Far too often frustrated horse owners tell me that they can’t train at home because they don’t have the magical round pen. They went to a clinic and discovered that having this pen is a necessary part of “the” program. Undoubtedly a safe place to work a horse is important, but the modern emphasis on round pen training has left many horse owners feeling “facility inadequate”. Here are the most frequently asked questions I get from the website and various training clinics regarding round pens, along with my answers:
Is an enclosed place to work your horse important?
Most horse owners should not be out in the open with other loose horses present as an ideal training environment. It’s difficult at best to keep the horse being worked “safe” from the taunting of his pasture mates and focused on you without a physical barrier, all the while ensuring your own safety. In addition, I am a firm believer in allowing the horse an open space of his own, if possible, where we ask nothing else of him other than to just be himself. This practice drastically decreases the mental stress level of the working horse.
So what if you only have one pasture to work in? I suggest fencing in a spot just for work within that pasture. If that isn’t practical, remove all the other loose horses from the area while you work. Although it is the same physical space as the horse’s turnout, the dynamics of the environment change when all other horses are removed. Working around loose horses is generally not a safe situation for the at-home trainer.
Does size matter?
Size does matter when it comes to a working space. Areas that are too big may force the handler to move more than he wants to during groundwork, especially when working with a young horse or a schooled horse that has learned avoidance. Likewise, a space that is too small does not allow a horse to move easily from gait to gait or for you to keep a safe distance from a horse that is playing or otherwise “engaged” in doing something he shouldn’t be.
Must it be round?
NO! In fact, I advise people who are building a working pen NOT to design it round in shape. Along with this, a lot of owners don’t have the space or budget to build a “round” pen and a riding arena. The compromise can be one medium size oval pen that works for riding and groundwork. Even if you plan on building two spaces, I still advice against making one round. My experience is that people unintentionally misuse round pens and end up with leg and/or joint problems due to the stress of working a horse on an arc. Young, developing horses are especially prone to joint problems from moving on a constant circle. My own smaller breaking pen is a 50 x 70 oval. This allows for free lunging work to take place on an arc and on a straight wall. It also provides for substantial relief from bending and turning in one direction. In the real world, horses move on an arc and in straight lines.
Metal, plastic or wood?
This is a personal, budget, and need-related decision. I have used many different pen materials, my favorite being fiberglass rod on fiberglass posts recycled from oil drilling rigs. When you start a lot of horses you want something that’s sturdy, but tough and less apt to hurt the horse that challenges it. The fiberglass rod has a lot of give but simply doesn’t break. When a post breaks it still bounces back due to the cross supporting rods holding the pen’s shape.
I now have a wood pen that is also working really well. I used railroad ties as posts and have 2x8x8 planks as rail boards.
Metal is fine if it’s welded properly and permanent installed. I personally do not like temporary metal panels as a horse jumping into one panel ends up pulling several attached panels down and the wreck ends up being far bigger, more dramatic and usually more damaging than it had to be.
Other good options exist but whatever you choose, make sure it is tall enough for the type of horses you work and will stand up to the occasional, inevitable escape attempt or accident.
What about the gate?
After you invest a lot of time and money into fencing material don’t simply string a rope or chain across the opening. Choose a gate that, if challenged, is less likely to cause injury to the horse being worked. What I have found is that a horse who plans on making a challenge, usually attempts it at the gate….the weakest place in the pen. For this reason, I install steel sliding brackets above the gates on the gateposts where a board can be slid into place when I work an unfamiliar horse, or a horse with a history of jumping gates or fences. The board protects the horse from the gate and provides a better visual barrier.
Thoroughly examine any gate you are thinking of purchasing for areas that could cut a horse and for openings that could catch a leg or head. Once you bring it home, make sure it’s properly installed. Even the best gate is a hazard when installed incorrectly.
Should the horse be able to see outside the pen?
Pens that block all outside stimulus are what I call “sanitary”. I have actually heard people say that they need this type of pen in order to keep and hold the horse’s attention. If you need to have a total visual barrier in order to keep a horses attention you have a major gap in your training program. What happens to this horse when he is worked or ridden outside the pen? A physical barrier provides for safety during specific portions of a training program, a visual barrier is a shortcut to learning how to get and keep a horses attention. My favorite pen was situated on the bank of a large river. Frequently I would be climbing on a horse for the first time and a flock of geese would land or a water skier would glide by. I’ll never forget the show I attended where a palomino horse I had started was competing for the first time. It had rained for days and the middle of the arena was literally a pond. Right in the middle of the class a several ducks landed in the water….guess which horse didn’t miss a beat and won the class? In my opinion, the more stimuli the horse experiences while in the safety of the pen the better.