Backstory: I bought 80 acres on which I'm going to build a home. It's been neglected for at least 15 years. Half of the perimeter fencing needs to be replaced or repaired.

Currently, there's 3 and 4 strand barbed wire fencing with T-posts and in some parts old wooden posts. Sections are missing so I'm about to repair/install once I figure what I'm installing.

I know it all depends upon what my use is going to be. We are planning on 5-10 head of cattle, 3-4 horses, and after that I don't know yet. I didn't grow up in the country so I'm still learning. It also depends upon what my kids want to do.

I can't afford 80 acres of pipe and cable fencing on the perimeter. I plan on pipe and cable for an arena and pasture for the horse but what would you do for the perimeter? I am looking for the most versatile fencing. I've heard field fencing is a good option.

TLDR: what's your favorite type of perimeter fencing that is cheaper than pipe and cable but versatile? Also, your opinion of post spacing?

High game fence that mother!

If you end up going the t post route and you're doing the work, get a gas powered t post driver. Up to you on brand. I've seen them anywhere between $300-$1500. They make putting in t post quick and easy.

Didn't mean to choose that emoji.

4 strand barb, minimum. 5 strand barb would be better.

Get your corners and intermediate braces right so you can stretch the wire properly. T-posts or smaller posts for your line posts, up to you.

With cows, have to have barbed wire or they will eventually push he fence over. If you are just running horses, you can use smooth wire.

I would suggest demoing all of the old and going in with new everywhere instead of trying to reuse existing parts and pieces. You will have a better end product and be happier in the long run.

Front bucket on a tractor does a great job as well.

I don't have horses, but I've heard some people won't get near barbed wire if they do.

Put up a 949-6 or 949-12 fixed knot fence. Decide if you want one or 2 strands of barbed wire on top of it.

Stay tuff has suggestions on their website on post spacing, etc.

The problem here is having horses and cattle. The same fence is not really suitable for either. I use 6 strand barbless 12g for pens due to cost. Calves will walk through 6 strands of wire if they are on the wilder side. If that were barbed, it wouldn't be a big deal but isn't ideal for horses.

For what you are doing, with both, I would suggest a perimeter fence of no climb knotted or woven wire, somethig like Milkman suggested. That will be safe enough for horses if the holes arent big enough to get their hooves in. It will contain your cattle as well. For interior pens and arenas, I have used vinyl horse fence. It's high tensile but has a thick vinyl coating, and can be electrified. It is tightened with a ratchet tensioner. Has HIGH visibility. It will absolutely hold a truck in, and can easily be tightened back up. It's highly durable and long lasting if you build it according to the instructions.

PolyPlus Coated Horse Fencing Centaur Fencing

Do as many strands as you like. I did 6 I think. Again, most of my current fence that I've done is just barbless cable from tractor supply. Its fine but it does not stretch and return like the stuff in the link. I use Gripple tensioners on my barbed and barbless.

Keep in mind that a horse can kill itself inside of a rubber room. Ours have gotten injuries that I cannot logically deduce the cause of. The fact that they have not died out as a species is a testament to God's glory in and of itself. I love them to death but damn.

4 strand barbed wire with T-post and cedar post for cows. Having cows and horses is not a good idea. Two different types of fences.

If you are up in the Ft Worth area then I'd be happy to come.look at the fence and make some suggestions based off of 50 years of cattle and horse fence building experience

You could do an electric fence on the perimeter.

schmellba99 said:

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Front bucket on a tractor does a great job as well.

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If you have a tractor with a front bucket. I guess with 80 acres it isn't a stretch that the OP may have this.

schmellba99 said:

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4 strand barb, minimum. 5 strand barb would be better.

Get your corners and intermediate braces right so you can stretch the wire properly. T-posts or smaller posts for your line posts, up to you.

With cows, have to have barbed wire or they will eventually push he fence over. If you are just running horses, you can use smooth wire.

I would suggest demoing all of the old and going in with new everywhere instead of trying to reuse existing parts and pieces. You will have a better end product and be happier in the long run.

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Agree with all the above!

For your horses you can use what I call barbless wire. It looks just like barb wire without the barb. We use it for all our field horse pastures. Do it in five strand. Line post of at least 2 3/8 or larger every 100 ft. Then t post between your line post every 20 ft. I do a tie or pull pair of pipes with H brace and diagonal brace every 900 ft. Our cattle pastures are built the same but with barb wire.
Never put horses in a barb wire pasture.
If you use net wire for your horse pastures... use " no climb" net design.
Depending on your location in Texas will determine if you can use a hydraulic post driver or bucket to drive t post.
If your in the hill country you can forget driving them for the most part and will need to use a rock bit.

