We made one out of the same mesh fencng we used for our dogs and chicken fenceing, and used T-posts. We also added that orange plastic "snow" fencing so my mare could see it well. We made a gate out of a cattle panel. It is not my dream round pen, but it will do until we can afford to put up a real one. It works, anyway. It took me three tries, but I finally got join-up. And it didn't cost us a penny. I just wish I could have some sand in it, because she likes to eat the grass...but with the colder weather coming, the grass won't be an issue much longer. Then, by spring we should be able to get sand in there before the grass comes up again.

Cheers thanks for that will give that a try

I just made a pen from PBC pipping. Each fence was ten feet long fence with 4 longs pipes running horizontally and 2 vertical. Then I just put them together. It was is light so I can move them and I just tie them together. So if you are looking for something a little more, try this.

Yes, you should be able to. My riding ring is just electric fence (which I turn off while riding!) and is actually part of the paddock. It is rectangular, so not the best situation for join up, and kind of small but I still managed to join up with both my horses in it. Of course, I am looking foward to the day when I can have a larger area, but I'm lucky to have any riding area right now so I make do with what I have. Good luck!

I don't have a round pen to do join up, my 3 year old still loves to follow me around the paddock. Is it still ok to use the dually halter to try to teach him a little manners while leading and for the farrier?

@Hevafram Perfect use of the Dually - yes!

Thanks i've been dying to give it a go!

I have an L shaped turnout and a back pen with shelter on a half acre for both my 3 ur old and 9 ur old. I use the big L shaped paddock as turn out while I'm at work. I was able to use that area to get join up wiyh both my horses. The only problem is my screen porch cause my 3 year old likes to tear the screams. Lol. I can't bear to leave them in the small pen all day so another torn screen. Oh well, I love my ponies!

Pre-requisite: horses that are familiar with electric fences.
Given that, you can make a very functional round pen quite easily with a set of electric deer fence posts and tape (not stranded wire). My round pen has six panels, rather than the 12 that Monty uses, for economy and to simplify putting it up (obviously 12 is better), is 50' wide between the center of opposite panels, and uses only two tapes. I run a Viper battery powered fence unit that puts out about 8,000V on the pen the whole time including when I'm working with the horses in the pen. With practice, one can lift up a steel post with power on and move it to lead a horse into and out of the pen.

I used this pen to learn and practice dual line longing with a 16-yr old TB mare who had probably not had this done ever, but learned fast, as did I, then gentled a 5-yr old TB who had never been ridden with the entire Monty Roberts process, the first horse I ever trained and found it a great experience. (This horse now runs to me when I go into the paddock and follows me everywhere.)

Obviously this electric pen is not ideal, and should not be used unless you have no alternative, no other area available to you, insufficient space (and no suitable hay bales which provide a much safer alternative), and you simply cannot afford any other type of round pen.

You do need to be careful not to fling the long lines over the electric tape because you can pull it down if you are not careful. The risks are apparent, but can be minimized with care.

Of course it is not all-weather, and the footing is pasture so you will be greatly restricted by the weather as to when it is safe to use the pen, unless you make it free standing and therefore easily able to be moved, rather than part of a fence you want to leave there all the time.

I've only ever seen one horse that grew up with electric fences go out under the wire, and that was a young colt when I tried to wean him by putting him in my round pen. He only stayed there about 20 minutes, so I put him and his Mum in with a couple of other mares until the little guy made friends with the others, then led his Mum out and he stayed put. (We have electric fences everywhere.)

Correction! My pen has 12 panels and I guess Monty's has about twice that.

I think the important thing is safety. One must be sure that the horse can not escape or will not even try to escape. Long lining on a surface bigger than the radius of the lines is much more difficult and has also the risk that the horse can escape.