How To Make A Simple and Effective Arena / Paddock Fence (it's cheap too!)

How do you make fencing for your horse paddock without spending lots of money? Well you could try this way..
Ok, here are some important website links. Please check them out..
here's our online store where you can see some of the craft things we make and sell..
www.wayoutweste...
If you would like to help and encourage us then please do! It's easy and means such a lot..
One-off donation - www.paypal.me/...
and here's our Patreon page where you can see more of our plans and dreams. (Remember even 5 dollars would make a BIG difference to us and we'd be very grateful.)
www.patreon.co...
Here's Tim's amazing guitar machine..
www.chordelia.com
and finally our FaceBook page / way.outwest.524 (Not quite sure what to do with this but we put photos and extra comments when we get around to it..)
Thank you!
Sandra & Tim
[e-mail]
Copyright WayOutWest. All rights reserved. Please share if you like, but don’t copy or use without permission. Just get in touch via email blowinblog @ gmail.com
Don’t steal our stuff!

[@fattyhamster]

This was inspiring and resourceful as usual. Thank you for sharing your discoveries and challenges :) I will go and increase my monthly Patreon contribution as much as I can for your soulful and resonant videos and content. I hope others are able to do likewise. Way Out West Blow-in blog is the bright spot in my day as your sincerity, openness and relational qualities are wonderfully inspiring. Your focus, time and energy for your work, your farm, your friends, and for this channel are much appreciated. I know I speak for others. Many blessings.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Gracey - you're the best! Thank you. T & S

[@rogergoulder3821]

Very palatable. ( I'll see myself out .......)

[@WayOutWestx2]

Ha!

[@Nighthawkinlight]

What a great idea! An idea to help stop them from rotting on the bottom and to stop plants growing up through them is to line under the fence with old shingles or broken slate roofing tiles or whatever is common in your area. Should be easy enough to find someone redoing their roof that will let you take them for free.

[@WayOutWestx2]

You're right Ben. I'm sure they'll rot from the bottom up. Maybe short lengths of corrugated iron on the ground would work to keep them up a little. Always more things to think about, isn't there?!

[@grant0617]

I hope 2020 brings you both peace and prosperity.

[@michaelmcclafferty3346]

Well done. A clever and simple solution to fencing.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Michael : - )

[@arjenhillenius1917]

I love this. I always use pallets for anything I can think of. I get them for free. They are not all the same in my case, but that's oke. i just need to replace some things quite fast. Others last a lot longer.

[@RoseThistleArtworks]

Genius! It looks beautiful, too.

[@JeffRAllenCH]

Nice innovation. As you replace them from rot, perhaps you could experiment with roofing tar or sheet metal to separate the pallets from the ground. Good luck!

[@samabdi8361]

I love you guys! Thanks for sharing your happiness I pray the God bless you with more

[@brianwideman2342]

This is actually a really good and clever use of materials.

[@beccacarpenter2309]

I am looking into doing this. How many pallets did it take and how big it s the arena?

[@Dreamelenasc891]

Awesome work guys!! Pretty fence

[@SamsWoodCreations]

That was a great idea...works for me👍👍

[@samgould9930]

So pleased for you👍

[@gramursowanfaborden5820]

A few years ago now, we needed a new garden fence, so we went up the industrial estate with the van and went around all the local business, pleading us to take away as many pallets as we could carry. it is amazing how often they seem to line up with other things, the wonders of standardisation i suppose.

[@unclejack123]

once again Necessity proves She is the Mother of invention ................... ;-p

[@SamsWoodCreations]

WATCH OUT Sandra is trying to drive a nail!!!!!...😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@WayOutWestx2]

To be fair it was on a bouncy piece...

[@SamsWoodCreations]

@@WayOutWestx2 and she looked like she was having fun👍👍👍

[@kevintulak9987]

I don't know how I missed this when it first came out. That looks really good. Where I live I am able to get to get free pallets quite often. Unfortunately, they come in different sizes, so aren't quite as easy to work with. How would a living wattle fence work for horses? Your work is impeccable as always, thanks for sharing.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks Kevin - a wattle fence sounds great but our horses would just eat it : - (

[@lorricasnerbasara4864]

THANK YOU FROM North Carolina, USA- I LOVE THIS!! I MIGHT USE T-POSTS TO RUN DOWN THE PALLETS INSTEAD OF OUTER BRACES. GOTTA TRY THIS!!!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Ours is still going strong. Good luck with yours!

[@lorricasnerbasara4864]

@@WayOutWestx2 QUESTION- WHAT DO I DO TO PREVENT THE BOTTOM OF THE PALLETS FROM ROTTING?

