# Round Penning



## JamieH (Mar 3, 2010)

Horses can be worked in a round pen probably at around 2 months. The only difference is the intensity. Also round pens weren't designed to chase horses around till they get tired and give in. Use it to make them think. The only difference in a round pen and a square pen is that round pens don't have corners for horses to get hung up in. Round pens are good for any sort of work with any aged horse, even if its used as a place to just brush them off in.
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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Personally, I like to use a roundpen if I have access to one with good footing and one that is a decent size. 

They;re good for introducing new things, practicing things, dealing with behavioral issues under saddle, foals, backing/starting horses, auto-pilot, etc. 

I don't lunge them in the round pen until they're much much older.. like 2-3 yrs. But that's just me.


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## Cintillate (Jan 8, 2012)

Reading the responses. I don't have a round pen. So if I do have to do something like round penning it takes a lot of physical effort on my part. :lol: Would like one, makes life easier.


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## Scoutrider (Jun 4, 2009)

I don't have a roundpen myself, but I do have permission to access one on a neighbor's property if I should need it. I've never had to take them up on the offer. I've always done groundwork with my own horses on a long line in a regular arena or open field, or at liberty in an arena. 

I can imagine that a properly set-up roundpen would be very helpful in the earliest stages of colt starting. It'd provide a controlled environment in which to introduce the tack and rider; small enough that the horse can't run away, large enough to get his feet properly moving when the time comes. For an older or better broke horse, most anything that could be done in a roundpen can be done equally well on a lungeline.


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## NeuroticMare (Jan 8, 2012)

Circles are very hard on young horse's growing joints. I used a very large round pen when my boy was younger (2ish), but would never do that now that I know better. I do not use round pens now, period.


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## LynnF (Jun 1, 2011)

I will use the roundpen with my long yearlings, I don't do anything more than a walk but I introduce them to the concept of moving around/away from me. I also will teach them to move their front and hinds separately and eventually start the side pass at this age. I use the roundpen as an area to introduce new things, halter breaking, sacking out etc. I don't start free lunging my horses at more than a walk until they are late in their 2 year old summer and even then I keep it very short and simple.


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## JamieH (Mar 3, 2010)

Like I said before, you can use a round pen for a horse of any age, as long as you don't work a horse the is 4 months like a 4 year old. Putting a young horse in a round pen doesn't have an adverse effect on any part of a horse. Joint issuse most likely arise from over stress to the joint. As well as muscle, tendon, and other bone issuses. Round pens don't have to be intense work out with sweat dirt and hair flying. Correctly used, round pens are great tools.
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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

JamieH said:


> The only difference in a round pen and a square pen is that round pens don't have corners


:lol::lol: What awesome powers of observation you have!!:wink:

I don't personally get the hype with having a pen sans corners. Having corners just means you have to be more careful to be clear about your signals, so they don't get 'hung up' in them:wink:. Come to think of it, think I prefer corners, yards with obstacles, etc for that reason too. I too don't like the idea of 'round penning', as some do it, forcing a horse to run 'away' from you in circles until it 'submits'.



> Reading the responses. I don't have a round pen. So if I do have to do something like round penning it takes a lot of physical effort on my part. :lol: Would like one, makes life easier.


I just don't get what's so good about a round pen - what is it about them that you think would make for less effort from you?

I agree, that if you're not running a horse in circles, then a pen is fine for a horse of any age, but if you're intending to lunge your horse, I'd wait until it's reasonably mature to do more than a little slow trotting, build up to hard work gradually & be conscious of & careful to avoid too much wear & tear from work that is hard on joints... & mind too, in unhelpful ways, IMO!


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## JamieH (Mar 3, 2010)

"I too don't like the idea of 'round penning', as some do it, forcing a horse to run 'away' from you in circles until it 'submits'."
Proper use of a round pen doesn't entail chasing your horse until it submits. ;-D
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

JamieH said:


> "I too don't like the idea of 'round penning', as some do it, forcing a horse to run 'away' from you in circles until it 'submits'."
> Proper use of a round pen doesn't entail chasing your horse until it submits. ;-D
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Well I'd have to agree with you on that too, but not everyone does :wink:


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

loosie said:


> I don't personally get the hype with having a pen sans corners.
> 
> 
> I just don't get what's so good about a round pen - what is it about them that you think would make for less effort from you?


Personally.. I love a big big big round pen. Like over 50 ft in diameter. But it's hard to get close work (like handling, teaching to yield, etc.) done.

I like _round_ pens because there is better flow. I don't feel boxed in.. I feel like I have more space. My horse and I do find in rectangular or square enclosures too. 

But to me a roundpen is useful because the horse can see where you are, the horse has enough room to move but not excess that he can avoid you at all costs. To me it's just an efficient working space. But I mean I do just fine working with my horse in the large indoor or the outdoor.. but at first we did spend a lot of time in the round pen. 

Does that make sense?


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

I never had a round pen until we moved here and put one up and I love it. The one I have is 50' which is great to ride in, but I would dearly love a smaller one for working with the babies.

I love using mine for free work, to be able to desensitize without having hold or restrain them. I LOVE the fact that there are no corners, it means that we don't get 'stuck' in a lesson, but keep forward movement.

I like it when I'm riding a youngster or a re starter because again I don't have to worry about a runaway, so I can concentrate on forward.


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## NeuroticMare (Jan 8, 2012)

Skyseternalangel said:


> Personally.. I love a big big big round pen. Like over 50 ft in diameter. But it's hard to get close work (like handling, teaching to yield, etc.) done.
> 
> I like _round_ pens because there is better flow. I don't feel boxed in.. I feel like I have more space. My horse and I do find in rectangular or square enclosures too.
> 
> ...


No, doesn't make any sense, actually.

