Building Horse Fence & Run-in shed in the Winter in VA? What to look out for?

[MossflowerWoods]

Unless you can get some assets reallocated perhaps your best bet is Bing.

View attachment 296904
An example of my house and shops in Mississippi.

HEY NOW! I have no control over such alleged assets!

Bing does have the newer sat maps from approx fall of 2011, it shows where I had most of the timber slash mulched... Before the fence project started... Zillow also uses that same sat image. I was hoping for something newer...

Thanks!
David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

This is an interesting site I have used in the past when bing, mapquest and google have failed.

NETR Online • Historic Aerials

The old stuff is VERY interesting...

David

 

[Verticaltrx]

SO YOU MUST NOW ANSWER THIS QUESTION!!!!!

On my current 12' main gate, I use a wheel at the end of the gate to keep it from sagging. this also requires some levelling of the gate swing area so the wheel touches the ground in most spots, etc. This adds cost to each gate, but it also extends the life of the gate.

SO do you put a wheel on the end of you 12' gates, or do your gates simply not sag, or ????

I'm MUCH less worried about an 8' gate than I am a 12'.

I am leaning towards 10' gates on the run-in pasture and hoping they might not need the wheels...

Those are my current questions.

Thanks again,
Be well,
David

In the hundreds of gates I have installed I've never put a wheel on one, even up to 16 footers. The key is having a big enough gate post and/or proper bracing. For an average 12' gate a 6-7" post driven 4' deep will be plenty, or you can set it in concrete if you are digging them. If the gate is 'in-line' with the fence, the fence also acts as a brace to help keep the gate/post from sagging. If the gate is perpendicular to the fence I'll sometimes run a guy-wire (1/2 cable with turnbuckle) down from the top of the post to an anchor in the ground to support the post from leaning. I only do this for very long or heavy gates. The anchor in the ground is generally only a foot or so away from the fence so it's a minimal obstruction. Yet another thing that will help is to install either a one-way or two-way gate latch. The can be had at either TSC or most any farm store. They will support the gate when it is closed. The same effect can be had by having a block of wood on the opposite gate post where the bottom of the gate sits when it is closed. The last option is to use two smaller gates like two 6' for a 12' opening or two 8' for a 16' opening. This makes for much lighter gates and also is good if you are working on a hill or undulating terrain since you can stagger their height. Hope some of this helps. :thumbsup:

 

[riptides]

......
SO YOU MUST NOW ANSWER THIS QUESTION!!!!!

On my current 12' main gate, I use a wheel at the end of the gate to keep it from sagging. this also requires some levelling of the gate swing area so the wheel touches the ground in most spots, etc. This adds cost to each gate, but it also extends the life of the gate.

SO do you put a wheel on the end of you 12' gates, or do your gates simply not sag, or ????

I'm MUCH less worried about an 8' gate than I am a 12'.

I am leaning towards 10' gates on the run-in pasture and hoping they might not need the wheels...

Those are my current questions.

Thanks again,
Be well,
David

Hmm, I have never used wheels. I have blocks on which the gate end sits when closed.

Since most of my gates are in pastures, and one in particular is a high traffic horse area, I would say that a wheel would be troublesome in that area. It would be bogged with mud by now.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I like the block/brick when gate is closed idea...

Hmmmm...

David

 

[riptides]

I like the block/brick when gate is closed idea...

Hmmmm...

David

Well, actually.... not a block. I used 1/2 cedar posts, on the gate ends I sunk two of them together so it created a full post into the ground. Now when the gate rests on it, obviously it is 1/2 from that point up.

Makes for a more stable, strong gate area.

I hope that helps you.

 

[WM75Guy]

These are what I use for gates. The 10' post is buried 5' in concrete and the gate just slides on.

Gates, Paddock Areas, Breaking Pens, Ranch Rail - 440Fence.com

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Well, actually.... not a block. I used 1/2 cedar posts, on the gate ends I sunk two of them together so it created a full post into the ground. Now when the gate rests on it, obviously it is 1/2 from that point up.

Makes for a more stable, strong gate area.

I hope that helps you.

Ummm... :confused2: I don't get it...

