Which colour is best for horse fencing, black or white? 

This is what happens with most of our clients. They choose the fence they love, they pick the number of rails they want, and they make a decision on the cost. But one thing they get confused about is the colour of the fencing. With years of experience in selling, seeing and living with fences, we understand the dilemma really well.  

This is the colour you’ll see for years, it better be the one that’s right for you, your property, and your horses and should definitely be one you love. The most popular choices of colour in horse fencing are Black and White. 

At Stock & Noble, we provide our partners with the finest fencing solutions across Australia and New Zealand. Buckley Steel Post and Rail is our flagship product, it’s an engineered Steel Fencing System, designed in America. This product is only available in Black and White. Additionally, we also develop premium quality paints for Timber and Steel fences. Again, the dominant colours are Black and White.  

So, with this article, our objective is to help you find an answer to this extremely difficult question and give you all the information you need to choose between Black and White colour for your fences. 

Read on to end this eternal debate of Black vs White and find the right colour for your horse fencing. In this article we will explore the following in detail: 

1. Why is the colour of your horse fencing important? 
2. Which colour of horse fencing is best seen by horses. 
3. Pros and cons of Black and White horse fencing colours. 
4. Factors you must consider while choosing the colour for your horse fencing.  

Why is it important to choose the right colour for your horse fencing? 

The colour of horse fencing lasts a long time 

If your horse fencing is going to last for decades, the colour of the fencing is the one that you’ll probably live with for years.  

For example, Buckley Steel Post and Rail fencing is guaranteed to last for 15 years and the expected lifetime is over 30 years. During all this time, the only maintenance needed for the paint is minor chipping caused by the debris. So, this means, the paint colour you choose at the time of purchase will stay the same almost forever. 

Also, if you paint your Timber fences, using premium paints with high-volume solids, they will also last a long time. For example, the life of Timber paint using Forever Black is 10 years. So, if you’ve lived with the same horse fencing colour for more than a decade, it’s better to be wise about the choice. 

The colour of horse fencing affects the overall aesthetics of your property 

Across rural properties, traditionally domestic horse fencing used to be white, while stud farms used black. Over the years white and black fencing made their way into different kinds of horse properties. All depending on the kind of look the owner wanted.  

It is believed that white horse fencing makes your property look larger and offers greater contrast against a natural background. Black fencing is more minimalistic and offers a cohesive look and a good contrast against greener backgrounds. 

The colour of horse fencing reflects your personality 

The most important factor that drives the choice of colour is YOU. It all depends on how you have envisioned your property to be and what’s your favourite tone. While white makes a statement about the owner as being bold with a strong opinion, black is a little understated, elegant and safer choice. If you look at our sales history, fewer choose white, and more people go for black. 

Do horses see black or white fencing better? 

Google it and you will find out that this is one of the most debatable topics in the equine world today. There are different schools of thought. Some claim that horses see white better due to high contrast while others feel black is more visible to horses. 

If we base our conclusion on science, then it says horses see yellow and blues far better than whites and red. But the truth is no one will put up a yellow horse fence. 

In our experience and based on the views of property owners we have interacted with, there is no concrete evidence or science to prove that horse sees black better than white or vice versa.  

As far as horse safety and vision is concerned there is no difference in either shade. The most important thing about fencing and horses is that they learn to respect one another. Ultimately, it comes down to the horses memorising the layout and obstacles, as well as the owner training them. The colour has nothing to do with it. 

So, in our opinion, the choice of colour is totally dependent on you, not your horse. 

Pros and Cons of Black and White Horse Fencing Colours 

The next step in the journey to find out the best colour for your horse fencing is to directly compare the two most prominent colours and evaluate their advantages and disadvantages. 

Pros of White Horse Fencing Colour 

1. White is a traditional fencing colour. 
2. White can make your property look larger. 
3. It contrasts well against most natural backgrounds. 
4. It looks brighter and makes your property stand out. 

Cons of White Horse Fencing Colour 

1. Anything that’s wrong with it, like the peeling of paint or broken fence stands out.  
2. Needs higher maintenance to keep it looking clean and pristine. 
3. Doesn’t offer good contrast in snow-clad areas. 
4. If too much white fencing is used, the property can look denser, and more crowded.  

Pros of Black Horse Fencing Colour 

1. Black is a traditional fencing colour 
2. It makes your property look cohesive, even when used in abundance 
3. Blends in well with the landscape 
4. It is easier to maintain 
5. It helps define the boundary line without being intrusive 
6. Black is a minimalistic colour and projects elegance

Cons of Black Horse Fencing Colour

1. Black is a denser colour and might make smaller areas look congested 
2. Absorbs more heat. A glossy black finish will help reflect the sun rays off. 
3. In larger paddocks, black won’t define boundaries as brightly and clearly as white. 

Factors you must consider while choosing the colour for your horse fencing. 

The vision you have for your property 

It’s your horse property, your dream and the fencing should definitely match your vision. The first and the most important factor is which colour fencing YOU want to go ahead with. So, spend some time thinking about what you’re after. 

 If you have large horse property and are looking for an elegant, classy look with a minimalistic feel to the property, black would be a good option to consider.  

If you have a small boutique property and want to make it stand out and look larger, white might be the way to go. 

Location of your horse property 

For a long time, both white and black horse fencing has been a favourite of horse properties across Australia and New Zealand.  

If your property is in an area that gets snow, white is probably not the best option. It will blend in with the background during the winter months. Also, the striking beauty and high contrast of white are compromised if you are in a landscape that is susceptible to drying out and becomes browner. If you’re in a hilly area with lots of green, both black and white will offer you good contrast.  

The planning and availability for installation 

In all the years of selling the finest fencing solutions the majority of orders we have received are for Black fencing. This doesn’t mean that white isn’t great. Typically, the majority of people who own high-end horse properties choose black as their colour. Therefore, you will find most suppliers stock black horse fencing, while white is an order special. 

So, if you are short on time, black is probably the best and the most readily available option for you. In case you are planning in advance and have a considerable amount of time in hand, then you can get white as you desired.  

The budget for your horse fencing 

The cost of white and black Steel Horse Fencing from most suppliers is the same. But if you are planning to paint your Timber or Steel fences, then white is a more expensive option. 

The reason is simple. You need higher paint solids to turn a steel grey base of your Cattle Rail or brown base of your Timber into a brilliant vibrant white. The more paint solids there are, the higher the paint cost will be. 

For example, a 20 Litre Pail of Forever Black Timber Fence paint costs $212 while the same quantity of Forever White is $300.  

So, if budget is a concern for you, consider choosing Black. It’s cheaper to apply and more cost-effective to maintain. 

Black Fencing or White Fencing? Have you chosen the colour for your horse property? 

You have learnt about the importance of choosing the right colour for your fencing, the advantages and disadvantages of both black and white, and the factors that need to be considered before taking the final call on colour. Now you also know not to worry about your horses and stop wondering which colour is safer and more visible to them.  

Both black and white have their own personalities and qualities. No matter which colour fencing you choose, preparation and application is important to get the desired results. If you wish, you can learn more about the best practices to paint Timber Post and Rail fencing. So deep dive into a 7-step process that will help you get fabulous-looking horse fencing. 

If you have more questions on which colour fencing or which paint would be best for your property, you can book a one-on-one consultation. We would guide you based on your vision and location and do our best to help you choose the right fencing colour and create a stunning horse property.