Q&A    Questions and Answers:

We have just got another horse, a 17 hands bay gelding throroughbred ex-racehorse. We are letting him relax at the moment, as everyone tells us that is the best thing to do and we will start training him in the spring. Hopefully he won't be too much of a handful to turn into a good trailhorse.

One question I have is: we are going to build a round pen to work him in - how big should a round pen be?

Thanks,

Wow! I can hardly believe it! At long last, an easy question to answer!

A round pen is typically not round and is usually about 45' x 65'. In actual practice, it's a matter of personal preference combined with land and financial constraints. The term "round pen" refers to the fact that the corners are rounded so there are no pockets that the horse will get trapped in. If you want your pen perfectly round, that's fine. If you have the space and money, you could build a circle as large as 75' in diameter to allow you to utilize the full length of a 35' longe line.

I'm sure you'll find the round pen will make your training efforts a lot easier and more successful.

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