyotes in addition to the occasional cougar wandering through the neighborhood.

Never underestimate how effective a donkey can be at protecting your other animals. A friend's diminutive donkey beat the crap out of a cougar that attacked one of his goats.

Well, I've heard of Grizzley Bears

Posted by MilkMaid on 5/20/2012, 10:16 am, in reply to "Corral Construction Advice"
67.142.177.23

killing horses in Wyoming. Don't know if electric tape will keep them out.
Some days it's not even worth chewing through the restraints.

Probably not

Posted by Sally on 5/20/2012, 10:23 am, in reply to "Well, I've heard of Grizzley Bears"
208.53.76.80

But the last known grizzly bear in California was killed in 1922. The black bears in my area are pretty much a "leave me alone and I'll leave you alone" variety. Other than having my bee hives destroyed by bears about 10 years ago, we haven't had a problem, although they have been known to tear up chicken coops and get the birds.

Oh, I was thinking this person could

Posted by MilkMaid on 5/20/2012, 8:51 pm, in reply to "Probably not"
67.142.177.26

be just about anywhere. For some reason I didn't even think they could be in Calif. Gave me a good laugh at myself,
Some days it's not even worth chewing through the restraints.

This is true...

Posted by Sally on 5/20/2012, 9:52 pm, in reply to "Oh, I was thinking this person could"
208.53.76.80

Maybe even in Antarctica

Prolly safe

Posted by pjc on 5/20/2012, 11:26 pm, in reply to "This is true..."
71.146.129.143

from bears in Antarctica.
Support lawn order. Grow neat grass.
Sunnyvale, CA

just have to watch for leopard seals

Posted by KellyW on 5/21/2012, 1:48 pm, in reply to "Prolly safe"

they even followed the zodiacs at times...

Napa, California

oddly enough

Posted by Tori on 5/22/2012, 12:00 pm, in reply to "This is true..."
75.107.5.244

my new neighbors spent quite a bit of time in Antarctica, no horses down there though, not even sea horses
loosen up your budgie smugglers
http://snowyridge.blogspot.com
Front Range, Colorado

I've been there

Posted by KellyW on 5/22/2012, 6:24 pm, in reply to "oddly enough"
207.200.116.7

it is an incredible place! A good friend of mine was one of the first women to have a "mans" job in Antarctica back in the mid 70's.
Napa, California

Re: I've been there

Posted by Tori on 5/23/2012, 10:44 am, in reply to "I've been there"
75.107.5.244

Very cool, our new neighbors were first responders at the research station seasonally. Interesting how every plane landing was treated as a crash in regards to cleaning up anything that would potentially contaminate the environment.
loosen up your budgie smugglers
http://snowyridge.blogspot.com
Front Range, Colorado

I haven't heard that lately

Posted by Tori on 5/20/2012, 2:47 pm, in reply to "Well, I've heard of Grizzley Bears"

we're just a mile south of WY, usually bears will go for easier prey. Mountain lions will occasionally take young horses or ponies but there are plenty of other things for them to eat that would be easier to take down.

We have black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and possibly wolves in the not too distant future, never had an issue with those critters bothering the horses. It is much more likely that horses would be harassed by loose dogs than wild predators.

Donkeys can usually take care of themselves anyways. My donk killed 2 coyotes when he was younger and will still go after strange or threatening dogs. He is a standard but not very big.

loosen up your budgie smugglers
http://snowyridge.blogspot.com
Front Range, Colorado

Re: Well, I've heard of Grizzley Bears

Posted by MilkMaid on 5/21/2012, 6:13 am, in reply to "Well, I've heard of Grizzley Bears"
67.142.177.20

http://www.northernag.net/AGNews/tabid/171/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4517/Grizzly-Kills-Horse-on-WY-Ranch.aspx
Some days it's not even worth chewing through the restraints.

very unusual

Posted by Tori on 5/22/2012, 11:55 am, in reply to "Re: Well, I've heard of Grizzley Bears"

I wonder if the mare wasn't already injured or down as bears are opportunistic and will readily scavenge what is available.

There was the grizzly that charged horses on a dude ride but the bear was actually in the process of chasing down a deer and the horses were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then the bear did stand down when the wrangler charged him with her horse, that was widely televised (but also a "freak" incident).

I remember riding at King's Canyon pack station and they had a bear that would come into the corral and eat with the horses and mules on a nightly basis, not sure if that old bear is still around or if another filled his spot. Those horses and mules were not bothered by bears out on the trail or in their corrals.

loosen up your budgie smugglers
http://snowyridge.blogspot.com
Front Range, Colorado

Re: Corral Construction Advice

Posted by leftcoaster on 5/21/2012, 9:15 pm, in reply to "Corral Construction Advice"
76.21.65.217

wellll, you all are funny :D
i'm in western sonoma county, on the coast, definitely coyote country and rumored to have cougars around too [apparently they drove all the sheep farmers out of the area]
so perhaps two strands of hot tape on the outside??? my horses [i also have a medium pony and a mini donk, most concerned about them] don't test fences so am OK with it being for protection/outside fenceline....we're planning on using a mix of hot tape and straight wire.
thanks for the insight and LOLz

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