A Picture is worth a thousand words?

Please?
David

 

[SuperCobra]

Is there a decent sattelite photo place where I can go get a shot of my property to show you guys to help make it all sense?

Google Planimeter

I like the above site. Someone here posted the link. It works in conjunction with google maps/satellite view. In our area the plat lines show on google maps but they don't show when you flip to sat view. With this tool you can trace your plat lines in the map view and see them when you switch to sat view. But the nice thing is you can trace your field edges and get the acreage.

I made my arena gates out of the fence boards. They straddle half of the half-round posts and because they open in towards the horses (the horses can't push them out) they are just as strong as the rest of the fence. Plus they blend in better than the tube gates. At 6.50 for a 16 foot oak rough cut (what I paid) they are a lot cheaper then a tube gate too. I'll try to take pictures this weekend.

 

[Bubbanewf]

I would not use poplar inside the run in shed. It splinters and becomes dangerous to horses if they kick it. You can get rough cut oak at a lumber yard and use it before it get too dry or you will have trouble getting nails through it. Use it for any separators inside and perhaps the main frame of the shed.
My first horse was killed by jumping a fence and landing on a t- post, so be careful. This temporary t-post barrier did not have them at the so called trainer's farm. The plastic toppers are sold for that reason, but wooden or plastic fencing is really best for horses.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Google Planimeter

I like the above site. Someone here posted the link.

I made my arena gates out of the fence boards. They straddle half of the half-round posts and because they open in towards the horses (the horses can't push them out) they are just as strong as the rest of the fence. Plus they blend in better than the tube gates. At 6.50 for a 16 foot oak rough cut (what I paid) they are a lot cheaper then a tube gate too. I'll try to take pictures this weekend.

Nice, my problem with Google Maps is the sattelite pic is 6 or more years old, we do not get plat lines shown either. I would LOVE to trace my pasture areas, but they only show on Bing...

I like the wooden gate idea on the ring when I build one... Hinges and the gate itself sagging would worry me (I've built large gates for cedar dog-eared style fence in town years ago... I'd love to see pix...

16' Oak boards were 7.99 at my place last time I checked, maybe more...

Thanks & Be well,
David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I would not use poplar inside the run in shed.

Bubba,

I will use something cheap from the local surplus lumber lot, likely pine that has been sitting a while, for the inside kick boards.

Be well,
David

 

[WM75Guy]

Google Planimeter

I like the above site. Someone here posted the link. It works in conjunction with google maps/satellite view. In our area the plat lines show on google maps but they don't show when you flip to sat view. With this tool you can trace your plat lines in the map view and see them when you switch to sat view. But the nice thing is you can trace your field edges and get the acreage.

I made my arena gates out of the fence boards. They straddle half of the half-round posts and because they open in towards the horses (the horses can't push them out) they are just as strong as the rest of the fence. Plus they blend in better than the tube gates. At 6.50 for a 16 foot oak rough cut (what I paid) they are a lot cheaper then a tube gate too. I'll try to take pictures this weekend.

This map is very recent, maybe 2 months old.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

This map is very recent, maybe 2 months old.

Not in my area...

Years old... many years old.

David

 

[SuperCobra]

Not in my area...

Years old... many years old.

David

I thought that was strange as I'm probably only 20 miles from you as the crow flies (intersection of Brock and Orange Plank) but I just looked and it looks like the property lines on google maps disappear at the Spotsy/Caroline County line. I wonder if google maps interfaces
with the county GIS; Spotsy has a pretty good GIS site. My google satellite looks about 2 years old but I have found much more recent other places. Try MapQuest, Bing, and even Zillow (not sure who provides their images).

Where/who is your surplus lumber yard? Last time I bought oak fence boards was at least five years ago so I'm sure his prices went up - if he is still in business - local farmer who had a mill. Have you checked Ferguson's prices? He's a small Lucas mill that advertised on Craigslist. I haven't inquired yet but he advertises you can buy what he has stocked or he will travel and cut on your place if you have the logs. I was thinking of doing that with some trees I have to cut down if the hourly rate/production is good.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I thought that was strange as I'm probably only 20 miles from you as the crow flies (intersection of Brock and Orange Plank) but I just looked and it looks like the property lines on google maps disappear at the Spotsy/Caroline County line. I wonder if google maps interfaces
with the county GIS; Spotsy has a pretty good GIS site. My google satellite looks about 2 years old but I have found much more recent other places. Try MapQuest, Bing, and even Zillow (not sure who provides their images).

