How to Make an Outdoor Round Pen Footing

A round pen is an essential tool for the horse trainer. It allows the handler to exercise the horse while training, yet maintain control at all times. This combination makes training the horse easier, more efficient, and faster. In order to have the best outcome possible, it is important to have good footing for the horse to exercise in.

Things You'll Need

  • Sand
  • Tractor
  • Shovels
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Instructions

  1. Creating Good Footing in a Round Pen

    • 1

      Clear the round pen of any rocks or other large debris. In some cases where the ground is especially hard or packed, it maybe necessary to plow it with a tractor to loosen the soil and expose the rocks.

    • 2

      Make the round pen as level as possible, eliminating any holes, dips, or bumps. It may be necessary to move some earth to do this, and may require the use of tractors, shovels or other equipment.

    • 3

      Bring in loads of sand. This is usually done by the yard, and is most often brought in with pickup trucks or dump trucks. Sand is bought by the yard at a local dealer and delivered in bulk to your location.

    • 4

      Smooth the sand over the round pen to a depth of six inches or more. Make sure you distribute the sand as evenly as possible, and measure the depth to ensure sufficient footing is available.

    • 5

      Pack the sand down with your tractor or by hand with your shovels to create a firm, smooth surface. Ideally, after each workout, the rung should be smoothed again to maintain its level surface.