How to create corners with step-ins?

334 Views 19 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Acadianartist, 16 d ago

Acadianartist

Discussion Starter · 18 d ago

Given that I have two easy keepers and a senior who has become a hard keeper, my plan for the summer is to create a track for Rusty and Bella with the inside reserved for Harley. Currently, they are all on a small area of a different pasture while the future "track pasture" grows up a bit.

The entire pasture is fenced in with 3 strands of hot Electrobraid and is very secure, but for the track system, my plan is to use step-ins. Not T-posts, not wooden posts, so no point in suggesting those. The problem is that step-ins bend and while I won't make completely square corners, I will still need to get in fairly tight if I want to keep enough in the middle part for Harley.

Anyone have tips for doing this effectively? I have tried leaning one up against the other, but have not really been successful.

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Horse & Dog Mom

· #2 · 18 d ago

@Acadianartist: I have to tell you, I have not had a lot of luck with step ins. I first tried to keep our horse out of our fairly large burn area in the middle of his second pasture by using step ins with electrobraid in two parallel runs. The diameter of the circle was about 15 ft. Not only could he reach over and push the step ins over, I think over time the heat/sun got to those and I had a fairly decent white ones that are maybe 3 ft tall. Our neighbors just did a big area of step ins to try to keep some construction trucks out of their eventing area. Within a couple days the electric braid or rope that they use was already dragging on the ground. They also did not cheap out with the quality of the products they used and did not have a big distance between each post. It seems to be a no-go for them for the most part the rope is already laying on the ground after a few days.

It'll be interesting to see if anybody else has a unique way of making your scenario work.

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Acadianartist

Discussion Starter · #3 · 18 d ago

Horse & Dog Mom said:
@Acadianartist: I have to tell you, I have not had a lot of luck with step ins. I first tried to keep our horse out of our fairly large burn area in the middle of his second pasture by using step ins with electrobraid in two parallel runs. The diameter of the circle was about 15 ft. Not only could he reach over and push the step ins over, I think over time the heat/sun got to those and I had a fairly decent white ones that are maybe 3 ft tall. Our neighbors just did a big area of step ins to try to keep some construction trucks out of their eventing area. Within a couple days the electric braid or rope that they use was already dragging on the ground. They also did not cheap out with the quality of the products they used and did not have a big distance between each post. It seems to be a no-go for them for the most part the rope is already laying on the ground after a few days.

It'll be interesting to see if anybody else has a unique way of making your scenario work.

Yeah, I think you have to keep the Electrobraid on or they will just push them right over. I noticed the other day Rusty was pushing against one that was not hot. Single line bisecting the pasture. I took care of that pretty quickly and connected it to the main fence. No more touching or even going near the fence! I didn't witness him getting shocked, but he must have gotten zapped at one point.

I use it quite successfully to divide up the pasture, but I always connect one end to the main fence so I can get them nice and tight. This won't be possible with a track system. So you may be right... though I think it's worth a try, especially since there is a solid perimeter fence so if it fails, it just means my fatties get more grass than they should

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Acadianartist

Discussion Starter · #4 · 18 d ago

So there is an option B.

I could just let Harley have an entire pasture to himself while the other two have access to the back pasture which I can divide up into strips. Just having to run back there and to the barn several times a day is good exercise for them too (They have to cross a ditch and brook). It would be pretty easy - I could just let Harley have access to the pasture adjacent to the back of the barn and he could still have access to his stall while the other two would have a lot further to travel and less grass. I basically already have the step-ins in place for this so it's quite easy to do.

The more I think of it, the more sense this makes. Still curious to see if anyone has come up with a good way to make corners with step-ins. I get the black 4 ft ones, not the little 30" ones.

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boatagor

· #5 · 18 d ago

I have a big area fenced with fiberglass step ins. I didn't put any corners. At first I did, but they weren't tight, so I just made the corners curved. I've not had any issues with the step in fencing, but both of my horses are very respectful of fences, and it's hot 24/7. I actually am impressed with the posts, we've had a lot of rain, wind and bad storms and they're holding up well. My electric tape is not loose but not super tight either, so maybe that helps.

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Acadianartist

Discussion Starter · #6 · 18 d ago

boatagor said:
I have a big area fenced with fiberglass step ins. I didn't put any corners. At first I did, but they weren't tight, so I just made the corners curved. I've not had any issues with the step in fencing, but both of my horses are very respectful of fences, and it's hot 24/7. I actually am impressed with the posts, we've had a lot of rain, wind and bad storms and they're holding up well. My electric tape is not loose but not super tight either, so maybe that helps.