Stay Tuff net wire fence. 949-12 is for cattle and we put a strand of barbed wire on top to keep animals from reaching over. And a strand of barbed wire on bottom to help keep out predators and hogs. Line posts are 5 inch treated wood every 20 feet. The company says every 25 feet is acceptable. Corner posts are 6 or 8 inch treated wood.

About 10 years ago we started replacing old barbed wire fences with this net wire after going to the stay tuff fence building school in Seguin one day. No way I would ever build barbed wire fence again. No animals have gotten out and the several times a tree has fallen on the fence it's easy to stand back up. Wild hogs are no longer a problem in the fenced pastures.

A neighbor with horses used the stay tuff horse net wire but it's got more wire and is more expensive. Horses do just fine in our pasture with the cattle net wire.

If the grass on the other side of the fence is greener, a cow can get her head through 949-12. and those "fixed" knots will move. I wish I had used 6" spacing instead

We used some of the 949-6 where hogs were the worst. But it's quite a bit more expensive and only comes in 330ft rolls compared to the 660 ft 949-12. I haven't seen cattle stick their head thru the 12 inch spacing yet but do have one place where the knots moved from people climbing the fence to check a water trough.

I'm sure horses can be so stupid, as to hurt themselves in/around barb wire fencing, but I'm also sure a few million horses have successfully lived within a barbed wire boundary, Maybe a stallion is the most likely candidate, for self-inflected injuries.
My 24+ y/o saddle mule has been confined within barbed wire pastures her entire life, but being only half-horse, maybe that explains the lack of injury?

Re the fencing materials/type, I would not use any of the current treated posts (unless you found some creosote posts), steel pipe or cedar posts would be where my $$ goes.

Anyone around here where i live does 6 or 7 strands of barbed wire with t posts and a pipe put in every 8 posts or so. I'm just looking out there and the posts/pipe are about 8ft apart. Of course you have your h braces on the ends and maybe a kicker. I mean that's basically traditionally what everyone does here and it's a good high quality fence that you don't have to worry about. Some people run electric along side of it for good measure. As much as anything, be sure you don't overrun your place. Check at your FSA office about carrying capacity so you don't overdo it. You're gonna have a lot of people around you that's swear they can run this many cows or that many cows, but they're failing to mention how much hay they buy in the winter time and how terribly short their grass is year round. Also horses do just fine with barbed wire.

Here you go. Everything you need to know to build a quality fence. All perimeter fences should be at least 5 barb wire, and screw the horses, they'll learn.

https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/api/CPSFile/29884/382_TX_PS_Fence_2021

This. Kids all thought they wanted horses. After the honeymoon was over, and they found out they had to feed the hayburners regularly, they got turned out in the pasture with the cattle at our place. I got tired of them eating all my cattle hay, and chasing them, so after finding out they didn't care, sold them to some charity place for a pittance. Worth it to be rid of them, and in ten years, they never got caught in or cut up in our barbed wire fences.

Horses like to roll around on their back. They don't always check to see if they're near a fence. This can make barbed wire dangerous. I would stay away from barbed wire and t posts if you'll have horses on both sides of the fence. They like to hang out next to each and will occasionally bite or kick across the fence. The t-posts and barbed wire can be a disaster in this situation. Horse insurance companies sometimes ask if the horse is fenced in barbed wire. I've always said no, I don't know what happens if you say yes. If you're fencing a free horse that is just a "hay burner" then you may not care what kind of fence you have. If your fencing in a $45,000 horse or one that is like a family member, then you choose a better fence.

I kind of imagine if it's a 45,000 dollar horse, it doesn't get too far from a stall or corral. But you're right in my case, other than having to take time off to bury them, I could have cared less if lightning took them all out. Got out once, went down to the neighbors. Wife took me down, put a lead on them to walk them the half mile back. Mare kept crowding me, ended up stepping on my foot. Been a problem ever since.

Plowe.... if you decide to use barb wire around your horses keep reference of all the folks that tell you it's ok. That way you can get them to help pay the vet bills. Net wire that Is big enough that a horse can kick his hoof through is just as bad.
Horses can hurt themselves plenty all by themselves...., much less helping them do it with bad fencing.

Gunny456 said:

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Plowe.... if you decide to use barb wire around your horses keep reference of all the folks that tell you it's ok. That way you can get them to help pay the vet bills. Net wire that Is big enough that a horse can kick his hoof through is just as bad.
Horses can hurt themselves plenty all by themselves...., much less helping them do it with bad fencing.

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Sounds like the broom tailed nags just need to go. In all the years we had horses, none of this was ever an issue…….not saying it can't happen.