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Monty Roberts Equus Online University
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My Join-Up® Experience

Making a round pen

By:
Rahni (Sydney, Australia)
Date:
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed

I am thinking of building a round pen this year. Do any of you know roughly how many panels (Like the ones Monty uses) are needed to build one? I understand that will depend on how big the panels are (according to manufacture etc), but a rough guide is all I am after right now, so I can budget accordingly.
Thanks!

ruthy - Gold Coast, Australia
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed

I think Monty uses a 15m diametre round pen, which would be about 47 metres circumference if that helps!

Miriam (Holland&Germany)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed

Hi Rahni and Ruthy,
I think it also depends on the size of the horses you intend to work with.
When we build the roundpen for the Arabians, we first planned 18m diameter, laid it out and saw it was way too big. We came up with 16m and are very content with the size. This would be somewhat over 50 m circumference.
Should you be working with bigger horses it's a good idea to measure and try before you decide anything. You as a person will have to be able to cover the pen walking as well, so laying out the size with ropes is a good start. Place stick in the middle and have a 8 meter rope show you where the outside would be. You'll be surprised...
Miriam

Rahni (Sydney, Australia)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed

Thanks everyone :) I hadn't thought of mapping out the circle first, thanks Miriam.
I currently have to 10hh ponies, but intend on buying a much larger horse for me to ride at some point this year. So I am guessing I'm going to have to buy extra panels so I can adjust the pen size accordingly.
I'll let you know how I go!

nah1
Please upload your photo

this was very helpful for me too! :-) I have two horses, one an ex racehorse who is a bit 'girthy' and jumpy. My big boy is a percheron who was left to stand in a field and eat. He is kind and very affectionate, but I would like to develop a more natural relationship with him. When I hear people using expressions like use a dutch gag on her, I feel very uncomfortable. So the pen is my very first purchase, I want to begin my relationship with my horses the right way first, so thank you for posting!!

Rudi - Pratteln, Switzerland
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed

I think the most important issue is security. You either build a very strong round pen or you put it into a bigger place where the horses cannot escape. I have recently seen a very light type of round pen that works very well on quiet horses (and trainers). One of the horses destroyed it completely. That was no big problem because it was inside a very secure place.
Rudi

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed

You seem to have all the advice you need here now. I have just about completed my round yard for my shetland as a safe place for my grandchildren - it has taken me almost all year to make as I have had many disruptions. It is a pine post and hardwood rail round yard but only 13 metres in diameter - it was meant to be 15 but the dirt digging guy who flattened the area short changed me somewhat and 13 was as much as I could squeeze out of the area he left. It has 14 panels at 2.5 metres long plus a 3 metre entrance. I have chosen to use just a sand cover - ititially I hoped to use sand and sawdust so that it would be softer to land on but it is under gum trees and it would be too difficult to rake up the leaves and twigs on sawdust.

Rahni (Sydney, Australia)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed

Thanks everyone! Wonderful advice :)
I agree Ruedi! At present I have a rather flimsy round pen that my two ponies keep escaping from, thus my original question, I need a STRONG one lol!
I want to use cattle panels (is that what they are called?) like Monty has for his demos (or similar), because I want to be able to move it and adjust it's size.

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed

Sounds a great idea Rahni and should work really well as long as you have flat ground to move them around on.

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed

If you have a measure of the panels first then you can calculate how many you will need for your variation in sizes.

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