I would love to get a horse again. I have a home that sits on an acre. The back (about 1/2 acre) is fenced with wooden 6 ft privacy fence on 3 sides and a 4 ft chain link fence on the long side. Would I be able to keep a horse in that area? Any advice?

My advice is a wooden post and rail fence. Also, make sure there is nothing but healthy, horse-nutritious grass in the field. If there aren't already, plant dandelions here and there because they are said to reduce inflammation in a horse's body. They are also nutritious and delicous!

Cyndi Ninja has nailed your fence exactly to the point...NO An 11 hand pony, if properly motivated COULD clear a four foot fence....I've seen a 9.2 hand pony jump a five foot fence! Also typical chain link is not a good fencing because he might also manage to jam his foot through the holes. Usually if any "chain" type fencing is used it is a wire DIAMOND type that is very small no more than about an inch/inch and a half from top to bottom tip and about 2/3 of an inch across. The 6 foot wooden fencing has pros and cons... Think for a moment about a box stall...that's "solid" wood also...Yes, your pony may start chewing on the wood, especially if you do not figure out some "toys" for him to play with in his enclosure...horses, like all animals, need ENRICHMENT in their daily lives, or they become bored and may develop their own ideas of things to do...cribbing, weaving, chewing, are often the result of simple, unending...boredom. You don't mention the size of the area he will have access to in this enclosure...is there graze..(grass) that he can eat growing there? (no toxins, pests he can ingest..) is he used to being out on grass? Is this space for night time...will he have regular access to pasture part of the time? Will he have other equines to socialize with? Even a horse or pony who does not crave really close physical contact with others of its species needs to be able to see and know he is not "alone." Usually most equines like close contact, mutual grooming, standing near each other grazing, or sunning themselves or standing in the shade to relax...it adds to their mental health. If your pony is "boxed" and only taken out for riding, he is not going to be as emotionally or physically healthy as would be optimum for him. These things also need to be considered as to a safe and good place to keep your pony or horse. Clean water, graze, appropriate feed for the work being done, sun, shade, shelter and social interactions....These are all of the environmental "THINGS" you need to consider in addition to fencing. The size of his stall and paddock (or size of his shed for shelter)...time to play at liberty, and time to enjoy learning, and working with you.

The chainlink should be okay. My dad's neighbor keeps 2 year old steers and goats behind chainlink fencing. But the board fence is not good. The pony will probably chew on it and rub against it--the fence probably will not last long.

The chain link fence is too low and will get ruined by the horse putting his neck over it, reaching for the other side. The other side always is more attractive LOL!!! You'd need to do something to keep the horse off of it, like another taller fence or an electric fence to signal keep away. And of course you need shelter of some kind, either a run-in shed or a stall/barn.

I have just found a pony I fell in love with. He is about 11 or 12 hands. Do you think he would be secure enough with a 4 foot chain link fence?

Yeah, I would surmise so. I would think you should at least be able to get one horse, a pony or a couple of donkeys!