Posted 2006-03-22 11:53 AM (#39314) Subject: Portable Pens
Veteran
Posts: 161
Location: S. Central Illinois
What is the best way to build portable pens when camping. I have looked at the ones for sale, but, wow, they are pretty expensive. I need an area for 3 horses; can be together in the same area. Just wanting to do some overnight trail riding this spring. I know there's lots of "do-it-yourselfers" on this forum who have great ideas--don't need to impress anyone, just need to keep my horses safe.
Posted 2006-03-22 5:52 PM (#39329 - in reply to #39314) Subject: RE: Portable Pens
Elite Veteran
Posts: 781
Location: La Cygne, KS
Hi there, I have used those step in electric fence posts that have different positions on the post. These range around $2 a piece and I use one every 4-5 feet depending on how large and area you need. I then attach wide electric tape to the second rung on the post and charge it using a portable fence charger that runs off of batteries. You can use one or two bands around the perimeter. For the gate you can buy a regular hotwire handle or they also make a stretchy gate with a handle already attached. I use the stretchy gate attached to the tape (make contact with the wires on the tape to the strectchy wires)You'll want to make the area fairly large if you are containing several horses so they feel comfortable moving around without getting zapped. Make sure you test this out at home with your horses so they know what hot wire is.
Posted 2006-03-23 9:58 AM (#39384 - in reply to #39314) Subject: RE: Portable Pens
Veteran
Posts: 161
Location: S. Central Illinois
Thanks for the tips. Believe me, they know what electric is. We had to hot wire one side of your fence that we share with a neighbor. Don't get me wrong, I love my horses, but it was somewhat comical to watch them learn what electric fence is.
Posted 2006-03-23 8:36 PM (#39415 - in reply to #39314) Subject: RE: Portable Pens
Veteran
Posts: 187
Location: KS
I used electric fence in the past when camping, but seemed to have a problem with deer running thru them, also some of the places I camp would be too rocky to get the post in the ground. When my son was in welding class is high school he made me panels to haul on the side of my trailer. They are made out of 1 inch square tubing 10' long. 6 of them fit on the side of my trailer and make a 10 x 20 foot stall. They cost $10 a piece, that was 3 years ago, and I know metal has gone up a lot since them. Our high school shop takes in outside jobs for the students. You might check into one and see if you can get them made cheaper then buying them. Also with having them made, you can make sure they will fit on your trailer.
Posted 2006-03-27 12:55 PM (#39606 - in reply to #39314) Subject: RE: Portable Pens
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 309
Location: MO
We have a portable corall that uses tape not hot wire. It's more visible than wire and horses, deer etc don't go through it. Derr will jump over the fence if they see it.
We also fence off a 5 acre pasture using 1 1/2 inch electric tape and step in posts. There is an active deer run across it. So far (three months) no problems.
Posted 2006-03-28 8:50 AM (#39635 - in reply to #39314) Subject: RE: Portable Pens
Member
Posts: 40
I also use the white ribbon electric fence but check with the camp owner first I have been in some camps that will only allow a 10' distance away from the trailer it could be the full length of the trailer, I have had only one problem camping with it and not with deer, deer can see it but when the cougar came thru camp my mules cleared the fence with no problem, the mules must have known that all they had to do was to out run me that way they wouldn't be the cat's supper I would. And this happened in Southern Illinois
Posted 2006-04-05 12:59 PM (#39992 - in reply to #39314) Subject: RE: Portable Pens
Member
Posts: 45
Location: Houston, TX
I noticed a new manufacturer of portable pens for trailers (or off trailers) on Ebay that looks pretty cool. I haven't bought one yet (because I'm still paying for my new LQGN) but I think I'm going to try it as soon as I get a little more flush with the funds. :) The pen is one of those expanding ones, steel, light. Looks promising. Anyone ever used one? Oh, and it's not the Inn one... I can't remember the name?Nat
Posted 2006-04-14 10:23 AM (#40425 - in reply to #39314) Subject: RE: Portable Pens
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 455
Location: Texas
Like a few other people have said, I roll up about 250 feet of electrobraid onto an extension cord reel, bring 10 step in posts, and a battery powered electrifier. Tie a loop in the end of the rope to attach to the first/last post for a gate. You can make a 75 foot round area with that much rope. A post every 25 feet or so, and you are good. It takes my wife and I about 5 minutes to set up and take down. It takes up minimal space in the trailer, and can even be packed on a horse for overnight trail rides.
Posted 2006-04-19 11:07 PM (#40703 - in reply to #39314) Subject: RE: Portable Pens
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 479
Location: central sierra nevada foothills
I ordered one off of ebay, it's pretty simple and easy to cart around. It's cart a corral. www.cartacorral.com. He sells them $100 less on ebay. Just type in portable corrals and it should come up, if not his site is above. It's just enough room for them to lay down or stretch their legs for a nite.
Posted 2006-04-29 4:49 PM (#41071 - in reply to #39314) Subject: RE: Portable Pens
Regular
Posts: 50
Location: Delta Junction, Alaska
I was also looking for this type of fence for the "kids" Cowpony01 do you happen to still have the name of the ebay seller you got yours from? Thanks for the help or any input
Posted 2006-04-29 5:15 PM (#41073 - in reply to #41071) Subject: RE: Portable Pens
Member
Posts: 45
Location: Houston, TX
Originally written by AkTomboysAppys on 2006-04-29 4:49 PM
I was also looking for this type of fence for the "kids" Cowpony01 do you happen to still have the name of the ebay seller you got yours from? Thanks for the help or any input
Posted 2006-05-02 8:23 PM (#41215 - in reply to #39314) Subject: RE: Portable Pens
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 479
Location: central sierra nevada foothills
www.Thunderstormranch.com, this is Dougs personal site. Sorry didn't see your reply till now. Got mine and I love it. Set it up, it's easy and stuck "Josie" in it and all went well. There is a video at this site on how to set them up, etc.
Posted 2006-05-03 12:46 AM (#41222 - in reply to #39314) Subject: RE: Portable Pens
Expert
Posts: 2453
Location: Northern Utah
I camp and ride in the mountains pretty much every weekend all summer. So I've tried all kinds of ways to keep the horses. Depending on how close I am to the trailer of back into the wilderness.
Electric fence as described above works fine. I usally fence off a pasture for day time and high line at night. We often have 12-20 horses with us, so we need a pretty good sized pasture.
Highlines work fine. Use them alot.
I also tie to the trailer a lot. I have two Hities, but I have tied to the rings and left the horses over night on many a weekend. With out some kind of bungie the horses will tug at their leads all night and I don't sleep well with the trailer moving. When I use the HiTies, the horses do lay down and I don't feel them very much. Just make sure your horses are trained not to pull back. I put hay and water right under their nose and make sure they can't get a leg over their lead rope.
The panels are too much of a bother for me. I don't want to give up the room in the trailer, and I don't want to scratch up the outside.