I wonder if the fiberglass step-ins are more rigid? I don't think they sell those here, but I might be able to order online. Any chance you know the brand name?

Even with a somewhat curved, gradual corner, the step-ins they sell around here eventually bend.

dogpatch

· #7 · 17 d ago

I've got a small track system that's working very well for my two founderheads. I have two types of posts, the plastic ones and some metal "pigtail" stepins. I don't know that I have a preference, but a little more on that in a bit.

I do not pull the single strand electrobraid tight. There's no particular reason to unless you want a much better looking installation. One thing about a slighty looser fence is, it flops in the wind and is more visible. Premier 1 Supply says if you are using tape and twist it a bit, it actually makes the tape last longer and is certainly more visible. If the braid/tape isn't tight, there's no need for really strong corners. If you need a little support in a corner, if possible, put another step in on the outside of the corner and tie a piece of baling twine from the braid-bearing post near the top, and run it down to the bottom of the outside post. I've done this many times with heavy, saggy electronet.

My fences are very free-form. I think there's only one Tpost where the braid "jumps" the track, to electrify the inside track fence.

I have a couple different brands of plastic posts, each with molded-in "keepers" for the braid. Both have held up pretty well. One has "flimsier" keepers and they occasionally break off, but I can always find a way to use that spot. Electrical tape would work. The metal pigtails are working well, but the jury's out on whether I really like them. The braid must go at a certain height, and I have one little lunchmouth that will push the envelope, trying to reach under as far as possible to get the grass. I have since found that the insulators that are made to screw on to 3/8" metal rods can be put on the pigtail posts, so you can have multiple heights for the braid.

The most important thing that I've found since the horses have been confined to the tracks, 3KV is not enough to keep Ms. Lunchmouth from risking contacting the braid, reaching under it. Our charger has two settings. I bumped it up to 7KV. The next day I had some fence to repair! LOL! That was the last time anyone challenged the braid. I even have some "dummy" fences that nobody touches.

I wish I had seen the danger lurking in my grass many years sooner. And I can attest that the horses will walk that track, trying to find something to nibble. I have acres of the densest green grass, and it grieves me that I can't let the horses have it, but such is life. Actually I don't think the quality of their lives has been horribly diminished. I'm hoping I can expand the system this year.

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boatagor

· #8 · 17 d ago

I should say that where my horses are currently, I don't have any grass. We're growing some, but it's not up against the fence. So maybe they would push on it more if there was grass nearby.

I'm not sure if you have a tractor supply. These are the ones I got. Side note, they've gone up 30 cents per post since I bought them a month or two ago! That's crazy to me.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/sunguard-ii-3-8-in-fiberglass-step-in-post

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4horses

· #9 · 17 d ago

Buy the fiberglass step in posts. Do not make square corners. You want angled corners. The white posts bend. Don't buy those or only use them for straight lines.

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Acadianartist

Discussion Starter · #10 · 17 d ago

boatagor said:
I should say that where my horses are currently, I don't have any grass. We're growing some, but it's not up against the fence. So maybe they would push on it more if there was grass nearby.

I'm not sure if you have a tractor supply. These are the ones I got. Side note, they've gone up 30 cents per post since I bought them a month or two ago! That's crazy to me.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/sunguard-ii-3-8-in-fiberglass-step-in-post

No tractor Supply stores in Canada, but I can get these online from Amazon. They're 7.50 each though, but such is life. We pay more for everything.

Thanks!

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QtrBel

· #11 · 17 d ago

I've done a looser fence strand, multiple (3 to 5) step ins for corner or curve. Not tight but not really drooping. And tpost or wood post at the corner with step ins on the straight. It was wide enough to accommodate the drafts turning easily without touching either side and fence was on.

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beau159

· #12 · 17 d ago

Acadianartist said:
Anyone have tips for doing this effectively? I have tried leaning one up against the other, but have not really been successful.

Can you 45 degrees the corners instead? It might work, depending on how much weight/tension is on the wire. Then you have two posts sharing the direction change, instead of just one with a 90 degree angle.

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Chevaux

· #13 · 16 d ago

I use plastic step ins the following way for making a corner. It works if the wire is not made too taut/tight - too much tension and the posts start to bend.

You need four posts. Three are put together to make a 90 and they are put quite close together (as in 8” to 10”), then you use the fourth post as reinforcement for the center one. It’s placed behind the center one on the outside of the angle, as close as possible and tied to it (trusty old baler twine for me).

