# Round Pen Design



## hzlanep (Oct 3, 2017)

I recently saw a picture of a round pen with rubber mat siding. Does anyone know where the rubber siding can be purchased? It sounds like a great idea to put over a slotted fence so a leg can't go through.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Some use old broken belts from a mining operation...like conveyor belting.

Those belts can be bought at auctions...usually several hundred feet in length at a time.
:runninghorse2:....
_jmo..._


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## hzlanep (Oct 3, 2017)

horselovinguy said:


> Some use old broken belts from a mining operation...like conveyor belting.
> 
> Those belts can be bought at auctions...usually several hundred feet in length at a time.
> :runninghorse2:....
> _jmo..._



Is there a minimum thickness I should use?


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

My roundpen is made of fence posts with a single top rail all the way around. It obviously doesn't work for ponies because they can slip under but works fine for the bigger horses. I did have a horse trip and fall in the roundpen and she hit the fence. She hit the field wire in the corner and it bent on impact. She was fine. Had she hit a solid fence, she might not have been so lucky. Of course that was a freak accident.

I do not like rails in a roundpen. When I was horse shopping, i came across a nice paint who had put a leg through the roundpen and tore a ligament. Obviously i passed on that horse. 

My roundpen is safe and if for some reason I do have a horse that might go through it, i can always use a lunge line. I could always add one more rail if needed. But it was cheap and works for me. Right now, it is being used as a paddock when it gets really muddy out. 

I made my round pen extra large because i wanted to be able to canter a young horse in it without making a tiny circle. Most round pens are too small, in my opinion. I would definitely consider how big you want your round pen to be.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I don't know...
If you buy used you get what the company used for their line to move material from the pit to their holding area...
Not sure how thick it would be but it holds tons of weight by the nature of what it is made to do in mining operations.
I found you these...
_https://www.repurposedmaterialsinc.com/used-conveyor-belt-used-conveyor-belting_
_https://www.americansurplus.com/used-equipment/used-conveyor/used-belt-conveyor/_
There were a lot more to choose from...these were just near the top of the list...
Happy shopping.
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


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## hzlanep (Oct 3, 2017)

4horses said:


> My roundpen is made of fence posts with a single top rail all the way around. It obviously doesn't work for ponies because they can slip under but works fine for the bigger horses. I did have a horse trip and fall in the roundpen and she hit the fence. She hit the field wire in the corner and it bent on impact. She was fine. Had she hit a solid fence, she might not have been so lucky. Of course that was a freak accident.
> 
> I do not like rails in a roundpen. When I was horse shopping, i came across a nice paint who had put a leg through the roundpen and tore a ligament. Obviously i passed on that horse.
> 
> ...



I'm planning for a solid wall up to 4', which is what I want to cover with the rubber matting. After that, there will be one top railing at either 5' or 6'. I haven't decided for sure yet. I've had a yearling put legs through the non-solid ones before and have never been so terrified in my life as back then. The first found pen will be 50' and will only be used for weanlings and yearlings to learn to long-line. I will be adding another later of a larger dimension for light riding. I was thinking maybe 75' for that one. Opinions on that size?


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## hzlanep (Oct 3, 2017)

Also, in the construction, how thick should the wood siding be? Would 2X4s work?


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

hzlanep said:


> Also, in the construction, how thick should the wood siding be? Would 2X4s work?


 Have you picked up a stall mat lately?
The thinner ones?
They're heavy and bulky...
You need to attach this stuff securely to something...
I would be looking more at 4"x6"x8' minimum with you referring to solid wall of 4' high...
That is a lot of weight, a lot of torque on "thinner" boards...
I might even be happier with 6"x6"x8' and not landscaping timbers but posts, true posts.
:runninghorse2:... 
_jmo..._


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## hzlanep (Oct 3, 2017)

horselovinguy said:


> Have you picked up a stall mat lately?
> The thinner ones?
> They're heavy and bulky...
> You need to attach this stuff securely to something...
> ...


Lol, I haven't. We're in the process of building our barn, and my family just had pasture horses growing up. XD


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

My round pen is 85'. It's a good size to ride in and work colts a horseback but in my opinion, too big for doing things a foot and to work a cow in. 

Mine is also solid sided. Railroad tie posts, 4 rails with 6' × 7.5" × 1" thick rough cut lumber screwed to the rails. The bottom foot and half is lined with .5" thick conveyor belting to keep the sand from leaking out the cracks. When doing this be aware, it comes with some maintenance. The sand needs to pulled away from the wall regularly and spread. If not, it will eventually pull the top of your sides in and the bottoms out even though the bottom rails are spaced fairly close to help prevent that from happening. Also allow for drainage. Before winter hits I dig a hole under the solid walls and try to level the sand the best I can . Itll help with drainage and not losing your sand out your drain hole.