[@rubygray7749]

Poor Sandra was having to work with a right-handed hammer.

[@davidh7613]

"Hammer time". 😁

[@tj21bem]

I immediately replied, “Can’t touch this!” Now I have LSS. (Last song syndrome) LOL

[@kirstenwhitworth8079]

It's a lovely fence. (But it seems to be missing cup holders.) Well done!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Terrible oversight. I'm really slipping!

[@gavinablett4807]

the top seems flat enough to rest a drink on a calm day. as you replace the pallets you could use treated timber.

[@dorian4534]

Clever, effective, ecological, and economical! A lot of businesses in my area put out pallets for people to pick up. I love seeing it.

[@Chr.U.Cas1622]

👍👌👏 Simply fantastic again! A simple and effective solution = ingeniously well done. Congrats! Thanks a lot for making taping editing uploading and sharing. Best regards luck health and wisdom. Postscriptum: Happy new year to all of you.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, and Happy New Year to you too!

[@phof4593]

Ok, this is just outrageously clever. I infrequently do stuff like this, but am going now to find my credit card to drop some money in patreon (or whatever it is called) to help support your work with children. Children are our future...and....cleverness is a good thing to pass to kids. Blessings to you.

[@WayOutWestx2]

That's Brilliant! Thank you, P : - )

[@redlily8101]

brilliant solution

[@tbrown2302]

What a great idea! We once built a three section compost bin out of pallets. It held up well.

[@kathywarrack1800]

How many pallets do you use?

[@sarahlongshore2605]

I think it is a beautiful fence!! It looks very professional to me. I love it. You guys did s great job!!!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Sarah!

[@sixmagpies]

Brilliant! And looks rather chic too.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Chic? Yep, that's the look we were aiming for : - )

[@Constitutionalapologist]

That's a gnarly mallet

[@thewunder-lusters9644]

Brilliant idea! :)

[@hankchinaski4651]

You may want to get a propane vapor torch and char the pallets. This creates a natural preservative to extend the life of the wood. It may be too much work depends on how easily you can get the pallets. Wood pallets are not free around here anymore.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Good idea - thanks - I'll try charring some as I replace them..

[@celticqaidbear]

Wow what great idea

[@Chlorate299]

Absolutely ingenious, looks great too.

[@terryboyd9875]

Superb idea...

[@ksanurse]

It looks super!

[@rubygray7749]

4 stars to that hero on the sledgehammer!!

[@_babyjesus]

Looks great! Does anybody know which type of pallets these are? I see various types available such as 'winged' and 'CP1' etc.

[@ozzieineire]

shou sugi ban the bits that contact the soil maybe ? not so easy after the fact but maybe on the replacements ?

[@WayOutWestx2]

There's something odd about the beginning of that sentence

[@lianelinner9594]

Absolutely Fabulous! Thank you so much for sharing with us ❤️ May your efforts be fruitful 🌠❤️

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks Liane : - )

[@crazycoyote1738]

Very nice, I’m about to adapt your idea, with my low budget.. Thank you!!

[@jjones9536]

Thats excellent system love it. I often wonder why we have to put a topping if sand etc. I have watched a lot of american training programs and they just have a soil surface that has been rough up a bit to allow grip and ofcourse you need to kill the grass of . Those ponies do like a snack break and not when you exoect it . I wonder why we dont do that. I also think saw dust would make a good track. If ridden on a lot it does lock to gether. I use it in my stable when my 12hh pony has laid on it for a while it really locks together like chip board. What don you think ??😊

[@ksully6551]

If you sprayed it with water repellant, like you treat chimneys with (also fairly inexpensive) it could help it all last longer, or at least the horizontal parts.

[@WayneCarolan]

Great job as always.

[@MrWindermere123]

When the pallets rot at the base they make lovely firewood but they leave a lot of nails and other fixings in the wood ash. I use a magnet to sift them out, I recycle them as scrap metal and spread the pure wood ash on my vegetable garden or on my compost heaps. It's a good feeling to make useful things out of industrial cast-offs (the pallets) which have no deposit on them and which you can often find in skips.

[@brendanfallon971]

Well done lads, would it be worth painting the pallets, just thinking aloud but may its not cost affective

[@WayOutWestx2]

It would take a lot of paint, which would all end up in the environment and I'm not sure it would make much difference anyway. We might just paint a couple to see.

