6 Best Portable Electric Fence Posts For Goats That Outsmart Escape Artists
Find the best portable electric fence posts to contain your escape-artist goats. We compare 6 top options for durability, height, and ease of use.
There’s a special kind of frustration that comes from watching your prize-winning doe methodically test every inch of a new fence line you just spent the morning setting up. Goats aren’t just contained; they are convinced to stay put, and the right portable fence post is a key part of that negotiation. Choosing the wrong one means you’ll be chasing escapees through the neighbor’s prize-winning petunias before lunch.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!
Key Features of Goat-Proof Electric Fence Posts
Goats don’t just bump into a fence; they scrutinize it. They lean, they rub, and they look for any weakness to exploit. This means a good goat post needs more than just height—it needs to be rigid enough to resist a determined shoulder-lean without snapping. While some flexibility is good for absorbing impacts, a post that bows too easily just invites a goat to push right under the wire.
The insulator design is another critical detail. Simple, open-faced clips are a liability. A clever goat can use its nose or horns to pop the wire right out. Look for posts with closed loops, pigtail designs, or clips that fully secure the wire. This single feature can be the difference between a secure paddock and a free-for-all.
Finally, consider the ground anchor. A single, thin spike might work in hard clay, but it will twist and pull out of soft or wet soil the first time a goat gets itchy. Posts with a sturdy step-in and a double spike or an H-shaped foot provide a much more stable foundation. They resist the constant twisting pressure that comes from a tight fence line, especially on corners.
Gallagher Ring Top Post: Tangle-Free Reliability
The standout feature of the Gallagher Ring Top post is exactly what it sounds like: a smooth, continuous plastic loop at the top. This isn’t just a gimmick. If you’ve ever fought with polywire or tape snagging on traditional insulators while setting up or taking down a fence, you’ll immediately appreciate this design. It makes pulling lines taut and reeling them back in remarkably smooth.
This post is built for durability and frequent moves. The shaft is a combination of fiberglass and plastic, giving it strength with just enough flex, and the foot is a solid, over-molded design that won’t separate from the shaft. While it only has one main "insulator"—the top ring—you can add clip-on insulators down the shaft for more wires.
The Gallagher Ring Top is an excellent choice for rotational grazers who move fences daily or weekly. Its tangle-free nature saves time and immense frustration. The tradeoff is a higher price point and less built-in versatility for multiple wire heights, but for reliability and ease of use, it’s hard to beat.
Zareba Heavy-Duty Post for Stubborn Herds
Some goats are just more physically determined. For the heavy-bodied Boer or the stubborn buck that views a fence as a personal challenge, you need a post that says "don’t even think about it." The Zareba Heavy-Duty step-in post is that kind of post. It features a significantly thicker diameter and a reinforced, H-pattern steel spike for superior stability.
These posts are designed to minimize flex. When a 200-pound goat leans against the line, the post holds firm, ensuring the wire stays taut and delivers its message effectively. They typically come with multiple, pre-molded clips that can hold polywire, rope, or even narrow tape, offering good versatility for setting up multi-strand fences.
The downside is weight and bulk. A bundle of these is noticeably heavier than their lighter-duty cousins, making them a bit more work to carry across a large pasture. But for high-traffic areas, boundary lines, or containing particularly pushy animals, their unyielding stability is worth the extra effort. They provide peace of mind that a flimsier post simply can’t offer.
Premier 1 IntelliSpike Post for Superior Grip
Premier 1 specializes in fencing for sheep and goats, and their designs reflect that deep knowledge. The IntelliSpike post addresses one of the most common failures of portable fencing: posts pulling out of the ground. Instead of a single spike, it uses a dual-spike design that provides a much stronger grip, especially in soft, rocky, or uneven terrain.
This double-footed design is brilliant because it prevents the post from rotating. When a wire pulls on a single-spike post, especially on a slight curve, it wants to twist and loosen. The IntelliSpike’s two points of contact anchor it firmly, keeping the fence line straight and the wires properly tensioned. This is a lifesaver when you’re fencing across a slope or on loose soil after a rain.
These posts are often sold as part of Premier 1’s excellent netting systems but are just as effective for multi-strand polywire setups. They are a premium option, but if you’ve struggled with posts leaning or pulling up in your specific soil conditions, the IntelliSpike can solve a persistent and frustrating problem.
