A horse needs to see the fence. Timber post and rail is solid, high and obvious, so a horse running the boundary at dusk pulls up rather than hitting it. There is no wire to tangle a leg and no sharp edges.
Our rails are genuine White Cypress Pine. It is naturally durable and completely chemical-free, with no CCA or other treatment. If your horse likes to chew the top rail, there is nothing nasty in it.
It is also strong. White Cypress is F7 structurally rated, and a 150 x 50 or 200 x 50 rail mortised through a 150 x 150 post takes a lean from a big horse without loosening.
Most horse paddocks use three rails. Four rails suit foals, stallions, small ponies or anywhere you want a full visual barrier.
P1 - four rails
P2 - three rails, 200 mm gaps
P4 - three rails, 250 mm gapsStandard height is 1200 mm or 1350 mm above ground. Most horse owners choose 1350 mm for paddocks and 1200 mm for driveways and house yards.
Two tips from thirty years of supplying horse properties. Fix the rails on the horse side of the posts, so a leaning horse pushes the rail against the post rather than off it. And keep the bottom rail high enough that a foal cannot roll under it, which is why our P2 and P4 spacings start well above the ground.
Posts: 150 x 150 mm is the standard paddock post. 200 x 100 mm and 200 x 200 mm suit corners, strainer points and gate posts. 200 x 200 mm is the biggest post we make.
Rails: 150 x 50 mm or 200 x 50 mm, in 2.4, 2.7 and 3.0 metre lengths.
Bay spacing: 2.4, 2.7 or 3.0 metres between posts. We advise no more than 3.0 metres for horses.
In the ground: 600 mm for a 1.8 metre post and 750 mm for a 2.1 metre post, depending on your ground. Gate posts go 600 to 1200 mm deep depending on the gate. Check with your gate maker.
Every post is mortised in our workshop so the rails slot straight in. End posts are mortised halfway through to start and finish a run, mid posts are mortised right through, and corner posts are cut to suit the angle.
The same fence that holds a horse makes a driveway entrance look like it belongs on the land. A short run of post and rail either side of a farm gate, in 200 x 200 mm posts with chamfered tops, is the most common acreage job we supply.
For boundaries and house yards on a hobby farm, a 2-rail or 3-rail fence in 1200 mm keeps the view open and the budget down. Add a rail later if you bring horses in.
Send us a rough sketch or a photo of the site and we will work out post counts, rail lengths and gate posts for you.
White Cypress is rated Durability Class 1 above ground, over 40 years, and Class 2 in the ground, 15 to 25 years. Paint the buried section of each post with a non-hazardous creosote-based paint such as Bondall or Diggers Eco before you set it and you get the longest life possible.
Above ground, leave it natural to silver off, or paint or stain it the day it arrives. Cypress needs no weathering time and will not bleed tannins onto your concrete.
Watch out for macrocarpa. It sounds similar, but it is only Durability Class 3 and rots quickly in the ground. We do not stock it.
Cypress post and rail starts from $75 per metre including GST for a 2-rail fence with 150 x 150 posts, based on a real 50 metre job. Three and four rails, heavier rails and gate posts cost more.
You do not need to ring us for a price. Put your fence length, number of rails and post size into our calculator and you will have an exact figure, including delivery to your property, in about 90 seconds.
We deliver post and rail with our own truck across Melbourne and Victoria, including the Yarra Valley, Macedon Ranges, Mornington Peninsula, Gippsland, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo. Local pick-up from our Kilsyth workshop is welcome, Monday to Friday 7am to 4:30pm.
The current lead time is shown in the banner at the top of every page, and we confirm your date when you order.
Plenty of horse owners put their own fence up over a couple of weekends with our free post and rail installation guide. If you would rather have it done, our installer finder lists independent fencing contractors by area.
Most paddock fences are 1350 mm above ground and driveway or house-yard fences 1200 mm. Both are standard post heights for us, and we can cut any height you need.
Three rails is the usual paddock fence. Four rails for foals, stallions and small ponies, or where you want a full visual barrier. Two rails suits boundaries and driveways where horses are not kept.
Yes. White Cypress is completely chemical-free, with no CCA or other treatment, so there is nothing harmful in the timber.
2.4, 2.7 or 3.0 metres, to suit our standard rail lengths. We advise no more than 3.0 metres for horses.
Yes. 200 x 200 mm is the usual gate post and the biggest we make. It handles wide farm gates when it is set deep enough.
From $75 per metre including GST for 2-rail with 150 x 150 posts. Three and four rail cost more. Get your exact price, including delivery, in our calculator.
White Cypress Pine is a naturally durable timber — rated Class 1 above ground and Class 2 in-ground — and already contains the natural resins needed to protect it from fungi, insects, and decay. That makes it a genuinely chemical-free choice: no hazardous treatments like CCA are used at all.
To help it last a lifetime, we recommend adding a non-hazardous protective paint — such as Bondall or Diggers Eco — to the buried section of your post. Even on the highest-rated in-ground timbers, this is the most effective way to get the longest possible lifespan.
Timbers like Merbau and Spotted Gum need a long seasoning period — exposed to sun and rain, they slowly release their natural oils and tannins. Paint them too early and the finish fails. Wait too long and the timber turns grey and splits.
The White Cypress Solution: White Cypress Pine is ready for the brush the moment it's delivered. It's naturally stable and needs zero weathering time.
✔ No Tannin Bleed: Won't stain your concrete or pavers.
✔ No Waiting: Complete the job in a single weekend.
✔ Superior Adhesion: Bonds securely for a finish that lasts years.
Made in our Kilsyth workshop in Melbourne's east and delivered across Melbourne, the Yarra Valley, the Mornington Peninsula, Gippsland, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo. Local pick-up is welcome, Monday to Friday 7am to 4:30pm, no appointment needed. We regularly supply Lilydale, Croydon, Ringwood, Mooroolbark, Chirnside Park, Wonga Park, Warrandyte, Healesville, Yarra Glen, Coldstream, Emerald, Monbulk, Berwick, Beaconsfield and Pakenham, and freight anywhere in Victoria with the delivery price shown in our calculator.
We're committed to quality, and our manufacturing time reflects that. Bollards, Post & Rail, and Furniture lead times change with how busy we are, so the current lead time is shown in the banner at the top of every page. We confirm your date when you order. Crossing posts take about two weeks because of the painting process. Most items are shipped with our trusted local couriers. Post and Rail materials are delivered directly by the Barling's team.
