An electric fence is a chain: energiser, earthing, conductor, insulators and posts. If one link is weak, your horse or sheep soon notices. Here you will find all the parts of such a chain, from the ZoneGuard energiser to the last gate handle, for a permanent fence around the horse field or a portable net for sheep and goats.
How to build a fence, in six parts
- The energiser: electric fence energisers on mains, battery or solar power deliver the pulse.
- The earthing: galvanised earth rods and copper earth cable close the circuit through the soil. Without good earthing, an animal barely feels anything.
- The conductor: tape, rope or wire carries the current around the field.
- The posts: step-in posts and permanent plastic posts keep the conductor at height.
- The insulators: insulators stop current leaking away through wooden or steel posts.
- The accessories: accessories such as connectors, tensioners, gate handles, testers and warning signs complete the whole.
Permanent, temporary or portable?
For a field that stays the same for years, choose sturdy corner and end points with ring insulators or end strainers, and rope or wire that stretches little. If you want to fence off part of a field temporarily, for example to let the grass recover, you work faster with step-in posts and tape on a reel. Sheep, goats and poultry are often easiest to keep in with electric fence netting: the posts are already built in, you push them into the ground and connect the net to the energiser.
Which conductor suits which animal?
| Animal | Often chosen | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Horse, pony | Wide tape or rope | Easy to see; horses see a wide band better than a thin wire |
| Cattle | Wire or rope | Little affected by wind, suitable for long distances |
| Sheep, goats | Netting | Single wires let small animals through more easily |
| Poultry | Poultry netting | Small meshes at the bottom, also keeps out ground predators |
What to bear in mind
The range stated on an energiser applies to a single wire without vegetation. With several wires, tape, netting or grass against the bottom line, you get less in practice. Never use two energisers on one fence at the same time, and hang warning signs along a public road or footpath. For other yard jobs, go to stable and yard, for mice in the feed store to pest control, and the full overview is on yard and pasture.
Frequently asked questions
Which parts belong in a first electric fence?
An energiser, an earth rod with earth cable, a conductor such as tape or rope, posts with insulators or step-in posts, a connecting lead and a warning sign if the field borders a road or path.
Can I combine tape and wire in one fence?
Yes, as long as the connections conduct well. Use special connectors or connecting leads instead of knots, because a knot creates extra resistance.
Why is my fence not working, even though the energiser is ticking?
Often it is due to the earthing, vegetation against the wire or a broken insulator. A tester helps you find the weak spot.