I would like a round pen for training my minis. I am seeing some round pen and travel pens being advertised made from pvc piping. The cost and convenience is appealing. I could make one much easier than digging post holes and building. Are they safe? Is pvc strong enough? I don't plan on keeping any horses in the pen for any length of time just for training purposes.
Pvc round pens
- Thread starter Specialk
- Start date
Help Support Miniature Horse Talk Forums:
Rocklone Miniature Horses
past member -I gotta get a life...
PVC is quite strong. The only issue is that it can shatter, but i can't see that happening with minis tbh!
I keep thinking it's plastic, how strong can it be. So I googled pvc strength projects and people have built bed lofts from pvc and jungle gyms with adults sitting on them. I could design a pen that comes apart for storage. My minis are very tame and don't challenge fences. They just need a visual barrier. It would be much easier to handle than metal panels.
Jill
Aspiring Cowgirl
You can make one also with t-posts, cattle panels and zip / safety ties. Just be sure to put caps or tennis balls on the t-posts if you do it that way. A horse can jump or rear up and get hurt on a t-post. Our round pen is made of oak posts and flat boards and I love it, but if we were making a new one, we'd use cattle panels. That would have been so much faster, and cheaper, to put in. Most of our horse fencing is cattle panels on oak posts, and I love it, but t-posts would go into the ground so much faster than oak posts
Good luck and have fun! Round pens are a great training tool and also handy if you need to isolate a horse but don't have to keep him or her stall bound. Our big dogs even sometimes get "time out" in ours!
Good luck and have fun! Round pens are a great training tool and also handy if you need to isolate a horse but don't have to keep him or her stall bound. Our big dogs even sometimes get "time out" in ours!
Last edited by a moderator:
Jill
Aspiring Cowgirl
PS I have big horse and mini horse round pen panels. I think the mini ones are a little on the light side if a mini wanted to run through. They're not very heavy compared to the strength of a mini. The big horse panels are awesome, but more expensive and depending on the size of the mini, they could scoot or roll under and out.
Pallets would be my last choice but they are inexpensive and easy to put up. If you use pallets - check them FREQUENTLY - the boards will warp in the weather, and push nails out. You don't want a horse catching an eye or ripping open their belly on a protruding nail.
susanne
dB
You could use 2" or 4" batten fence strapping and t-posts (or possibly step-in stakes). This is a heavy duty, UV resistant, durable strap, NOT electric. Farmtak has the 2" wide for $53 for 300 ft. (enough for 3 lines around a 50 ft. round pen). They come in several colors, but I'd choose white for visibility.
http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/prod1;ft_livestock_fencing-ft_livestock_fence_strapping;pgcc5330.html
http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/prod1;ft_livestock_fencing-ft_livestock_fence_strapping;pgcc5330.html
jeanniecogan
Well-Known Member
a lot of good ideas here, thanks, i have a horse panel round pen now, but want to use the panels elsewhere, i reallyappreciate this info.
paintponylvr
Well-Known Member
On the show grounds at our local horse group (Cape Fear Trail Riders), we have a round pen made by just the marine hollow yacht rope (inexpensive!) run thru holes drilled in the wood posts. Of course, you can't keep a horse in this type of set up - especially ponies (mine would LEAVE). It only works as a visual aid for schooling or training and then it's not for free lounging or liberty work.
You could also look at using the electric rope or bands/wide strips for a pen that would allow you to also use it as a pen. I like Horse Guard fencing. This particular kit sells for $400, but you could do some different ideas (fewer vertical bars), not covering your fence posts or ?? Neat thing about round pens, is they are versatile. You can do something as simple as laying out 4 square corners for a visual aid while working on a lounge line, ground driving or hooking/driving. You just don't have a fence,
You could also look at using the electric rope or bands/wide strips for a pen that would allow you to also use it as a pen. I like Horse Guard fencing. This particular kit sells for $400, but you could do some different ideas (fewer vertical bars), not covering your fence posts or ?? Neat thing about round pens, is they are versatile. You can do something as simple as laying out 4 square corners for a visual aid while working on a lounge line, ground driving or hooking/driving. You just don't have a fence,