[@brendanfallon971]

@@WayOutWestx2 fare enough when you think about the environment (as we all should these days) as you said repairing 10% per year isn't a lot in the long run, thanks for the reply

[@michbushi]

Another thing, just noticed - if you added some offcuts triangular braces between the long braces, and either the pillars, or pallets, that would go great lengths for adding rigidity. Probably overkill, although if you notice the pillars start leaning one way or another, that should stop it. Triangles are your friend 😉

[@WayOutWestx2]

A storm went through here yesterday and everything seems to be still in place (still too dark to see this morning yet though).

[@WayOutWestx2]

I agree about the triangular friends : - )

[@trockodile]

Awesome stuff, please update us how it weather's out the winds. 👍

[@WayOutWestx2]

It's blowing hard out there now, but it's still too dark to see what's happened..

[@janetsanford4059]

Looking good! Creativity works well without a lot of money. I think it will be just right for the kids and the animals. Carry on with your good work!😁🙂

[@jenkeep8123]

This is fabulous! Your guys are ingenious! 🤔👍👍👍😊

[@hearsthewater]

You are blessed that the lumber of the pallets are untreated. Over here in the U.S. they often treat pallet wood with arsenic. You have to be really really careful about the kind of pallets you use because it leaches off into the ground and can affect anything growing near them.

[@WayOutWestx2]

I'm expecting that all these will end up in the charcoal kiln one day - so you're right, we wouldn't want any preservatives on them

[@WayOutWestx2]

(for making biochar.)

[@summerwood619]

Nice arena, thank you for sharing

[@mohammedtroy4296]

tim i love you like a brother you are very smart

[@WayOutWestx2]

Aw!

[@youngBossneverbrokeagain]

Hi

[@tamitng]

Perfect! 🍀

[@brucevov1]

And it looks great 👍👍👍👍👍 love it .God bless y'all.

[@63256325N]

Brilliant! Thanks for the video.

[@louverousse9023]

A glorious idea ! Love it !

[@zerowolf4051]

If I tried this would it be possible good for barrel race practice?

[@raraavis7782]

Good thinking. Looks really good, too 👍

[@lorineidtinytoadplot744]

Love it ;) I had a visit with my brother this year & he lives in a ritzy area close to Shuswap Lake, in BC Canada. I was standing in the living room window over looking the hillside and noticed a pallet fence around a yard just down from my brothers house. I said to my brother; Is that a pallet fence ? My Brothers answer was; they're renters. I told my brother he should get to know this family whoever built that fence knows things. 😉 The fence was fantastic they took pallets all different sizes and had some going lateral and then some going horizontal It was quite artistically done. I wish I knew how to post a picture on here.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Lori. Yes I wonder whether there's scope for making arty garden fences with them. You can always email me a photo if you like?

[@springwoodcottage4248]

Interesting idea. The major problems I have with soft wood mostly occur at the ground, fence posts always rot at ground level, so perhaps with your rock the pallet wood might last longer, although they may wick up water from the shavings. One inexpensive thought that came to mind was could you put a length of drain pipe on the bottom of each pallet. That would keep them off the ground and potentially reduce rot. Dunno if it would work, the more traditional approach would be to use a fire to carbon over the wood near the floor, something our ancestors in the stone age did. I have also had good success using linseed oil as a preservative, low cost and of no danger to livestock even if they were to lick it. Also no problem if the pallets are eventually recycled as fire wood, even saturated pallets if kept out the rain dry remarkably quickly, especially if there is a bit of wind. Thanks for sharing!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, we hadn't thought of scorching them - it might be worth a try. Or something to keep them off the ground as you say. I'm not sure about the oil though - it would add a lot to the cost. I hope to experiment over the years..

[@DestinyonDemand]

Do you remember how many pallets it took to make this?

[@angelicafae1641]

How big is this area and how many pallets did it take?

[@blackwater4707]

Ingenious and looks good. Very nice.

[@robertbutler8004]

Cheap you could have said cheap and nasty.

[@GordonHenderson]

Brilliant solution. Well done! Are those bareback pads home-made out of sheepskin?

[@WayOutWestx2]

Yes they are

[@paulthompson5416]

Great idea and looks brilliant 👍🏼👍🏼

[@lorimcfarlane4254]

Good job yes I use them for a fence for my ducks.

[@arseniosifontes5878]

Interesante....saludos desde Venezuela

[@missryanswers]

I've seen a lot made with pallets. I've made some fun stuff at a friend' home. BUT WHERE do you find all these wood pallets? (MN)

[@WayOutWestx2]

We went to the factory that makes them

[@yeagerxp]

Awesome 👍👍👍Thanks for sharing

[@peterwooldridge7285]

Nice story.... Made my day

[@What..a..shambles]

Thanks for sharing 👌🏻👍🏻

[@eckosters]

So incredibly ingenious!

