How to Build a Round Equine Pen

Remove stumps, rocks, trees, grass, and bushes from the area. Clear at least one foot more then the desired diameter of the round pen. For example, you would clear 41 feet of land or a 40-foot round pen or 51 feet for a 50-foot pen..

Prepare the surface of the pen by leveling the land. Depending on the expected demand on the round pen, your budget and soil consistency, a bulldozer can be used to compact the soil and 6 inches of added stone to create a solid foundation for the footing material. If you have a strict budget, till the soil---do-it-yourself stores usually rent tillers---until the surface contains four inches of loose soil and skip the next step. Footing can be added after completion of the round pen.

Add footing to the pen's surface. Options include soil, sand, rubber, stone dust, or wood products. Ideally, mix more than one footing material. In the PennState College of Agricultural Sciences Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension Bulletin, "Horse Facilities 6: Riding Arena Footing Material Selection and Management", authors Professor Eileen Gabian Wheeler and Restless Winds Farm manager, Jennifer Zajaczkowshi states that "sand and wood product combination has been used successfully at The Pennsylvania State University and in many private arenas." The bulletin further recommends a mixture of---amounts reduced for a 50-foot pen---3/5 ton of sand and 1/3 cubic yards of sawdust.

Dig or till post holes two to three feet deep. Create the post holes between four to 10 feet apart. The exact distance depends on the number of posts desired and length of rails, but the spot for the gate should be at least eight feet wide. To determine the number of posts needed and distance apart, multiply the diameter by 3.14, which results in the circumference. Divide the circumference by the length of the rails. This yields the number of posts. If the number comes out uneven, just round up. The round pen will be slightly larger then expected Post height depends on the depth of the hole and desired height of the post. Add the depth of the hole with the desired height. For example, a 3-foot hole and a 6-foot post height need a nine-foot post. Set posts into a concrete mix if working with loose, sandy soil.

Nail on the rails on the inside of the pen. Round pen makers can use wood rails or vinyl rail material. To get the rails to flex, soak the wood in water. Three to four rails between posts is typical though some horse owners create a closed round pen by adding boards from ground to the top rail.

Add the door. Either purchase a metal gate from a farm catalog or create a wooden gate. A wooden gate is simply four cuts of wood sized for the opening nailed in a square with two longer pieces creating an x-shape through the center. The gate should be at least four to six inches smaller than the opening. This allows for latch and hinges. Attach the gate to one post and latch with a chain and snap on the other.