Telephone poles for fencing???

[Mutrok]

The guy who owns the barn where I board has decided to use telephone poles for fencing. Arena, round pen, pens. Here is my concern...telephone poles are treated with chemicals that are toxic. If any of the horses chew on the poles is there a possibility they will get sick? I understand using them for the round pen and the arena because the horses are not in there for turn out and so there would not be the opportunity to chew on them, but for the pens???? What do you think?

[Jenje!]

Huh... it's definitely a legitimate concern. I'm not sure exactly what chemicals the poles are treated with. Have you brought it up to the BO?

If nothing else, you could load some Raplast into a pressure sprayer and go to work...

[Mutrok]

That's true. I've talked with him about it and he doesn't think it is a big deal but I am just not comfortable with it.

[Jenje!]

Well, you could always try the Raplast thing, but I'm not sure that that stuff doesn't wash off in the rain. Hm...

I wouldn't be comfortable with it either. I'd talk to him again, and if he blows you off again... are there any other barns in your area that it would be feasible to move to? That might seem a little drastic, but your horse's health is important, and it wouldn't really be the same thing as barn-hopping over nitpicky little things.

[MyBabyTex]

I've never ever heard of that, sorry!

[Xiphias]

pressure treated wood it toxic too, but you see that all the time used for fencing and barns...I have not seen a horse die from that yet....you could always ask for an electric wire along the top to keep the horses off of it...Cathy

[mustang_dodger]

you can get telephone poles that haven't been treated. we used a few for posts and they were great.

[Mutrok]

An electric wire across the top is a great idea...thanks Cathy.

[ridingtwhlady]

I use them for posts (cut down of course) and I have electric tape around the top. I've never seen evidence that the horses have chewed the posts, lots of people around here have them without hot tape or wire and the horses are fine. Horses don't usually like the taste or smell of crisso (sp)

[Mutrok]

Thanks =) I guess I just shouldn't worry about it too much.