For our horses we have two areas that they run, one is pasture that they are on starting mid-April until mid-October and that is fenced with 3 board vinyl. The other is a wooded area that they run on during the winter months and whenever grass is not available, that area is fenced with the electric ribbon fence, and it works great. The only time I have an issue is when a tree falls down or on the rare occasion that a deer takes it down.
I started out with white vinyl 3 rail fencing. I really like the look of it, but it's proven to not be very good for livestock. I have horses and goats, and plan to get a few steers when I have more of my place fenced in. The vinyl fence is about 5 acres with a small pond and my barn. In the last 15 years, it's started to all apart. Pieces of the rail and posts, where they come together, are breakign off. I've shot rocks through my lawn mower the went right through the rails. The side that doesn't get sun has become dark with algae.
Then I fenced in 7 acres with three rows of electric white ribbon. It's not very attractive, but the horse respect it. The goats walk right through it, so I have to keep the goats in the 3 rail fence pasture and lock the gate when the horses are in the electric pasture.
Both of those fences are nearing the end of their useful life. The white ribbon came from Kencove and it's pretty good, but it's also growing algae, and I'm constantly pulling branches off of it.
My new fence will not have any trees over it, or even close to it. I'm going to eventually remove the vinyl fence and use it along the front road for a nice look, but not to keep animals in.
My plan is to have 5 pastures. One for feeding the animals, where the small pond is and my barn. Four pastures will be for rotating them for grazing. Each of the four pastures will be connected to the feeding pasture. I have 68 acres and each grazing pasture will be around 14 acres. I'm hoping to have one grazing pasture done next year, and then add another one every year.
