Fence Me In - but just for light grazing please

I haven't used solar, so I can not tell you anything about those.  I have used a 10-mile battery operated charger as a back-up and it worked just fine.  That might be an option for you.
 
http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_10551_10001_36186_-1______14345%7C14359%7C14362%7C14363%7C36186?listingPage=true&Special=false
 
Don't bother with tape - its junk & most of it breaks quickly.  I use a combination of electrified rope or just electrified wire.  My more pemanant pasture areas have a top strand of electrified rope and a lower strand of electrified wire.  My front pasture which is a bit more temporary uses pig-tail step-in poles and just electrified wire.  I can keep them out there all day & my horses stay in just fine - even my haflingers that figure out how to escape most anything.
 
These are the pig-tail posts I use with the electric wire.  I find these stand up better than any of the other temporary step-in posts I have tried.  Their down fall is that they only have a spot for one strand, but that is all I use in my front is one strand of wire.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_10551_10001_36055_______14345%7C14359%7C14362%7C14365%7C36055?listingPage=true&Special=false
 
Hope this helps.

Cat,

Thanks for the advice, the web links, and sharing your experiences. Appreciate your help.

best regards,
Arikaree

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  Solar chargers work best for small areas and if you are moving around, they work alot better than one that needs to be plugged in.
 
  Tape looks trashy fast if you don't keep up after it but it does provide a visual barrier.  Wire is the easiest to use and maintain but you really need something at least 1" wide to mark the perimeter.
 
    What does your HOA say regarding fencing?  There has to be some specific guidelines (height, color, material....)  If there isn't, you need to have it spelled out at a board meeting before you do it wrong (and spend good money).  If you can't put in anything semi permanent, you are pretty much limited to step in posts and some type of electrified fence.  If you can go T-post and something like electobraid or rope, it will look nicer, hold up with less maintenance and you won't be spending alot of time putting up and taking down fencing.  4 acres is alot of land to be moving temporary fencing around. 

Why do you need something at least 1 inch to mark the barriers?  If the fence is well electrified the horses will know it is there.  The only time it is an issue is if you use a charger that is not strong enough.  I've had unhandled stallions & even mustangs in my fencing (including the front with just 1 strand of electric wire) and all of the horses have stayed put.  However, I have always had at least a 10 mile charger for my 5 acres. 

  I'll agree that horses will learn the boundaries and can be contained simply with hot wire, but when the fences are being moved constantly for controlled grazing, they need a little more help.  As in point, I was&nbsputting up a temporary fence last week end to keep the mares off their summer pasture.  One mare is "helping".  I finish the single strand of hot wire and the mare turns around and walks right through it.
 
  I think we as experienced horsepeople, also need to present information that works for the majority of horses and owners and not just our own that we know inside and out.   
 
Arikaree, I just noticed that you are in NoCo.  N of FC?  Sounds kind of like some land one of my boarders owns.  She mentioned that they have to maintain the free range status for ag purposes and can't build any fences on it.   I couldn't understand the reasoning. 
 
 

2Many.

Yes, north of Ft. Collins, Glacier View Meadows, just "up the hill" from the Western Ridge restaurant and dude/tourist magnet.

I decided on a fencing system, opting for 1/4 rope with stranded wire for strength (winds) and visibility. This first go at it is conservative, just enough to enclose a half acre or less, then see how it all goes before chewing off more than I can munch at one time.

Thanks for your opinions and help, much appreciated.

Arikaree

Everyone has given great advice, but the most important question to me is what are you trying to keep them out of with the fence?  Do you live next to a busy highway or anything where they could get hurt.  Are your horses used to hot wire or will it be a new experience for them?
 
I use a solar charger for quite a large area (about 7 acres) and it's doing a great job.  I'm actually pretty impressed with it.  We have no electricity there, so it was our only option.  That darn fence is hot!  We got a charger with as much power as we could get.  I had never used the electric rope before (usually just regular wire with plastic tape tied on for visibility), but the rope makes a nice looking temporary fence.
 
I haven't used the plastic tape on the wire fence since my horses know the fence now.  They can smell it and hear it and they don't push the fence at all, but not all horses are like that.  Their first time under hot wire they ran through it a couple of times, but now they don't even notice.  In fact, we discovered my old wire fence was down for most of the winter and nobody is any worse for the wear.
 
So I guess bottom line is whatever works best and is most affordable for you.  They will eventually get used to it.  Wire fencing is a lot cheaper than any other kind of fence and heck you can buy plastic posts at any ranch and home store and they are cheap also.  Mostly depends on the horse I think and also the area where you live and the dangers outside the fence.
 
Good luck and happy fence building.

[quote=Arikaree]

Would appreciate any info and experiences (good & not-so-good) on SOLAR FENCE CHARGERS, tape vs. wire, easiest mounting, preferred brands, etc etc.

We live in a Home Owner Association and can only have temp fences.


 
We use Horseguard tape for all of our pastures (probably over 100 miles of it!) and are thrilled with it.  It does not stretch under heavy snow load or tropical storm winds and looks as great as when we put the first strand up years ago.   IMO, it is much safer than uncoated hot wire or rope (both of which I have seen cause severe injuries).  Although I am sure that under the right circumstance, any fence has the possibility of causing damage.  Fortunately, ours never test the HG fencing.  They also sell a temporary set up on their site.
 
We also use solar chargers on all of our pasture fencing.  We have Parmak 12V chargers and love them.  Only have had a problem with one in several years and Parmak repaired it at their expense.