Best way to repair torn woven wire fence??

[dianneS]

My neighbor called today to inform me that a tree had come down on our fence bordering her property and my mini horse was inches from escaping through the hole in the fence!

Apparently this happened several weeks ago and the neighbor is just now telling me that we have a hole in the fence! Plus she waits until one of the horses ventures across the stream and is near escaping! And she calls us when no one is home! How did I end up with such a brilliant neighbor??

Anyway, the woven wire field fence tore loose where it was attached at the wooden fence posts (we have T-posts between the wooden posts) where the tension is the greatest.

What's the best remedy for this situation? I really don't want to have to install a whole new section, that would be a waste of a lot of still good fencing. Do you think we could stretch the fence enough to reattach it to the post? It was pretty tight to begin with but its had some time to loosen up, so maybe it will stretch enough?

Just thought someone might have some ideas for me. (I guess I'll have to take a weekly walk along all my fence lines from now on if I can't trust my neighbor to inform me when a fence is down!)

 

[elevan]

If you have enough slack to stretch it back it will work. We've done that before. If not we've "patched" with a piece of extra woven wire and weaved it to the collapsed piece using electric fence wire (or something of the same gauge) and then pulled it tight to the post.
eta: weaved one piece of woven wire to another with the electric wire as a thread (hope that makes sense)

Sorry you've got knuckle headed neighbors

 

[goodhors]

You might string some smooth wire between the good posts, hang the woven from that solid wire until you can get some new posts in. Any chance of pulling wire fabric to restaple onto the old wood posts? Probably too frozen now to put in more T-posts without hurting yourself.

Reweaving with electric wire to close hole, could work for those broken wires tree fell on. Good suggestion from above.

I absolutely would suggest walking your fence line at least once a week to find downed trees or breaks from deer. You could have some of the ignorant/uncaring folk who go for walks, that cut their way in or out of YOUR fields! We had some folks cut our wire, NO REASON, right beside the road!! We made a Police report in case it happened again, someone hit a horse. A friend going by spotted the cut wire and called us about it. People are very weird, horses draw them! I walk my fences regular now, too many ways for wire to not be working!!

Nice neighbors are a BONUS, few and uncommon. Knowledgeable livestock neighbors are even less common! So you just don't depend on them to prevent problems. Yeah, it is extra work for you, but better than a Vet visit or a call from the Sheriff about loose animals.

 

[dianneS]

I was actually able to pull the hole shut with rope for now, so I'm thinking we'll have enough slack to stretch it shut.

I also suggested to my husband that we might just put a second wooden post in right next to this one. We might do that when the weather warms up. Walking fence lines is going to become a regular chore, and I don't care if the neighbor thinks its an invasion of her privacy! If she can't call us when a fence is down, she leaves me no other choice!

 

[freemotion]

An invasion of HER privacy???? You walking on YOUR land is an invasion of her privacy??? Yikes. I am so happy to have the neighbors I have!!

 

[patandchickens]

Yeah, you really REALLY need to walk (or view with binoculars, where possible) your fence lines every week or so plus after any real high winds. Seriously. You got lucky this time.

You can patch in another section of wire, preferably at least 5' beyond either end of the break although really the BEST thing is to start and end your patches at preexisting wooden posts.

As a temporary measure though there is a lot to be said for plastic safety fencing (the 4'-tall diamond mesh stuff that is bright orange and they use it at construction sites? it also comes in brown and green btw, it is about $40-50 for a 50' roll). I would suggest that most people should ALWAYS keep a roll of it around as an emergency fix. It is extremely useful stuff. If you can put a hotwire or two in front of it that's better, but just the plastic mesh will in and of itself be a reasonable fence for a few days in most situations til you can fix things properly.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Beekissed]

Cattle panel...instant, strong, easy to attach, relatively cheap, lasts forever!