A square or round pen can be any size, one does not box you in more than the other. A horse can see where you are regardless, unless you are directly in front of him or directly behind him, which can happen in any shape of space.

Round pens are made for the ease of the human, not the horse. It is difficult on a horse's body to be turning every step of any entire workout. Ideally, a young horse should be started on the trails, not in a round pen. Mine was  It's easier on their joints, their body, and their mind.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

NeuroticMare said:


> but I can't stand to see people "round penning" their horse, the horse is bent to the outside and not going correctly, sometimes legs and body parts are hitting the rail. It's sloppy and not doing anything to help the horse.


Just because you see someone "round penning" their horse in a certain way you aren't fond of, doesn't mean that's how everyone does it.

I do not run my horse around and around and around. He isn't pinned to the "rail" he is free to move wherever. I use it as one space to sack him out. Sometimes I would take him in there to teach him something new like to yield to pressure, to do a turn on the haunches, turn on the forehand, a sidepass, leg yield, backing up, etc. 

Now have I lunged my horse in a round pen? Yes when he wasn't my horse. Now I either lunge him on a lunge line for 15 or so minutes or free lunge him if I'm going to in the indoor, outdoor, open field, on a hill, whatever. 

I don't care if you don't like my opinion. I'm not here to please anyone. But I like a large roundpen and my horse doesn't seem to mind it. I rather be on trails but we have an indoor and days like this, I use it.


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## sierrams1123 (Jul 8, 2011)

I love a round pen, I recommend if you do get on to get a 60 ft round pen. Being on the bigger size will help when you use it for riding.
I would not start any round pen work until a year old, you want to let them be a foal and allow the bigger horses to teach him things.
I would do any work before that in the pasture, just the normal halter lead stuff and basic ground work.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Firstly, not trying to debate whether people should or shouldn't use/like round pens at all, just telling what I personally feel...



Skyseternalangel said:


> Personally.. I love a big big big round pen. Like over 50 ft in diameter. But it's hard to get close work (like handling, teaching to yield, etc.) done.


I don't get why you need a smaller or round area to do that. Why is it hard to do close work in a large area? I actually start handling & teaching yielding in the paddock or a large area at least & only move to a small enclosure once I've established some good trust & understanding first.



> But to me a roundpen is useful because the horse can see where you are, the horse has enough room to move but not excess that he can avoid you at all costs.


Never had a problem myself with horses seeing me or having room to move when there are corners or a big arena or paddock. I would personally take a horse avoiding me at all cost as information suggesting I may be approaching things the wrong way. I wouldn't want to be in an environment that it wasn't possible for the horse to tell me how he's feeling in that way. I don't personally like an environment that forces a horse to stay close to you regardless of how they feel about it & tend to avoid these environments where possible until such time as a horse is trusting & understanding of you enough that it's not an issue.

Oh, but re people wishing they had a small area, for practicality, portability and cost, don't reckon you can go past a bit of elec fence tape & some tread-ins! We can all have a round - or square pen for well under $100 then.... so long as you don't live on rock or concrete anyway!


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

loosie said:


> I don't get why you need a smaller or round area to do that. Why is it hard to do close work in a large area? I actually start handling & teaching yielding in the paddock or a large area at least & only move to a small enclosure once I've established some good trust & understanding first.


I see where you're coming from. However I haven't used a round pen in a long time. I actually do all of my work in the large indoor or the large outdoor. But at the time, when I used a round pen, I found it more useful. I was learning how to lunge, I was learning how to read a horse. A smaller area worked for our purpose because after handling the horse, I could let them loose without too much space for there to be any confusion. When I did use them, I found the round pen useful. I don't "need" a smaller or round arena, I just preferred it at the time. Now that I have a better grasp of what to do and the horse understands my body language and what I ask (we have an understanding) we can flourish in any size arena with or without a lunge line.

I was taught in a round pen. I spent the summer days learning how to keep my body in line with the horse's shoulder and ask them to move on. That is where my trainer put me, until I had my own horse then I taught him wherever the heck I put him. I only went back to the round pen if there was a problem like bolting (my trainer made me ride in there until it was better) or if there wasn't any other space to work in (the barn we moved to was very crowded.) Anyway I'm not going to justify myself. My horse is structurally sound, mentally healed, he's very smart, and we are both fine. I do what works, not what other people like though I am very open minded.



> Oh, but re people wishing they had a small area, for practicality, portability and cost, don't reckon you can go past a bit of elec fence tape & some tread-ins! We can all have a round - or square pen for well under $100 then.... so long as you don't live on rock or concrete anyway!


I board, I can't go building up fences and whatnot on property that isn't mine, so that isn't an option. I use what I got and I do what's best for my horse and myself. Maybe one day when I have my own property


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Skyseternalangel said:


> I board, I can't go building up fences and whatnot on property that isn't mine, so that isn't an option. I use what I got and I do what's best for my horse and myself. Maybe one day when I have my own property


Ditto to my horses not being on my property & this is precisely why I use tape & tread-ins rather than a more permanent affair. Takes literally 3 mins to put up/pack up, wherever you like!:wink:


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

If you are planning that the mare and foal will live in the pen rather that out in pasture, the foal won't develop it's muscles and balance as it should. If you are separating them from other horses, the foal doesn't learn valuable social skills. If your mare is approachable, then take her a few treats and ignore the foal but let it check you out. Try sitting on the ground. This is the time to offer little touches. He'll likely scoot off but at least it's experienced your touch and nothing bad happened. If you do this daily you will soon be able to touch it all over and foals always seem to have itchy spots. As part of your time with the foal get it used to wrapping your arms around it's chest and also hindquarters. This is laying the groundwork should it ever have to be restrained. If you do all this in a big pasture where it can run off then return you are building trust which is much better than compliance.


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