The design at the bottom of the chain link needs special attention. I have seen one horse that had half its foot ripped off because it got under a chain link fence.
The bottom of the fence needs to be off the ground - I think about the same height as the bottom of a rail fence. I think I would advise against using a bottom pipe rail. If she does use a bottom rail, the chain fabric needs to be *very* securely fastened so that a horse kicking or rolling into it can't break the ties at the bottom and get the foot trapped between the chain fabric and the rail -- again, a way to destroy a foot.
One place I boarded had chain link between the corrals. They used 2 x 6 boards top and bottom (2 boards on top, 2 boards on bottom), with the chain fabric sandwiched in between, and the boards set to cover about 5 - 6 inches of the fabric, and the fabric stapled to the boards. This helped ensure that the fabric wouldn't pull out. The bottom board was set something like 12 - 14" above the ground.
I don't know how you would adapt that design to pipe, and if you don't use a bottom rail, the chain will probably be warped and loose very soon.
Hope that helps.
On Oct 21, 2009, at 6:29 PM, Teresa Williams wrote:
My sister lives in TX, north of the DFW metroplex. Lots of horse people in TX use welded oil-well pipe pieces for fencing. Some folks weld 3 rail or 4 rail fences, while others weld posts with a top rail and add wire fencing below the top rail that is stretched between the upright pipe posts.
Here's the question: Anyone see a safety concern (or other concern) if she used chain link fencing rather than horse wire or field fence? She has found a source of lots and lots of used chain link that would be ideal to fence a significant portion of her new pasture area. Provided the pipe framework is solidly welded and the chain link is in good repair, anyone see a reason not to take advantage of the availability of chain link fencing?
