Exercise pens

[MotherOfChickens]

such as the e.g. Claydon sectional mesh ones-anyone know what they are like in the wind? I have used them many years ago but in balmy Newmarket and on grass. I was just wondering if one could be used with wood chip in the middle or a more permanent pea gravel base-with the panels taken down in big storms.

I have had some quotes of groundwork for a proper arena and for a pea gravel turnout and given the quoted cost of fencing something like that, this could be a viable alternative if it can withstand reasonable wind speeds? For turnout and a bit of in-hand work only.


I do not think Heras panels to be stable enough and my OH can't just knock up a fence-it's situated in a problematic place for posts-hence the big quote for arena fencing.

 

[Rhandir]

I have a Knights round pen www.roundpen.co.UK it has withstood all the wind in the West Wales coast and has not moved

 

[MotherOfChickens]

thanks-I had looked at them. Delivery is a bit expensive to Scotland though-understandably but still an extra few hundred to budget! good to know they withstand the wind and i like the sound of kick board kits too

 

[FfionWinnie]

What about cattle or alpaca hurdles? Can you put in any posts at all to stabilise it?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I looked at those before FfionWinnie, but I think once I factored in enough of them, it might just be easier to buy a complete pen? Especially if I can get one secondhand. I will have another look though, its a couple of years since I did, should be able to get them more locally at least!

The pen is to go on my front lawn. It seems to be a couple inches of topsoil covering a massive heap of hardcore (going on using posts and a rammer). Where its not hardcore, its gley which means (preferably) concreting in posts. There's also various drains running under it that we've not yet managed to map out.

I've had quote for putting in post and rail, and post and wire for a small (i.e. 20m x 15m) arena/paddock and it comes in at half the price of a pen plus shoving down 6 inches of wood chip or removing topsoil myself and sticking down pea gravel. Only worth it if that darn thing doesn't blow down at the drop of a hat (I am really exposed). I did have a post and rope area there this summer but after the first couple of storms it was worse for wear and I've taken it down.

If I had the money I would dig it all up, re do the soak away, relocate the septic and build a proper arena-but have had the quotes for that and I don't :/ So something more temporary would seem more convenient right now-as long as I can get some use out of it.

 

[FfionWinnie]

You might get cattle gates second hand locally.

Think I paid £60 plus vat per gate new and they are 2m long. You could make a square pen and just post the corners to make it immovable yet still temporary.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

such as the e.g. Claydon sectional mesh ones-anyone know what they are like in the wind? I have used them many years ago but in balmy Newmarket and on grass. I was just wondering if one could be used with wood chip in the middle or a more permanent pea gravel base-with the panels taken down in big storms.

I have had some quotes of groundwork for a proper arena and for a pea gravel turnout and given the quoted cost of fencing something like that, this could be a viable alternative if it can withstand reasonable wind speeds? For turnout and a bit of in-hand work only.


I do not think Heras panels to be stable enough and my OH can't just knock up a fence-it's situated in a problematic place for posts-hence the big quote for arena fencing.

Heras fencing is fine just dig the feet into the ground once the panels are in place. It is stable - we have had our round pen up 4 years so far no problem falling down in the wind it is all heras fencing

 

[MotherOfChickens]

You might get cattle gates second hand locally.

Think I paid £60 plus vat per gate new and they are 2m long. You could make a square pen and just post the corners to make it immovable yet still temporary.

yeah, that might work if I place it in a slightly different place than I was thinking. Local fencing supplier only lists cattle gates in 10s but they might sell them singly-I'll check out the local mart auctions as well.

 

[FfionWinnie]

yeah, that might work if I place it in a slightly different place than I was thinking. Local fencing supplier only lists cattle gates in 10s but they might sell them singly-I'll check out the local mart auctions as well.

Good luck. You would sell them easily if you found you didn't need them any more. I've got some that have been standing in my field for 3 or more years and they still look in new condition and I use them a lot for the cattle.

If you're in Scotland Davidsons Veterinary supplies are very competitive for gates.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

cool, thanks for the info

 

[Feival]

PLEASE don't use mesh fencing on a pen if you plan to turnout in it. They are not safe and my horse had a horrible accident in one.

 

[Lanky Loll]

We use two Claydon pens put together to surround our turn out pen. They work well and have never had a problem with them blowing over so long as it's a complete circle - all joined up IYSWIM. Recently we've taken it down and used it to fence the horses off of the new school that's in construction, and because it's being used as a length rather than a circle it's been tricky in the recent high winds to keep it up right; used as it's designed to be it's fine.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

PLEASE don't use mesh fencing on a pen if you plan to turnout in it. They are not safe and my horse had a horrible accident in one.

WHOOPSIE

We have had a mare in our round pen for 1 year due to tendon issue and she has been perfectly safe in it.

 

[Feival]

I will find you a picture of Buzz's face, he is not the first to seriously damage himself in these bloody things!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

We use two Claydon pens put together to surround our turn out pen. They work well and have never had a problem with them blowing over so long as it's a complete circle - all joined up IYSWIM. Recently we've taken it down and used it to fence the horses off of the new school that's in construction, and because it's being used as a length rather than a circle it's been tricky in the recent high winds to keep it up right; used as it's designed to be it's fine.

thats great thanks, the Claydons were very useful on the rehab yard I worked on.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I will find you a picture of Buzz's face, he is not the first to seriously damage himself in these bloody things!

sorry to hear about Buzz, was this a purpose made pen like a Claydon?