Natural Options for a Horse Fence

Keeping horses necessitates strong fences to keep out predators and protect horses from venturing into other dangers. Options for fencing material are as numerous as horse breeds, with cost and durability ranging from moderate to extreme. Natural fences, such as hedges or dense tree lines, provide the boundaries horses need, at a reasonable cost with an impressive lifespan. Unlike modern manufactured fencing, natural or living fences also provide aesthetic appeal while contributing to biodynamic farming efforts.

  1. Natural and Living Fences, a Historic Tradition

    • Prior to the invention of barbed wire in 1873, pioneers and farmers alike employed the concept of natural or living fences. The use of dense hedge rows as fences was a popular practice for gardens and farms across Europe and to a lesser extent, pioneer America. George Washington employed the practice of living fences on his Mount Vernon, Virginia farm using densely planted honey locust trees. Early American pioneers, as the American populace moved west, employed natural fences using hedges, dense tree lines, as well as furrow lines.

    Types of Natural Fencing

    • In general nearly any shrub or tree, if properly spaced and hard pruned, serves as a natural fence option. Horses, however, have specific needs in terms of height and density for fencing. As such, Osage orange, known by other names such as bois d'arc, hedge apple, horse apple, or its formal name, Maclura pomifera, became a popular choice. Osage orange trees, planted one foot apart, are best known for producing a strong fence in as little as four years. Other suitable plants include hawthornes, hollies, black locust, honey locust, prickly ash, and rugosa rose.

    Benefits of Natural Fencing

    • In addition to providing a highly visible, durable fence for horses, natural fences offer equally important benefits to farmers and ranchers. Thorny plant options help deter deer and other destructive wildlife, ensuring pastures and gardens flourish unmolested. Trees and shrubs used for the construction of living fences also help prevent erosion and serve as windbreaks. In the 1930s, after the devastating effects of the Dust Bowl, Osage orange fences helped prevent further erosion of farmland by providing such windbreaks.

    Bio-Dynamics of Natural Fencing

    • Biodynamics and biodynamic farming methods treat a ranch or farm as a living organism or independent ecosystem. Each crop, herd, or farm activity must contribute beyond its initial intended purpose. As part of a biodynamic operation, not only can natural fences provide protection and visible boundaries for horses, but also provide fodder for both equine and nonequine livestock, a source of firewood and fence posts, and natural habitats for complimentary wildlife. In terms of serving more than one purpose, natural fences provide a full range of benefits from soil conservation to supplemental feed, from perimeter security to building materials.