Cattle Hurdles - Help!

[PerdyHumfrey]

Hi everyone,

New on here however I am looking for some help with cattle hurdles. I live on an arable farm so this is something a bit out of our knowledge! I have horses and what with the recent wet weather my paddocks are looking much worse than they should be at this time of year. I do however have an area of hardcore that I want to pen in somehow and I think cattle hurdles are the best solution (anything with the word horse seems to double the price). I would board up the bottom half as horses like to get their legs stuck in things, but what are the best makes? How do I secure them - or do they just sit free standing on the ground? If so, do they not move? I would worry that if they were to rub on the fence, that it might move? The area is approx 170m2 although I can probably make it a bit bigger, but it will be used for day turnout in very bad weather.

Any help much appreciated of how I can go about this!

Thank you

 

[JP1]

Without sounding rude, interlinking cattle hurdles 5ft high and with a bottom panelling in Paneltim (better as doesn't warp) or Stokboard (make sure you Tek screw with oversize holes) are the solution but I'm not sure you can afford it for that area

MVF do 10ft ones for about £80 + VAT

They should stand up with a few kinks and right angles. You can get a 3ft and a 5ft gate in a hurdle frame too

 

[PerdyHumfrey]

Without sounding rude, interlinking cattle hurdles 5ft high and with a bottom panelling in Paneltim (better as doesn't warp) or Stokboard (make sure you Tek screw with oversize holes) are the solution but I'm not sure you can afford it for that area

MVF do 10ft ones for about £80 + VAT

They should stand up with a few kinks and right angles. You can get a 3ft and a 5ft gate in a hurdle frame too

Hi,

Thank you - any help much appreciated! I had gone on the basis of about £100/ hurdle just from a quick google but I really have no idea what I should be looking for in terms of quality etc. other than galvanised!

On the basis that I was looking at some heavy duty matting for the paddock circa £2,000 I think this will come in about the same, but a better solution.

Thank you for your suggestions!

 

[Hfd Cattle]

Cheaper to fence it surely ?

 

[PerdyHumfrey]

Cheaper to fence it surely ?

I don't really want anything permanent - I ideally want to be able to take it down in the summer when it is not in use, hence why I thought cattle hurdles may be the solution!

 

[Hfd Cattle]

Point taken . If you go down the cattle hurdle road you might find it better to bolt them together rather than use the metal pegs. They used them at the livery yard down the road from us and once the nags had found out the pins rattled and moved they became a nightmare playing with them . Once they had bolted them together they were a lot sturdier as well .

 

[PerdyHumfrey]

Point taken . If you go down the cattle hurdle road you might find it better to bolt them together rather than use the metal pegs. They used them at the livery yard down the road from us and once the nags had found out the pins rattled and moved they became a nightmare playing with them . Once they had bolted them together they were a lot sturdier as well .

Ah, this is ideal info - I had seen the pegs but had wondered whether they would rattle! Horses are a nightmare with anything like that because if they aren't playing, they have probably got themselves stuck somehow, so I will look at bolting them together!

Any suggestions on best brands? Is this the sort of thing that ever comes up 2nd hand? I imagine people don't tend to sell on unless they need a bit of work doing to them... in which case I am probably not the buyer for them!!!

 

[PaulNix]

Only really skimmed the post but wouldn't a strand of electric fence do what you want both cheaper and safer ?

 

[Princess Pooper]

Can you use the electrified horse tape? Used in loads of places and with temporary stakes can be taken down when not needed. If you can't get them in the ground because of the hard core, just fill some spray cans with soil and pop the post into that, can be moved around as you need.

 

[DKnD]

Have you considered temporary security panels? Not ideal for horses, but a lot cheaper than heavy cattle hurdles.

 

[PerdyHumfrey]

Have you considered temporary security panels? Not ideal for horses, but a lot cheaper than heavy cattle hurdles.

I had, but ... I hate the look of them!! Silly I know, but as the stables are by the house, I want it to look vaguely presentable... we have lots of people coming and going so it does need to be as smart as I can do!

Only really skimmed the post but wouldn't a strand of electric fence do what you want both cheaper and safer ?

