Ideas for an Equine Round Pen or Corral

The round pen is a useful tool for working and teaching horses. The pen is a safe and enclosed area intended to keep a horse's attention while instruction and bonding techniques are used. Round pens are safe due to the lack of corners and the high wall which diminishes the possibility of the horse attempting to jump over it. The round pen is also useful for riding work as well as a temporary paddock for new or injured horses requiring a small turn-out area. Round pens are usually 50 feet to 100 feet in diameter, but you can make your own pen to suit your budget, use up "found" materials or to fit a desired size and use. Pens should be high enough to prevent the horse from trying to jump out. This would be at 5 1/2 feet high for most horses or higher for nervous, feral or large horses.

  1. Round Bales

    • Use old round bales of hay to build a pen. This pen is sturdy, relatively long lasting and easy to build. Map out the desired diameter of the round pen (working/riding pens should not be smaller than 50 feet in diameter), and set the bales along the outside of that dimension. Set the bales flat-side down with the sides touching. Use a tractor or roll the bales into place. Use care when rolling or setting bales as they are very heavy and can cause serious injury. This type of pen is an excellent windbreak as well.

    Panels

    • Use pieces of plywood to build a panel pen. Set posts into the desired diameter. Use cement to set posts if necessary. Screw the plywood panels into the posts. The top of the panel should be at or just above the horse's eye level. Use a brace pole across the top and another slanted across the back of the panel for added security, if necessary for stability. This panel pen is useful for windy or busy areas as the horse cannot see out. Instead of plywood, this pen can also be built using close-set boards, close enough so that a horse cannot catch or get a leg through the gaps. If bamboo is readily available, this can be used instead of plywood or boards.

    Stockade Fencing

    • Construct a pen using stockade fencing. This type of round pen is stable and useful for nervous or remedial horses, as it cannot be not seen through. Follow the specific manufacturer recommendations for installing and securing this type of fencing.

    Post and Board

    • Set the posts into the ground along the diameter of the pen. Use concrete to set post ends if necessary to prevent post lurching. Connect fencing tape using electric fence tape brackets or screw boards to the posts. Never use electric wire or electrified fence in a round pen as this is unsafe and can cause the horse to panic and become injured or cause an accident.