Fencing Figures

We all know this from grade school math, but sometimes we fail to remember, or worse, realize. A sphere is a beautiful thing and a circle is the most efficient way to enclose an area, lineally. Understand that efficient is economical.

If you are looking to develop or utilize an area for horse pasture this spring, consider your geometry. A couple of acres would be great for your horse, but be careful about the way you lay it out. The content of the form is costly in terms of, for example, panel fencing. Two acres in a circle takes 87 twelve foot panels for enclosure. Two acres in a square (say 300'x300') takes 100 twelve foot panels for enclosure. For 2 acres in a rectangular configuration (say 450'x200') it takes 110 panels. For a long, thin piece (say 600'x150') it takes 125 panels. If you could get an excellent (fantasy) price on 5' 5-rail 12' panels at $60 each, the difference in expense between a circular 2 acre pasture and a long thin piece could be as much as $2280 (125-87 is 38 panels). The same type of figuring applies to wire, boards, whatever. An acre is 43,560 sq. ft. and pi is 3.1416 and the area of a circle is pi times the diameter - you do that old grade school math.