If you go with solid sides pen you don't have to worry about hanging a lot of the conveyor belt. It gets heavy, especially the stuff I have. I do have some 1/8"? That's not too bad in weight.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Our horse corral has the belting on the lower half. It works great and I love it, but major pain in the tail to put up. As much as I love it I would be hesitant to do it again.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

hzlanep said:


> Also, in the construction, how thick should the wood siding be? Would 2X4s work?


That's a LOT of timber, if you're going to make a decent sized yard. If you're going to use conveyor belt rubber(go see a factory, see what they do with their old) or some such, you don't need the fence behind to be solid too. Rubber attached to the posts & to simple rails top & bottom.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

hzlanep said:


> The first found pen will be 50' and will only be used for weanlings and yearlings to learn to long-line. I will be adding another later of a larger dimension for light riding. I was thinking maybe 75' for that one. Opinions on that size?


Be very light riding, stuck in a 75' pen. I'd go the 50' & an arena, half or full sized for light riding, if you feel the need for an enclosed area. Or when you don't have the funds, like me, choose a bit of the paddock to fence off & call it an arena.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

It would be easier and cheaper to fasten heavyweight tarpaulin sheets around the inside or small hole mesh fence that's tough enough to stand up to a hoof hitting it but not big enough for the hoof to go through it.


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

Here's one I found online. They used wood from pallets. 
A long time ago we had one made from split rails and the lower level had the rails stacked on each other. It held up for years of wind and snow.


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

Doesn't look like the pictureade it, I'll try again


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

A pallet is made from cheap, splintery material. A horse would go through it easily and tear himself up in the process. If you ride in it, and you brush up against it, you face a nasty splinter in your leg, too. 

If you want a really nice wooden one, look up Great Oak Equine-- right now, if you buy a solid-bottom round pen, you get it delivered anywhere for $199. I saw these at a horse expo. They are built really well, portable, and the guy that sells/makes them is great to work with. The panels are solid, safe, and can be moved if you decide to relocate the pen, or turn it into stalls or a corral or add more panels to make a larger one. I'd be all over these if I could afford it.

http://www.greatoakequine.com/ -- he's on FB, too. 

My current round pen is pipe panel. When I start colts in it, I zip tie 3/4" plywood around the bottom part so a horse can't hang a leg in it. Right now my horses are older and hobble broke, so if they would happen to fall, they won't panic. I have the wood stacked in the barn to protect it from the elements. It would only take about an hour to put it back on if needed.


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## Hackamore (Mar 28, 2014)

In theory the pallets will work fine, but I don't suggest using the steel fence post as shown in the photo. You or a horse could get impaled on one of those. Regardless of material it needs to be a safe environment. 
I have worked out round pens made from all kinds of materials and the results are the same, because the pen does not train the horse. With pens that are lower in height and open you just need to be more aware of the horses state of mind and how much pressure you put on them.


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

4horses said:


> My roundpen is made of fence posts with a single top rail all the way around. It obviously doesn't work for ponies because they can slip under but works fine for the bigger horses. I did have a horse trip and fall in the roundpen and she hit the fence. She hit the field wire in the corner and it bent on impact. She was fine. Had she hit a solid fence, she might not have been so lucky. Of course that was a freak accident.
> 
> I do not like rails in a roundpen. When I was horse shopping, i came across a nice paint who had put a leg through the roundpen and tore a ligament. Obviously i passed on that horse.
> 
> ...


Agree with this^^^

The best round pen I ever used was 100 foot diameter and made from split rail fencing. Two rails with the top one at about 3 feet. Occasionally had a taller horse jump out when free lunging, since the whole area was in a larger fence it didn't really matter. The rails would pop out easily enough that no one (horse or human) would get badly hurt and it was large enough to ride in for most purposes. 

Have seen horses drag those metal round pens around and cause a lot of damage.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

"Have seen horses drag those metal round pens around and cause a lot of damage."

Yes, lol, If one is going to bounce colts off the panels you'd think they'd screw them down by at least putting in some t-posts on the outside and wiring the panels to the posts.

Tall solid walls really does discourage an effort to jump out. There has been some broncs been started in our roundpen(not by me!) with no issues. However we replaced a gate and didn't hang anything on it and a corriente steer ended up wearing it running down the driveway...lol


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