Attractive Electric Horse Fence

What is ElectroBraid^TM? 

ElectroBraid^TM is a permanent electric fence designed especially for horses. It is both a physical barrier and a psychological deterrent. It is highly visible to horses, strong, durable and resilient. Most important, it is so safe that the Company can offer a limited Safety Warranty against horses getting injured.

What does it look like?

ElectroBraid^TM looks like high quality braided yachting rope. A double helix of copper wire conductors is braided into the outer jacket of the rope. 3 or 4 strands of Braid^TM of ¼ inch diameter are mounted on electrical insulators on fence posts. Fence posts can be wood, vinyl, steel or fiberglass, spaced 30 to 50 feet apart. The Braid^TM comes in white, black or speckled. (see PICTURES).

Why is it new and different?

Traditional electric cattle fencing uses small diameter steel wires which are hard for horses to see. The ropes of ElectroBraid^TM are highly visible. Their break strength is equal to the steel wire but they are resilient like the ropes in a boxing ring. ElectroBraid^TM can absorb the energy of a panicked horse at full gallop and will typically bounce the horse back into its pasture with no harm to horse or fence.

How durable is ElectroBraid^TM Fence?

The high-grade polyester fiber is the same fiber used in automotive seat belts and parachute harnesses. Polyester resists attack by ultra-violet light, salt, manure and most farm chemicals. The copper develops an oxidized outer layer or ‘patina’ that protects the copper wire from corrosion. The Braid^TM carries a 25 year warranty. A quality energizer can last up to 10 years.

How does it work?

ElectroBraid Fence is both a physical barrier and a psychological deterrent. Once a horse receives a painful shock the horse will not go near the fence again. It won’t rub against the fence. It won’t crib on it. And it won’t try to jump over it or go through it or go under. It doesn’t want to get shocked again.

Is the electric shock harmless?

The electric shock from a UL or CSA approved fence energizer is completely harmless. The shock is extremely low amperage for 3/10,000 of a second, once a second. The shock is similar to the static shock you get from touching your TV screen, but more painful. Once shocked, neither you, nor your horse, want to touch the fence again.

How can an electric shock be painful to a stallion but not harmful to a baby horse?

The brief electric shock causes a painful muscle contraction but there is not enough current to harm your physiology, heart or nervous system. The safety of a two year old child is the standard used by national testing laboratories such as UL and CSA. UL reports that there has never been a serious injury from a UL approved electric fence energizer since UL started safety testing in 1940.

What makes ElectroBraid a safe horse fence?

There are no impact injuries. There are no sharp points or hard edges. There are no boards to break or splinter. There are no wires to cut or puncture. Horses crib on board fences and rub against it. Even minor cuts can become seriously infected. The worst potential injury with ElectroBraid^TM is if a horse is able to wrap a strand of Braid^TM completely around a rear leg and struggles. The prospect of such an accident can be virtually eliminated by wiring and grounding the fence correctly, by keeping the Braid^TM taut and by using an ElectroBraid Fence Minder^TM.

Why is it so secure?

ElectroBraid^TM has the same break strength as high tensile wire and, because it is so resilient, a horse can’t break it. By contrast with conventional fencing that is not electric, ElectroBraid^TM shocks a horse. The horse doesn’t understand the shock – - it just wants to stay well clear in future. A horse has never voluntarily jumped ElectroBraid^TM Fence, to our knowledge.

How do horses feel about ElectroBraid?

“Horses love ElectroBraid^TM!” our customers tell us. Horses are herd animals, born to roam free in wide open spaces. With ElectroBraid^TM fence, all the horses can see each other and stallions can see their mares. There are no places for predators to hide. Horses don’t pace up and down their fence line. Owners say horses are more relaxed. They can see you and you can see them!

What about predators?

ElectroBraid^TM effectively excludes predators. Dogs and coyotes respect ElectroBraid^TM, as do bears and cougars!

Why is the installed cost low?

ElectroBraid^TM can be self-installed with hand-tools, by almost anyone….like stringing clothes line. A professional fence installer is not required. The Braid^TM costs 16 to 18 cents a foot. Fence posts can be set 30 to 50 feet apart depending on terrain and local snow conditions. By contrast, conventional horse fences require a post every 8 or 10 feet. To relocate your ElectroBraid^TM fence, you don’t need a contractor.

Why is maintenance cost low?

If you properly install your corner and end posts, they won’t move. Brass and copper components won’t corrode. Occasionally an insulator might break and need replacement. Little else will need repair. For some reason, lightning rarely touches ElectroBraid^TM – - if it does, a few hundred feet of ElectroBraid^TM may need replacement, and perhaps an energizer. If a tree falls on the fence, cut it off and the Braid^TM will spring right back. Horses don’t crib on ElectroBraid^TM or rub against it. The fence is seldom if ever damaged by storms, including ice storms and tornadoes. Repairs are quick and easily done by hand.