The only thing I am wary of is once they know they can get out through electric fencing then I'm buggered! There is nothing to stop them getting across 3000 acres of farm... onto main roads and off into Lincolnshire!

Can you use the electrified horse tape? Used in loads of places and with temporary stakes can be taken down when not needed. If you can't get them in the ground because of the hard core, just fill some spray cans with soil and pop the post into that, can be moved around as you need.

I had seen this, but I'm just not sure that electric tape will be secure enough. They are pretty good, but once they know they can get out, they will... and what with the lure of acres of farm lane, I'm not convinced that they'd stay in. Cattle hurdles are tall enough that it wouldn't even cross their mind!

 

[PerdyHumfrey]

Thanks all for suggestions though - it is appreciated!

 

[DrWazzock]

If you want to bolt cattle hurdles together then be aware the tabs on some are at different random heights, so bolting together isn't as easy at it first appears.

Bite the bullet and fence it. Much cheaper than hurdles. Post and rail with an electric wire round inside to stop them being about with it.

 

[Hfd Cattle]

Ah, this is ideal info - I had seen the pegs but had wondered whether they would rattle! Horses are a nightmare with anything like that because if they aren't playing, they have probably got themselves stuck somehow, so I will look at bolting them together!

Any suggestions on best brands? Is this the sort of thing that ever comes up 2nd hand? I imagine people don't tend to sell on unless they need a bit of work doing to them... in which case I am probably not the buyer for them!!!

If they come up second hand they make almost new price if they are any good .
They are very much the same wherever you go for them .
In Hereford ,Evans Farm Supplies are as good as anyone but I don't know where you are .
If you go for a decent brand then the eyes will all match up so easy to bolt .

 

[Danllan]

Ah, this is ideal info - I had seen the pegs but had wondered whether they would rattle! Horses are a nightmare with anything like that because if they aren't playing, they have probably got themselves stuck somehow, so I will look at bolting them together!

Any suggestions on best brands? Is this the sort of thing that ever comes up 2nd hand? I imagine people don't tend to sell on unless they need a bit of work doing to them... in which case I am probably not the buyer for them!!!

If you are set on hurdles, and being an arable chap with nags you must be loaded, you're best buying bulk either direct from a manufacturer or, if you are on good terms with them, from an ag' supplier. I've gone with IAE and have no regrets. I've no idea how old you are, but recently I've found it more 'convenient' to work with 8' hurdles than 10' ones... The in-hurdle gates are good, but you've probably less need for these with horses. If you are going to buy a load the price @JP1 gives looks about right.

WARNING: the 'pins' are there not just to join the hurdles, but as a prevention of leg-trapping as well. Perhaps not so much of a problem with grown horses, but I've seen a cow's leg broken horribly in a previous generation of hurdles (with rounded tops... ) just saying.

 

[milkloss]

Try double electric fencing (two fences) with a mega fencer on each one. Going to be cheaper and easier by the time you’ve panelled out each hurdle for sure.

 

[onesiedale]

How soon are you wanting them? My guess is there'll be a fair lead time on an order of 20 hurdles.
What about a local fabricator, making exactly what you want?

 

[beef 1]

It may help if you said where you are ??? I have some you could look at .

 

[Nearly]

Have you considered temporary security panels? Not ideal for horses, but a lot cheaper than heavy cattle hurdles.

You can get sheeted security panels.
Known as heras fencing.
The horses could kick them all day and play a tune.

 

[Dry Rot]

I don't know what sort of horses you have, but I have a round pen (60' diameter) for Highland ponies constructed of 5' round timber posts with a 1/2" x 6" board at pony eye level and another where their eyes would be if they thought about ducking under the top board. I do have one strand of white tape between the boards.

Not suggesting this would suit you, just hoping to explain horse psychology as I understand it. If it looks solid and impenetrable, they don't seem to even try to go through. My pen must have been up for ten years now and it is used regularly. but never had any serious attempts to go through. Also, horses think in straight lines and they will run around a circle (looking for a gate?) but possibly run through a corner, if you follow me. Just a thought.

Up here anything sheeted is going to catch the wind and that has to be taken into account.