Talk to me of roundpens

Enfys

Enfys

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Opinions, experiences.

This silly topic has kept me awake half the night for some reason
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As I have two youngsters in I was debating getting a roundpen which would be easier (for lunging/backing etc) than using a half acre paddock or would it?

Do you have/use one?
Are they useful or a faddy waste of space?
Best size?
Best material?

As always, your opinions and experiences would be appreciated, Thankyou.
 
New yard has one (they breed arabs so right up your street Enfys...) its not large enough to loose school in but is big enough to do groundwork in, and also I assume it is good for weaning? Its a steel mesh one.
 
I have a Claydon galvanised steel 12 metre diameter one.

I bought it to turn my youngerster out in because he was eating too much grass in the field and kept jumping out!

I then used it for groundwork and handling, but he was sent away to be backed so I didn't use it for that.

Unfortunately I lost my youngerster about six months ago. However, I still ue the round pen to put the companion pony out in when I turn my other horse out (so that pony can't eat too much or kick horse).

Although they are quite expensive to buy, I had an ex-demonstration one so got 20% of the RRP.

I think that they are really useful for restricting grazing and handling in, but they are a bit small for lunging and backing. I suppose that you could buy some extra panels though, so that you could make it as big as you need!
 
round pens are great for loose lunging, ground work, turnout for a roll etc, not big enuf for jumping tho but a great safe area for all types of work with youngsters esp if your into natural horsemanship as well
 
I really am humming and hawing over this, and the more I think about it the less I know what to do, a case of 'the more you read, the less you know'. Space is no problem, I can put it in half a dozen places, surface is not a problem either, in that we have about an inch of topsoil over sand in some places, I have acres of sand arena basically (sadly)

It would be convenient for lunging, but I don't do much of that with the older horses, it's just the youngsters who I think would benefit from having a smaller space, they get distracted in the half acre paddock.

Then I think, but what a waste of money, that $2500-3000 would see my lot through the entire year. I already have a smallish paddock (40m x 80m) that is useless for grazing, and I could just section off one end of that as a smaller schooling/exercise pen. I did read that actually a square pen (Picadero do they call them in Spain?) is regarded as more useful by some anyway.

Also........what else can round pens be used for? I have turn out paddocks so don't really need another one. I can't see that they would be big enough to ride in properly, I mean, my daughter can't put up many jumps or barrels in it. It's only for us too, perhaps if I had boarders who did things with their horses then it would be an investment.

gah........I'm just going to go and boil my head!

Prittstick........how lovely, all those pretty faces to see every day. I love my little mare, I couldn't be without an arab somewhere around the place.
 
How about building one rather than buying one?
Nearly all the round pens I've ever come across have been made of wood, more of an octagon than actually round but they still do the job fine. The best ones are made out of old railway sleepers, though any form of sturdy panelling would do the job.
I'm sure you have lots of timber out there
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I'd love one personally, but can't really afford to give up the space. Already having an arena, a roundpen would be a extravagence. I do a lot of groundwork and will have a youngster to start, so it's not even as though it wouldn't get used.
Maybe I'll get one eventually - the same time as I get my horse walker, gallops, XC schooling fences, horse swimming pool, solarium.... That'll be never then!
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Blimey I picked up about 17 panels of Herris fencing (the tall fencing used by builders to secure building sites etc) secondhand through the local freeads. All feet and joints included and it cost me £10 per panel. It works fantastically and is very secure. I use mine for groundwork with youngsters etc but could be used for many more things.
 
I have a 65ft diameter round pen - wouldn't be without it! It is fantastic for youngsters; helps them focus on all the groundwork you teach them; makes life a bit easier for them as it is a confined area. If you have a wild horse, there is nothing better than a round pen to start working on them. When I move on to ridden work, I find that teaching movements and neck reining etc. seems to come to them quicker in there than out in an open field. I do find they concentrate more.

I wouldn't advise buying one any smaller than 60ft diameter though as you will very quickly outgrow it. I had a 45ft one in England and it was fine for lunging (but I hardly ever lunge) but that was about all it was good for, so not much use to me.

I also wouldn't buy one of those lightweight galvanised ones - they just aren't up to the job. I have a heavy steel one which goes absolutely nowhere when I have a wild horse in there crashing about. If you build it in wood then I'd advise using cedar rails, locked together (that was what my first one here was made of - they look great!) and to a height of at least 5ft, preferably closer to 6ft. If you are using regular wood, make sure you don't use hemlock as this shards. Any wooden round pen needs to be much taller than a metal one, although my metal one is probably just under 5ft tall.

Our base is 4 inches of 5/8ths stone then 4 inches of screenings on top and then finally 5 inches of masonry sand, which is low dust.

All of my boarders use the round pen, Megan uses it loads and loads and I actually use it much more than I would have imagined. I think they are definitely worth the investment.
 
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