Farm and Agricultural Fencing in Central Indiana
A farm fence has a job that a yard fence does not: it holds animals, marks a pasture line, and takes the weather on open ground. Within 50 miles of Indianapolis 46256, we build board rail, woven wire, and pasture fence for farms, horse property, and acreage in central Indiana. Agricultural fencing is available for homes and businesses. Free estimates mean we walk the ground and check the county rules before anyone specs a fence.
Fence by Animal
Horses. A board rail is the fence most people picture on a central Indiana horse property. A solid rail is visible to a horse and does not have the catch points of wire, which is why barbed wire is a poor choice for horses. Woven wire behind the rail adds a barrier without the catch.
Cattle. Woven wire and high-tensile fence hold cattle on open ground. Barbed wire works where the county and town allow it, and it is the cheapest boundary for long runs on grazing land.
Goats and sheep. Woven wire with close spacing keeps goats in where they would slip through a wider field fence. Height matters for goats; they climb.
A simple acreage boundary. A board-on-board or three-rail fence marks a property line without enclosing animals. It reads as a farm fence from the road and keeps the look of a rural property.
Board Rail
A three- or four-rail wood fence is the look most people picture on a central Indiana horse property. The rails are set on posts at a height a horse respects, and the wood takes stain or weathers grey on its own. It is the fence that reads as a farm from the road even when the animals are gone.
A board rail does not enclose on its own where small animals are the concern; a woven wire backing does that. But for marking a pasture or a boundary on a property that keeps its rural look, it is the fence that fits. See the wood fence page for the rail styles in general.
Indiana's Partition Fence Law
Indiana Code 32-26-9 covers a fence on the line between two properties where at least one is agricultural land and the land is outside or next to a town's limits. In general, each owner builds and keeps up half of a partition fence on the line. The statute sets out how the line is determined, how the shares are assigned, and what happens when one owner wants out.
It does not govern an ordinary in-town backyard fence. If your line is between two residential lots inside town limits, this statute is not your rule. Read the statute or ask an attorney about your own line. This is general information, not legal advice, and a fence on a shared line is worth getting right before the posts go in.
Barbed and Electric
Inside Indianapolis, barbed wire and electrified fence are limited to enclosing livestock on agricultural property. Barbed wire and razor wire are prohibited except to enclose livestock on agricultural land or for public safety at a public facility or correctional institution, and electrified fences are prohibited except in narrow cases such as low-voltage fencing that encloses livestock.
County and town rules outside the city differ. Some counties allow barbed wire on agricultural fencing where the city does not, and some towns restrict it further. Check the county and town rules for your ground before you spec a fence that uses it.
Long Runs and Gates
A long fence is only as straight as its corners and braces. A corner post takes the full tension of the run, so it has to be set deeper and braced, or the fence pulls the corner over within a season. Braces between the corner and the first line post spread the load so the wire stays tight.
Gate placement matters on a farm fence because the gate carries equipment and animals through. A pasture gate that is too narrow for a tractor is a fence that has to come apart later. Plan the gate widths for what actually uses the opening. See the custom gates page for the gate types. To talk through a project, call (317) 775-2452 or send the form at the top of this page. You can also reach us through the contact page. See the related wood fence and custom gates pages for more.
Agricultural Fence Questions
What fence suits horses?
Board rail is the common choice for horses because a solid rail is visible and a horse is less likely to get a hoof caught in it. Woven wire behind the rail adds a barrier without the catch points of barbed wire. Barbed wire is a poor choice for horses for that reason.
What fence suits cattle?
Woven wire and high-tensile fence handle cattle. Barbed wire works for cattle where the county and town allow it, but it is a poor choice for horses.
Does Indiana have a partition fence law?
Indiana Code 32-26-9 covers a fence on the line between two properties where at least one is agricultural land and the land is outside or next to a town's limits. In general each owner builds and keeps up half. It does not govern an ordinary in-town backyard fence. Read the statute or ask an attorney about your own line.
Is barbed wire allowed in Indianapolis?
Inside Indianapolis, barbed wire and electrified fence are limited to enclosing livestock on agricultural property. County and town rules outside the city differ, so check before building.
Do farms and businesses get the same fence?
Yes. The same company fences farms, homes, and businesses. See the wood fence page for the rail styles and the custom gates page for pasture gates.
Where We Work
We build and repair fences for homes and businesses within about 50 miles of Indianapolis 46256.