Cannonville in Garfield County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)

"Horse High, Bull Stout, and Pig Tight"

Rip-Gut Fence

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 12, 2025

1. "Horse High, Bull Stout, and Pig Tight" Marker

Inscription.
Making do with limited resources, pioneers built rip-gut fences. After cutting hundreds of junipers, they laid the "riders", the longer pieces of timber, against the "stakes", the shorter pieces that hold the "riders" up. They didn't need nails or expensive hardware, and the result was a remarkably strong fence that lasted for decades with minimal maintenance. A rip-gut fence was also known as a "knot hole belly", since a horse could get a hole in his belly if he didn't jump the fence high enough.

[Caption]: Rip-gut fence at Mac LeFevre's ranch in Salt Gulch, 1940s.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Agriculture. In addition, it is included in the Cannonville Utah Visitor Center (Settlers) series list.

Location. 37° 34.024′ N, 112° 3.261′ W. Marker is in Cannonville, Utah, in Garfield County. It can be reached from the intersection of West Center Street and Main Street / Kodachrome Road, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located at the Cannonville Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10 W Center St, Cannonville UT 84718, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Canyon Country

and specifically in Color Country. It is also in the American Mountain West,

in Colorado Plateau,

and at the Four Corners.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A Life on the Land (here, next to this marker); The Water of Life (here,

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

next to this marker); Water Willow People (here, next to this marker); One Land, Different Peoples (a few steps from this marker); A Tough Row to Hoe (a few steps from this marker); Working for Water (a few steps from this marker); Tending the Wild (a few steps from this marker); A Glass of Water Was a Load of Work (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cannonville.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 12, 2025

2. "Horse High, Bull Stout, and Pig Tight" Marker

Marker is on the right.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 15, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 11, 2025, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 32 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 11, 2025, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.