[@solarfunction1847]

Great job, hey if you have an air compressor & a spray gun then you could get some water based fence paint & spray the fence with fence paint to make it last a little longer.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, SF. It would take a lot of paint, though, which would all end up in the environment and I'm not sure it would make much difference anyway. We might just paint a couple to see..

[@darnbunny1]

Look who is left handed!

[@michmir12345]

great solution!!

[@michaelbruce7639]

Looks like a great work looks good

[@moreteavicarfromengland8299]

Brilliant guys

[@arielito5261]

Excelente idea ...

[@theempoweredhorse2648]

So clever! 😃

[@theas7217]

How big is your arena ?

[@lukeduwve6968]

How many pallets did you use? That was a fantastic idea and I might have to try it out myself!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Nearly 90 pallets!

[@medved7253]

брусья можно было бы застолбить.

[@bethan890xxx]

Looks brilliant!

[@joenperkins2138]

Looks great !!!

[@grannysgarden8225]

Brilliant 😀

[@johnswanick3428]

Looks good!

[@chefevilee9566]

Bravo!

[@juliadickenson178]

Horsey request, please...I have decided to buy an Irish cob after listening to you saying howfab they are...... Yay......Do you have a link or a breeder you could supply me with? Thanks. Looking for a 14.2 plus gelding...ps great fencing 🤺😉. Thankyou! Even just for reading this....

[@WayOutWestx2]

I'll leave that one for Sandra to answer - she'll get back to you, I'm sure. T

[@WayOutWestx2]

Hi Julia! Great decision!!! One of my cobs, Henry, came from this farm www.colouredheavies.com. The breeder, Caroline, raises quailty traditional Irish Cobs in a very horse-friendly way. She may have a gelding that would suit you, or be able to help you find one. Feel free to let her know I sent you. Good luck! Sandra

[@juliadickenson178]

Way Out West Blow-in blog Sandra, Thankyou ! Wow, she’s got some fabulous horses.....I’ve looked and enquired about Eden ❤️ SO excited.....

[@MorsCertaMoraIncerta]

What video editing software did you use?

[@WayOutWestx2]

I really couldn't recommend it Sam.

[@codyc6975]

That is the best use for pallets I have see in a very long time ! Great work !

[@johnwildwest1]

really cool Tim fine job,how old does my daughter have to be to go on the horses?My Aoife will be 3 in April next.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Anytime she's ready. We pop babies on top just so they can feel the movement. For 3-year-olds we use a special girth strap that has two big handles for them to hold onto - that's all they need to feel safe and then they can have a good time. Good luck!

[@johnwildwest1]

@@WayOutWestx2 thank you Tim, how far away from Tralee are you? If its not too far for my lil one I would love to meet both of you weather permiting.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Trallee's a bit of a trek from here - but look up Hairy Henry and talk to Sandra directly? She'll sort you out.

[@johnwildwest1]

@@WayOutWestx2 thank

[@AnneAndersonFoxiepaws]

Great idea! It's great you do that for kids! I must say it looks very smart and professional! I think you can treat it with used diesel or something similar. I don't think it has to be expensive as it's outdoors and the smell wouldn't be such an issue. There was something else to preserve timber but it's escaping me at the moment .I will write it down if I remember but chances are I got the idea from an Off grid/tiny house type video in case you want to look for it.

[@ruthhamilton4882]

Linseed oil

[@michbushi]

Great idea! One little thing, from experience - when the endgrain side of the pallet touches the ground, the bottom ends of planks tend to rot rather quickly, so expect it to degrade within a year-two. I can see two quick ways of working around that: 1. Build a raised "rail", and slot the bottoms of the pallets onto it - similar what you did for the tops. Ads costs, but pretty quick and simple, but still you have wood-on-wood join, which tends to rot. 2. Use some hard-core damp protection on the endgrain bottom parts; I'm thinking few millimeters of some kind of bitumen, up to maybe six inches above the ground. Probably a nightmare to do for all of them properly, every plank and nook & cranny.

[@WayOutWestx2]

We decided it would be best to keep it really simple and replace parts as we need to. Every part can end up in the stove or the charcaol kiln - but not if we start treating it with stuff. Thanks for your thoughts though

[@chucketsitty6252]

How many pallets you used

[@chucketsitty6252]

Also how big is the aren

[@WayOutWestx2]

It's all in the video, Chuck. Watch it again.

[@Teresasblaze]

They say necessity is the mother of invention. Well done good thinking and good job

[@shondab2906]

that is amazing work, thank you