Many people will likely say "we're an accident waiting to happen" but we have
never had a problem with high tinsel fencing - ever (cattle, sheep, big horses or minis). We use 5 strands at the heights/spacings specified for goat/sheep whereas the bottom three strands are closer to the ground & closer together than the top two. We have
every other wire "hot" - starting with the top wire (hot) and the middle and bottom wire "hot". The spacing of the three bottom wires keeps babies in. They are tight enough and close enough together. I've only seen one incident of turning out a foal for the first time - and she simply "bounced" off of it - like a trampoline. Our horses have never gotten out of our fences either. We have stallions in adjoining pastures with only the 5 wires between them - never a problem - they will stand opposite eachother and run along the fenceline etc - but never even poke their heads through - as they know they are hot.
We use round wooden posts for our wire and we use the bright orange plastic spacers inbetween the posts. This not only keeps the wires from sagging but it is
very VISIBLE to both humans and horses and it also keeps the wires taught in the event there is a lower piece of ground - then they can't go underneath becuase the spacers keep the strands together within the long spacings of the posts.
In my experience - once an animal tests the fence and gets zapped - just once - they don't go near it again. LOL And truly, the orange plastic spacers (or even black ones) gives the horses visibility to actually SEE the wires and know that something is there. It also helps if you have neighbors or someone hunting or 4wheeling to not run through your fences accidentally. LOL
We're actually in the middle of fencing in another 12 acres now and should be finished this weekend. Again using the same method of fencing.
I'll try to put a few pictures here so you can get the idea of what we do:
this picture below also shows some BLACK plastic spacers - had gotten those before I found orange ones - but it still helps the horses "see" the wires.
High tinsel is easy to put up also. we put the roll of wire on a spool and I drive the gator along the fence line pulling the wire - hubby walks behind and puts the wire into the clips and or staples - voila - an entire row done in no time!
Hope this helps - not the best pictures but should explain the process we use for high tinsel.