Where/who is your surplus lumber yard? Last time I bought oak fence boards was at least five years ago so I'm sure his prices went up - if he is still in business - local farmer who had a mill. Have you checked Ferguson's prices? He's a small Lucas mill that advertised on Craigslist. I haven't inquired yet but he advertises you can buy what he has stocked or he will travel and cut on your place if you have the logs. I was thinking of doing that with some trees I have to cut down if the hourly rate/production is good.

I'm going to PM you and give you my email. Hook me up with this guy, I might DEF want him to come cut some planks for me at my place!

Bing and Zillow have the pix from Oct/Nov 2010. I can see the row of small round bales I picked up from SLHawkins, I can also see the Black Walnut trees that Mike (LstInThot) came out and cut down for me because I'd broken my collar bone. Both of those activities are documented here SOMEWHERE on TBN, and the bird shot that pic between those two events.

But the Google picture is ANCIENT! I can see the boat the prior owners had, and I think she sold it shortly after he died, and he died in like 2005 or ever 2004.

The pic is not much use to me.I have not checked out Mapquest in some time...

Be well,
David

 

[SuperCobra]

Nice, my problem with Google Maps is the sattelite pic is 6 or more years old, we do not get plat lines shown either. I would LOVE to trace my pasture areas, but they only show on Bing...

I like the wooden gate idea on the ring when I build one... Hinges and the gate itself sagging would worry me (I've built large gates for cedar dog-eared style fence in town years ago... I'd love to see pix...

16' Oak boards were 7.99 at my place last time I checked, maybe more...

Thanks & Be well,
David

Here's some pictures of my gates. The black gate is 12' (11'6" opening) and the other one is 8'. I don't have a problem with it sagging when closed because as you can see the top board rests on a 1x sandwiched by another 1x that is a little higher to keep it closed. There is enough flex in the gate to lift it up over the outer board. If I was making a three board gate I'd probably put the supporting blocks (1x) under all three rails. The 12' one sags a little when open but I also keep it closed. You can see where I braced the hinge end. I didn't use diagonal braces because I wanted it to blend in. You can see the horses can't push out on the gate because it straddles the boards. Although on the 12' the gate doesn't straddle the face of the post enough. The horses could probably push the center of the gate to get it to flex open. I should've shifted the ends of the neighboring fence boards over a little more as they are not on center. A double post or wider post or even a chain would also fix that. For the hinges, I used carriage bolts through the boards and lag screws in the posts. Although horses are usually attended when in the arena, I would feel comfortable using this method in the pasture too.


















Not sure how that got in there but since it is there, the bottom picture is of another use I found for the ratchet rake - poor man's forks. Yeah I know - a lot of weight way out front. I go low and slow. Another reason for a twelve foot gate.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Here's some pictures of my gates. The black gate is 12' (11'6" opening) and the other one is 8'. ... I go low and slow. Another reason for a twelve foot gate.

I am SOOOOOO stealing this idea!

I may need to come over and put my hands on them to get a feel for how they work... I'm going to use gates like these out in the woods where I will have trails that the tractor or riders might want to use, occasional gates, closed 99.9% of the time... Those are VERY NICE...

I assume the posts are 1/2 rounds?

Thanks,
David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I ordered the fence materials today.

105 16' poplar boards
73 1/2 round posts
5 round posts (for the gates)
6 12' metal gates

OOF!

David

 

[riptides]

12 foot gate, cedar post fence, and wire mesh combo. Post area for throw-away spot. Mesh for pasture.



These are half-posts, the gate sits on a half buried next to the other half holding the fence up. Buried next to each other, they make the gate opening sturdy. IMHO.

Sorry for the delay, some dark cloud has been over us this w/e. Everyone else, sunny and 60-70. Very odd.