Electric Fence Posts: Stable Support for Your Fence in Every Field

Electric Fence Posts: The Framework of Your Electric Fence

Electric fence posts carry the polywire, polyrope or polytape and keep it at the right height. Whether you are fencing a horse paddock for good or giving sheep and cattle a new strip of grass every week, your choice of fence posts decides how firmly the fence stands and how much work it creates. Light step-in posts suit temporary fences, while sturdy wooden or recycled posts suit permanent ones.

Which Post Suits Your Fence?

Plastic posts are light, do not conduct electricity and come with moulded loops for the conductor. With them you can set up a temporary paddock in no time. Fibreglass posts are slim and flexible, so they bend in the wind and spring back upright. Metal posts such as spring steel posts and T-posts hold even in hard ground. Wooden posts and recycled posts form the backbone of permanent fences, especially at corners and gates where the tensioned conductor pulls hardest. On wood and metal, always fix the conductor with insulators so that no current leaks into the ground.

Spacing, Depth and Tools

As a rule of thumb, posts on level ground stand about 5 to 8 metres apart. On slopes, around bends and for horses, place them closer together. Corner, end and gate posts should be much sturdier than the line posts and sit deeper in the ground. A post rammer drives T-posts in straight with little effort, and a plastic mallet protects the post tops. Before you work on the fence, always switch off the energizer.

Frequently asked questions

How many posts do I need for 100 metres of electric fence?
With a spacing of 6 to 8 metres you will need roughly 13 to 17 posts. Add sturdy corner and gate posts on top. For bends, slopes and horse paddocks, plan in a few extra posts.

Which fence posts are best for horses?
For the permanent boundary, sturdy and highly visible posts made of wood or recycled plastic are popular. For strip grazing inside the paddock, tall plastic or fibreglass posts are enough. What matters is that no sharp parts stick out.

How deep does an electric fence post need to go?
Step-in posts usually sit 15 to 25 cm deep with their tread or spike. As a rule of thumb, permanent wooden and corner posts go about a third of their length into the ground so they can withstand the pull of the conductor.