O’Briens Treadaline Post: A Taller Option
Never underestimate a goat’s ability to jump. For athletic breeds like Nigerian Dwarfs, LaManchas, or any goat that’s feeling particularly spry, a standard 42-inch post might not be enough of a visual or physical deterrent. The O’Briens Treadaline series offers taller options, often reaching 48 inches or more above ground, which can make all the difference.
A taller post allows you to run your top wire at a more intimidating height. This creates a stronger psychological barrier, discouraging jumpers before they even attempt to clear it. The Treadaline posts also feature a robust footplate design, making them easy to drive into hard ground without snapping the step-in.
The key consideration here is matching the post height to your herd. While not every goat is a high-jumper, it only takes one to create a problem. If you have a known jumper or are managing particularly agile breeds, investing in a taller post from the start is much easier than retrofitting a fence that has already been breached.
Speedrite Pigtail Post for Quick Installation
When you’re moving a fence line every single day for intensive rotational grazing, every second counts. The pigtail post is designed for maximum speed. The simple, curled loop at the top allows you to drop the polywire in place in one fluid motion without messing with clips or insulators.
This design is incredibly efficient for single-strand or top-wire fences. You can walk the line, stepping in posts and dropping the wire as you go, setting up a new paddock in minutes. They are lightweight and easy to carry in large numbers, making them a favorite for managing large areas with frequent moves.
The tradeoff for speed is security. A very clever or itchy goat can potentially bounce or rub a wire out of an open pigtail loop. For this reason, pigtail posts are best used with a herd that is already well-trained and respects electric fencing. For a rowdy, untrained herd, a more secure clip might be a better choice.
Fi-Shock Multi-Wire Post for Maximum Versatility
Sometimes you need a fence that can do it all. The Fi-Shock Multi-Wire post is a workhorse designed for flexibility. It features a series of 8 or more pre-molded clips running up its length, allowing you to place multiple strands of polywire or tape at virtually any height you need.
This versatility is invaluable in several scenarios:
- Containing kids and does together: Run low wires to keep small kids from ducking under and higher wires to deter does from jumping over.
- Mixed-species grazing: Set up wire heights appropriate for goats and sheep, or even calves, all in the same paddock.
- Problem areas: Add extra "hot" wires at nose or shoulder height in spots where goats are known to test the fence.
These posts are typically made of a durable, non-conductive polypropylene, making them lightweight yet surprisingly tough. While they may not have the extreme rigidity of a heavy-duty post, their unmatched adaptability makes them a fantastic all-around option for the hobby farmer whose needs might change from one season to the next.
Spacing and Grounding Your Portable Goat Fence
The world’s best fence posts will fail if they are set up poorly. Proper spacing is a balancing act. In high-pressure zones—like near a barn, a gate, or a tempting garden—place your posts closer together, perhaps 15-20 feet apart. This keeps the wire taut and reduces any tempting sag a goat might try to push through.
Out in an open pasture where the pressure is lower, you can stretch that spacing to 30 or even 40 feet, depending on your terrain and the type of wire you’re using. Remember that on hills and in dips, you’ll need to place posts at the crest and trough to maintain consistent wire height from the ground. A wire that’s 36 inches high on flat ground can easily become 50 inches high over a dip, creating a perfect escape route underneath.
Most importantly, none of this matters without a powerful energizer and an excellent ground. Your ground system is half your fence. A weak shock is an invitation for a goat to push through. Use at least three 4- to 6-foot galvanized ground rods, spaced 10 feet apart, especially in dry or rocky soil. A properly grounded fence delivers a sharp, memorable shock that teaches respect, turning a flimsy-looking wire into a truly effective barrier.
Ensure reliable grounding for electric fences, antennas, and generators with this durable 12" galvanized steel ground rod. Its pin-type design and oval eyelet make installation and removal easy.
Ultimately, the best portable post is the one that fits your land, your animals, and your daily routine. Don’t be afraid to mix and match—using heavy-duty posts for corners and lighter ones for the straightaways. A well-planned portable fence is a tool of freedom, giving your goats fresh pasture while giving you peace of mind.
