We build steel pipe-rail fencing and no-climb mesh for North County horse properties, with manual walk gates made in our Escondido shop; we don’t build automated or driveway gates. University extension guides suggest 54–60 in for horses. On unincorporated County lots of one gross acre or more zoned A70, A72, RR, S82, S88, S90 or S92, an open pipe-corral or rail fence may be 72 in tall, front yard included (County Zoning § 6708, as of October 2026).
capped poststop rail72 in · County limit54–60 inmesh, horse sidewalk gate, no brace
Line drawing, not a project photo.
ShopEscondido, since 2020
ContractorGeranium Street USA, Inc. · CSLB #955154
GatesManual walk gates
AreaNorth County, San Diego
What we build
Pipe Rail, Mesh and Manual Gates
01
Steel pipe rail
Welded steel posts and rails for paddocks, pastures and property lines, with capped post tops.
02
No-climb mesh
Small-opening wire mesh along the pipe rail, on the horse side of the posts, under a top rail that keeps the line visible.
03
Manual gates
Walk gates sized for leading a horse, welded to match the fence and opened by hand. See custom gates in San Diego.
Why steel
Why Steel, and What to Watch
Steel is noncombustible (ASTM E136) and strong for its size, so posts can carry gates and long runs hold their line. It needs a finish and touch-ups to keep rust off, and it is only as safe as its details: extension guides flag open post tops, sharp edges and diagonal gate braces, so our designs cap the posts, avoid sharp ends and leave braces off gates. See steel fence installation in San Diego.
Guidance, not law
What Extension Guides Recommend
University extension recommendations, not code; your vet and trainer may advise otherwise.
Height: 54–60 in. Penn State suggests 54 to 60 in, with the top at wither height in paddocks; Georgia recommends at least 5 ft on the perimeter, Minnesota about 5 ft. Penn State · Minnesota · UGA (archived)
Openings. Under about 3 in square, or large enough not to trap a hoof, leg or head. Woven 2 × 4 in mesh keeps hooves from catching; Georgia advises against low-priced welded-wire fabric because its joints don’t hold up. Penn State · UC ANR · UGA
A smooth horse side. Rails and mesh on the horse side of the posts, capped hollow posts, no sharp edges; metal T-posts aren’t recommended because of the impalement risk. Penn State · Minnesota
A visible line. Wire fences are the least visible; boards, strips or a top rail make the line easier to see. Penn State
Gates. As tall as the fence, at least 4 ft wide for a horse and handler (5 ft is better), with no diagonal braces that can trap a leg. Penn State
Rules as of October 2026
Rules That Shape a Horse Fence
Rules follow the parcel, not the mailing address: an Escondido or Vista address outside city limits is County land.
Unincorporated County Ramona, Valley Center, Fallbrook, Bonsall
Height. 42 in in front and exterior side yards and 72 in in rear and interior side yards, plus the large-lot exception above. Under it, posts and pilasters must be no more than 24 in across, at least 8 ft apart edge to edge, and no taller than 72 in. Zoning Ordinance § 6708
Confirm post spacing with County PDS. Posts 8 ft on center leave less than 8 ft between post edges, and the code doesn’t say how line posts are measured. Ask PDS Zoning before a front-yard design relies on the 72-in allowance.
Enclosure setbacks. Corral and paddock fences go where the Animal Regulations allow, with setbacks set by the animal designator letter in the parcel’s zoning (table). A pasture of 1 acre or more with no interior fencing, not used for permanent keeping, is exempt. § 6708g · § 3112, still cited in the County’s 2026 horse stable checklist
County animal enclosure setbacks, § 3112
Setback column
Interior side line
Rear line
Most restrictive
10 ft
10 ft
Moderate
5 ft
0 ft open, 5 ft roofed
Least restrictive
0 ft open, 5 ft roofed
0 ft
Escondido Inside city limits
In the Animal Overlay zone, corrals, stables and pens sit 25 ft from the front line (R-A and R-E zones), 15 ft from side lines, 10 ft from the rear and 20 ft from any residence; a fenced pasture of 2 acres or more with no dwelling or cross-fencing is exempt. EMC §§ 33-145, 33-146
Vista Inside city limits
Pens, stables, barns and corrals sit 20 ft from any dwelling, 75 ft from the front line and from a side street (or half the lot width, if less), 15 ft from interior side lines and 10 ft from the rear. Whether an open corral fence counts as a corral structure isn’t defined, so ask Planning. VDC § 18.58.470
Encinitas and Poway Checked September 2026
Encinitas, including Olivenhain: pens, stables, barns and corrals stay at least 35 ft from any dwelling on an adjacent lot. EMC § 30.55.030
Poway: any wall or fence is capped at 6 ft, and in the required front yard at least the top 2 ft of a 6-ft fence must be open. PMC 17.08.240
Rancho Santa Fe Covenant area
Pipe corrals aren’t permitted. The Association’s Residential Design Guidelines say pipe corrals and galvanized chain link “will not be permitted.” Keeping horses needs an Art Jury animal-keeping permit, and their fences a separate Art Jury construction permit. Design Guidelines, p. 11 · Regulatory Code § 40.02
Design and siting. The guidelines favor pasture-style post-and-rail, welded-wire mesh with post-and-rail to secure animals (see the welded-wire caution above), and fences no taller than 5 ft. Corrals, paddocks, riding rings and fenced stalls sit 15 ft from the property line, corrals and paddocks also 150 ft from an existing house next door. Horses need 2 gross acres, at most one per acre. County rules apply too. Regulatory Code §§ 40.03, 40.04, 40.08
Fire County land
The County WUI Code’s fuel-modification zone surrounds occupied buildings and buildings designed to house farm animals; fences more than 5 ft from a dwelling don’t count as structures for setting it. Within 5 ft of a building, County Zone 0 calls for hardscape or noncombustible materials. The statewide Zone 0 package, adopted August 19, 2026, was withdrawn from review on September 8 and is not in effect as of October 2026. See Zone 0 fence planning. WUI Code § 604.6 · § 604.12.1 · OAL
Do I need a building permit for a horse fence on County land?
Not for a fence up to 6 ft that meets zoning: the County exempts fences up to 6 ft other than pool barriers, with no separate exemption for agricultural fences. A horse shade cover of up to 300 sq ft beside a home is exempt too (PDS 110, PDS 070).
Is barbed wire allowed for horses?
Extension guides say to avoid it around horses (Minnesota, Penn State). The law varies: County zoning lists it for open fences on qualifying large lots; Escondido allows it only in agricultural and estate zones on 2 acres or more used for agriculture or animal husbandry (EMC § 33-1083); Encinitas allows it for agricultural uses only (EMC § 30.16.010); Vista doesn’t allow it (VDC § 18.02.300).
Do you repair existing horse fences?
No. We build new fences and gates, removing the old fence when it is being replaced; we don’t take repair-only work.
Walk the Fence Line With Us
Bring the parcel’s zoning, any Association or HOA rules, and how the horses use the land. We’ll walk the line with you, then write up the scope.