The posts I use are from Peavey Mart — metal tip at bottom and notch thingys for holding wire,etc. They way I described above has only been temporary over the summer so I don’t know how long they would hold up before they succumb to prolonged tension on them. On the plus side they are cheap especially if you get them on sale so it won’t hurt to try an experiment.

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boatagor

· #14 · 16 d ago

I took a picture of my step in post fence for you today. You can see it's not pulled tight, but it also doesn't sag anywhere. I had originally put corners in, but those posts were leaning, so I took them out and ended up with this nice curve instead. I've only had to step a couple of them back in, and sometimes I have to adjust the tape after high winds, but that's it so far.

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Acadianartist

Discussion Starter · #15 · 16 d ago

beau159 said:
Can you 45 degrees the corners instead? It might work, depending on how much weight/tension is on the wire. Then you have two posts sharing the direction change, instead of just one with a 90 degree angle.

Yes, I have done this, but the posts eventually bend anyway. I have about 5-6 that are bent from doing this.

Acadianartist

Discussion Starter · #16 · 16 d ago

Chevaux said:
I use plastic step ins the following way for making a corner. It works if the wire is not made too taut/tight - too much tension and the posts start to bend.

You need four posts. Three are put together to make a 90 and they are put quite close together (as in 8” to 10”), then you use the fourth post as reinforcement for the center one. It’s placed behind the center one on the outside of the angle, as close as possible and tied to it (trusty old baler twine for me).

The posts I use are from Peavey Mart — metal tip at bottom and notch thingys for holding wire,etc. They way I described above has only been temporary over the summer so I don’t know how long they would hold up before they succumb to prolonged tension on them. On the plus side they are cheap especially if you get them on sale so it won’t hurt to try an experiment.

This is the kind of tip I am looking for! They only need to last for part of the summer really. I may well give this a try - thanks!

Acadianartist

Discussion Starter · #17 · 16 d ago

boatagor said:
I took a picture of my step in post fence for you today. You can see it's not pulled tight, but it also doesn't sag anywhere. I had originally put corners in, but those posts were leaning, so I took them out and ended up with this nice curve instead. I've only had to step a couple of them back in, and sometimes I have to adjust the tape after high winds, but that's it so far. View attachment 1152200

Thanks! I can order these types of step-ins online and I don't have to make it super-tight, just enough that the line doesn't drag. I appreciate the photo!

QtrBel

· #18 · 16 d ago

I'd just use a t-post instead of doubling posts in that case. One at the corner, capped. Easy enough to chain an remove. I'd still do a 45 or curve as you don't any places a horse can get stuck on a track.

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jaydee

· #19 · 16 d ago

I've never had much luck using any type of step in posts for corners, other than risking the metal ones, using the plastic toppers to reduce risks of staking if a horse does decide to blow through the fence.

Quite aside from them bending, we found that they'd all blow away in windy weather and the plastic ones degrade very quickly in areas where the temperature is constantly well below freezing for months in the winter.

I know you said you don't want to use wood, but if the fencing is going to be permanent or longer term temporary, using wood and plastic connectors is more effective

When we first moved to our previous home, we used wood to make bracing corners, combined with plastic posts until we could get it all post and rail fenced

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Acadianartist

Discussion Starter · #20 · 16 d ago

jaydee said:
I've never had much luck using any type of step in posts for corners, other than risking the metal ones, using the plastic toppers to reduce risks of staking if a horse does decide to blow through the fence.

Quite aside from them bending, we found that they'd all blow away in windy weather and the plastic ones degrade very quickly in areas where the temperature is constantly well below freezing for months in the winter.

I know you said you don't want to use wood, but if the fencing is going to be permanent or longer term temporary, using wood and plastic connectors is more effective

When we first moved to our previous home, we used wood to make bracing corners, combined with plastic posts until we could get it all post and rail fenced

View attachment 1152211

The reason I don't want to use wood is that these must be moveable. The track is going to be inside of a large pasture that gets dragged, fertilized, re-seeded, and where the tractor must be able to drive through to haul away manure (it's between the barn and the location where we compost our manure piles) so I don't want to create a maze for my husband to curse his way through.

I have never had issues with the plastic deteriorating on the step-ins, or with them blowing over. And we have brutal winters here.

We have a solid perimeter fence, I just want to create paths inside a pasture to limit my two fatties. I also plan to move the fenceline for strip grazing and will open it up completely in winter once there is snow on the ground.

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