5' fence height with CenFlex?

[wsmoak]

I build horse fortresses. 5’ (60") non-climb plus a top board that overlaps, so about 5’ 3" (63") total.

I’m considering something like CenFlex but I’ve only seen photos of it with four rails, and the installation manual suggests a height of 45". Like so:

The rails are 5" wide so I think it will be too airy and look weird if the top rail is at 60" instead.

If I really want the height do I just do a fifth rail? I’ve seen this installed in combination with (I think) coated electric single wire, either with one rail on the top or interleaved. Not sure if there is a combination of those that would look ‘right’ and get me to 5’.

Does anyone have experience with this type of fence, and any suggestions?

[OTTBs]

@wsmoak

I’m considering something like CenFlex but I’ve only seen photos of it with four rails, and the installation manual suggests a height of 45".

The photo doesn’t look 3" shy of 4 foot to me, does it to you? Looks like a normal 4’6" fence to me.

My high tensile fence is 4 coated wire strands of Ramm. I’d probably just do 5 strands for 5’3" if you stick with all “planks.” I’d do alternating plank and wire strands myself. I don’t think the bottom strand needs to be as low as in the photo, or if you do: you could do 3 wire strands starting at the bottom, then the 5" inbetween and on top. You will save a ton of money if you use some wire strands vs all 5". If you are installing it yourself, the wire will be less weight to handle. Even if you have professionals install the 5", you could fairly easily do the wire.

[NaturalSelection]

We have four strands of the coated wire with a 4” cenflex type at the top for total height of 5’. I ended up having to add a strand of electrified rope above the 4” to keep the boogers from leaning over the fence to eat the trees/shrubbery along the driveway. Photo before we added the hot rope.

[wsmoak]

One configuration I’m considering is four ‘rails’ with a top wire. But I think that defeats my purpose for a tall fence. The visibility of that top rail is what convinces the little pea (okay walnut) brain that it is ‘too high’ to challenge.

But I think I could learn to live with 4’ 6" for the perimeter fence. There is about 8’ cleared behind it, then trees and shrubs, so there isn’t really a place to get a running start at it.

(Reminds self to make sure the gate is as tall as the fence – that’s how the last incident happened!)

Yes, eventers. I know they only stay where we put them to humor us, (and if there’s food,) but I’m sure not going to make it easy for them.