One of the worst nightmares of any horse owner is finding their beloved horse caught in a fence. Sometimes horses will get spooked and as they are running away they can get trapped in the fencing surround their pasture. When a horse gets tangled in the fence, it becomes even more panicked and confused and its struggling can cause it to get scratched and cut even more.
What to Do
First of all, the most important thing to remember is that you should not run in and try to save the horse when you are in a panicked state yourself. Your stress will cause the horse to become scared and it will struggle even more.
You can call a vet and ask them to come over and help you, as you might need their help if your horse has injuries. The first thing you will need to do is calm the horse down, so try using some hay and see if the horse will relax and eat it.
Some horses have a horse “buddy” whose presence calms them down. If you think this might help your horse, bring their friend over to stand close to them.
Get a set of good wire cutters or bolt cutters to cut the wires of the fence away from your horse. Remove the wire as carefully as possible so that you do not cut or poke the horse even more. All the while, you can be speaking calmly to the horse to keep them from panicking. Once they are released, treat any injures that they might have right away to avoid infection.
Replace the Fence
Having the wrong type of fence can make getting caught in the fence very painful to your horse. Barb wire is sometimes known as “horse-eating fencing” because it will cause deep cuts and gashes to your horse if they get caught.
As soon as possible, replace all of the fencing on your property with a fence which is specially designed for the equine market. There are many different types of fences which will be safe for horses and prevent them from getting stuck.
Also, make sure that you check on your fence regularly to make sure that there are no holes in the fence, loose wires or old rusty portions.
Now you know what to do if your horse is trapped in a fence and how to avoid it in the future.
Do you know how to save a horse trapped in a fence? Read these tips and then visit www.threeshires.com to replace your fencing with horse-friendly products.