What maintenance is required?

Walk the fence line to confirm your fence has not been damaged. Check the voltage regularly. An ElectroBraid Fence Minder^TM will monitor your fence voltage 24/7 and warn you if the voltage drops. Once or twice a year, mow weeds from under your fence. In the spring, make sure no fence posts have been heaved by frost.

How can ElectroBraid^TM protect an existing fence?

Mount ElectroBraid^TM as a single strand on top of almost any fence. The psychological deterrence to horses is dramatic. One stallion that regularly jumped his pipe and cable fence, to impregnate a neighbor’s mares, never jumped the fence again after a single strand of ElectroBraid was added. (Don’t use cheap high tensile wire or polywire – - they are both unsafe to horses).

How does ElectroBraid^TM Fence compare to other electric fence systems?

• Stranded electric rope “unravels” under tension and needs constant tightening. By contrast, ElectroBraid^TM is dimensionally stable because of its braided-over-inner-core construction. The Braid^TM shrinks back to its original length, even after stretching.
• Woven electrical horse tape contains parallel electrical conductors. These wires take much of the strain and tension. The wires tend to break under windy conditions. By contrast the copper wire conductors in ElectroBraid^TM are formed in helical coils like springs. This allows bend and stretch.  All tension is taken by the fiber strands. The copper wires won’t break up to 1,000 pounds tension and cannot break under normal loads.
• Electric polywire is lightweight and small diameter. It breaks easily and can cut horse flesh like a knife.
• Conventional high tensile wire (HTW) electric fence is good for cattle but not for horses. Unlike cattle, horses are excitable, high-strung animals. Horses often don’t see the steel fence wires. The wires can break under impact and wrap and cut and puncture flesh.
• Certain electric fence rail systems are especially made for horses. These are worth considering but tend to be expensive to install and may not be as safe as ElectroBraid^TM.

Why does ElectroBraid specify accessories of copper, brass and glass-filled nylon?Quality…. Quality…. Quality…. It costs a little more but saves a fortune in performance and durability.

Brass is an alloy of copper. Glass filled nylon is the strongest available commercial plastic material for insulator construction.

Copper and brass are compatible metals. Brass is an alloy of copper. They don’t suffer the natural electrolytic corrosion that occurs when dissimilar metals come in contact with each other. Copper does not rust. It develops an oxidized protective coating called a “patina”. Next to gold and silver, copper is the best natural conductor of electricity. Copper is 70 times more conductive than steel. Telephone and power companies use only copper wiring.

Tensionable, Strong Electric Fence

Is this a permanent or temporary fence?
ElectroBraid™ is versatile. ElectroBraid™ can stand alone as a permanent perimeter fence or it can be used as a portable, temporary fence; added to protect a board or wire mesh fence; or combined with vinyl or pipe.

Will an electric fence harm my animals or children?
No. The safety of a two-year-old child is the criterion applied by national testing laboratories, such as UL and CSA, to certify the safety of an electric fence energizer. The electric pulse put out by an energizer is so short (about 3/10,000 of a second) it hurts but it cannot injure. Once shocked, neither you nor any animal wants to touch the electric fence again.

Can I use any energizer with ElectroBraid™?
No. Please ensure your energizer is low impedance and certified safe by UL or CSA. It is vital the energizer you choose be powerful enough to meet your needs. In the competitive market of energizers, manufactures considerably overstate the length of fence each energizer is capable of electrifying. A simple rule of thumb is to match your length of fence to 1/10th the energizer’s rating.

WARNING: NEVER use an Energizer labeled “WEED BURNER” or “WEED CHOPPER”; they are unsafe and will damage ElectroBraid™”.

NOTE: ElectroBraid™ uses pure copper, which is the third best electrical conductor next to silver and gold. Copper is 70 times more conductive than stainless steel.

Can I really space posts up to 50 feet apart?
Yes! Spacing does depend on your weather and terrain. The standard spacing we recommend is 50 feet. This means less posts, less work, less cost and less maintenance! If you have rolling terrain or high snow fall you may want to reduce spacing to 25-30 feet.

What type of posts do I require?
You can use any type of fence post that you want, as long as the Braid™ is insulated. Most customers choose wooden posts – 6″ diameter for ends and corners, and 3-4″ for line posts. Fiberglass posts do not require insulators. T-posts can also be used.

Copper is such a soft metal, will it break?
No. A copper wire on its own will break, but ElectroBraid™ is engineered to braid copper wires into a cushion of polyester fiber. The copper is braided into the outer jacket in two opposing directions that cross three times per inch. The copper wires form two helical coils like springs. This construction allows bend and stretch, without putting strain on the copper itself. In fact, under extreme tension, ElectroBraid™ itself will break before the copper wires. Copper is 70 times more conductive than stainless steel.

