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Regular fence or high-tensile? Regular fence 16 feet is a pretty big span, 8 feet is a lot of posts. In my soil/ conditions a great fence is alternating wood & steel T posts, about 8-12 feet apart. The wood holds upright better, the steel lasts longer after the wood rots - gives you a chance to get things fixed down the road a few decades.... For a small yard to house them over winter, lock them up, etc. you want a lot of fence wire, a lot of posts, 8 feet or less apart. Good to have woven wire 32" high, barbed, and a hot barbed on top. For a pasture area where they will not be so hard on the fence, a little less wire & wider spacing works fine, esp with electric involved. Have seen 3-5 wires in this situation, top one hot. My Holstien cross' like to test a fence, even electric. They use smooth wire for a rubbibg spot, barbed is better. Including the electric one. The closer the posts, the longer the fence will last. The farther spaced, the cheaper it is. Pretty much how it is. High tensile is a different game, you want to stretch that wire fiddle-string tight (with springs to allow movement) between the corners, and only a few posts/ stays are used to keep the wires seperated - I've heard of 30-50 feet between real posts, a stay or 2 along the way - and massive anchor corner posts of course. Works best in fairly level straight fence, lose any advantage in rugged up/down or small corners type of fencing. Horses are a different thing. Some high-strung horses will hurt themselves on barbed, and jump through a high-tensile like an egg through an egg slicer - they need a more visable fence. Other folks get along with these types of fences & a horse just fine. Me I have no experience, just what I hear on the horse thing. Give cattle enough pasture to not be hungry, & a single barbed electric wire will hold them most of the time..... --->Paul
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