This message is from: Julia Will <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
We use a digital volt meter designed by Gallager Fencing to test the charge
on our electric fences, and our charger is "heavy duty". A heavy duty
charger cost more, but it does stop the "abuse" of electric fences.
However, with any fence, it is important to meter the charge often to be
sure the fence isn't grounded somewhere. The type of fence tester that
just has a blinking light to let you know if there is a charge on the fence
isn't accurate enough. There is a big difference between a charge of 3.5
and 7.5, as far as stopping a horse, but even the 3.5 will show as "live"
on a simple tester. Also, I think it is important that the fence be very
visable. The few times we have had a horse go through the fence it was
because they didn't see it, and by the time they hit it they were moving
too fast to stop. The company that installed a lot of our fences calls a
one strand electric fence the "honor" system, two strands "hopeful" and
three or more strands "a fence". They won't install less than three
strands. Julie @ Old Hickory Farm.