Does copper rust?
No. Pure copper oxidizes but only on the surface in the form of a dark green patina. Like paint, this thin coating of oxidization prevents any further oxidization. Surface oxidation does not weaken the copper nor does it reduce electrical conductivity. Pure copper, as used in ElectroBraid™, has been known to last hundreds of years, such as copper roofs on buildings. Copper is, of course, the metal used in household electrical wiring.

Will the sun affect the polyester jacket?
No. The high-grade polyester we use is virtually unaffected by sunlight. That is why it is used for seat belts, cargo straps, parachute harness and other safety applications. Over time, the Braid™will yellow slightly but this will not reduce its strength. An independent laboratory subjected ElectroBraid™ to a standard ASTM test for extreme ultra violet (UV) radiation and there was no product deterioration.

How long can I expect the ElectroBraid™ Fence to last?
Based on independent laboratory tests, we confidently provide a 25-year Performance Warranty that ElectroBraid™ will not rust, rot, lose strength due to sunlight or weathering, or break in a normal permanent fence installation.

Do I have to stop weeds from growing up around ElectroBraid™?
Yes. ElectroBraid™ is not significantly affected by grass growing up around it. The copper conductor is only a small percentage of the ElectroBraid™surface area. Therefore, you don’t have to spend a lot of time mowing under the ElectroBraid™ fence. However, heavy, wet tuffs of grass, bushes or branches pressing against ElectroBraid™ can drain power and cause a loss of voltage. At least once a year, weeds, bushes and tree branches should be cleared from the immediate fence area.

Note: Routine voltage testing of the fence is a good indicator as to when to mow.

Once I place my order, how long until my fence arrives?
We ship by UPS which delivers anywhere in the continental United States and Canada in 10 business days or less. We guarantee it!

At $199 for 1200 feet, the braid itself seems initially expensive, however the 1:4 ratio of line posts, and the dramatically reduced labor time makes this fencing system very affordable.

Maintenance of this fencing system is nearly non-existent and it carries a 25-year warranty against rust, rot, UV, weathering or breakage in normal use.

Configuration for a Goat Electric Fence

Step-In Post

It’s largely about getting posts in the ground that fit your needs, and for temporary situations, you don’t have to string it so tight necessitating the usually desirable rigid corner posts.  The inexpensive ($1.95 each) and easy to install “step-in posts” make the line posts go up in a jiffy.  This is all useful for rotational grazing, or for creating temporary partitions while you mow or work in another area of the pasture.   You can also create corridors, or chutes for easy loading of livestock.

Electrobraid offers a good alternative to the commonly used invisible fence, but offers the added security of keeping other animals out.  Dogs can’t ignore the warning tone of invisible fences and escape, and your pet won’t be wearing a bulky, unattractive shock collar, that interferes with your loving and  handling.

Electrobraid is a perfect electric fencing system for many other livestock animals. When it comes to a sheep electric fence, a 5 line installation is recommended. The spacing and electric polarity of the Electrobraid strands for sheep should follow the configuration below (starting at the bottom of the fence):

1. The bottom ElectroBraid line starts 6″ above the ground. This line should be electrically grounded via a ground rod.
2. The second line should be spaced 7″ above the first line. This line should be electrically positive (+).
3. The third line should be spaced 8″ above the second line. This line should be electrically positive (+).
4. The fourth ElectroBraid line should be spaced 9″ above the third line. This line should be connected to the first line (via split bolt connector and copper hook-up wire) so that it is electrically grounded through the ground rod.
5. The top ElectroBraid line should be spaced 10″ above the fourth line. This line should be electrically positive (+).

Note: both the bottom strand and 2nd strand from top should be grounded every 1300-2600 feet to ensure a safe, effective enclosure.

Configuration for a Sheep Electric Fence

Permanent Electric Fence For Sheep

Configuring your ElectroBraid fence as shown above is an excellent way to keep your sheep contained and keep predators out. ElectroBraid is an easily installed, permanent electric fencing system designed to provide a safe and secure fence for your sheep and other livestock. It is strong, durable, reliable, and at a fraction of the cost of other electric fencing systems.

Temporary Electric Fence for Sheep

Many sheep owners need a system for pasture management involving controlled grazing. ElectroBraid is the perfect temporary electric fence solution for this application. A temporary sheep fence can be installed very quickly at a very reasonable price.

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For more information regarding an electric fence for sheep or to order supplies,  please contact us by email or phone:

Email: info@curticatelectricfence.com
Phone: 913-706-6659

Be sure to ask for our free sample pack which includes a video, brochure, and sample of Electrobraid strands.

Also, check out our electric fence configuration and price estimator tools here.

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