Why Does My Equine Electric Fence Stop Shocking in the Winter?

Few problems cause more frustration for horse owners than having a fencing system that doesn't work correctly. Having an effective electric fence suddenly stop working when winter comes around is a particularly troublesome situation. Understanding why your electric equine fence stops shocking in the winter can help you locate the problem and fix it before your horses get hurt.

  1. The Facts

    • Your electric equine fence creates an open electrical circuit that sends electricity from the energizer into the electric wires. When this electrical circuit closes, an electrical shock occurs. In order to create a closed electrical circuit, the electricity traveling through your horse's body must return through the ground to your fence's grounding system. Wet ground conducts electricity much more effectively than dry ground. Thus, an electric equine fence that operates quite effectively during rainy summer months often becomes less effective--or stops working completely--during dry, frozen winter months.

    Effects

    • According to Dean R. Oswald, Animal Systems Educator at the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension, winter snow load may decrease the amount of power available in your fence. Excessive amounts of snow often drift to cover the bottom charged wires in your electric fence. This snow acts as a short, draining energy from your equine electric fence and rendering it useless.

    Significance

    • Having your equine fence stop shocking upon occasion during the winter typically should not create any long-term problems as long as your horses are used to electric fences. Electrical fences create a psychological barrier for your horses. They avoid touching the fence wires because they know they will get shocked. However, if your horses have not been trained to respect an electric fence before the winter season begins, then you could easily have a crew of escape horses on your hands. Even worse, one of your horses could get seriously injured in the fence wires.

    Prevention/Solution

    • According to Cherry Hill, author of "Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage," most fencing problems occur as a result of improper grounding systems. Put an effective grounding system in place when you first install your electric horse fence to keep your fence from failing during the winter. Use at least three 6- to 8-foot-long galvanized grounding rods, locating them 6 to 10 feet apart from each other. Position the nearest grounding rod no more than 20 feet from your fence charger. Hammer all but the top 2 to 3 inches of each grounding rod into the ground so the bottoms of the rods can reach moist soil deep in the ground.

    Geography

    • If you live in an area of the United States that typically receives heavy snowfall or experiences very long winters, you may need to install a wire system to supplement your in-ground grounding system. Install one or more uncharged fence wires in your equine electric fence, locating one near the bottom of the fence and one near the top. Connect these uncharged wires to your grounding system. When your horse's body comes in contact with both a charged wire and one of the uncharged wires, the uncharged wire acts as the return system for your fence instead of the frozen, snow-covered soil.