round pen

[Tyler Fournier]

Hi,

I’m looking for viewpoints on the round pen. We recently purchased our first horse, an 8 year old Percheron mare who is trained to drive and ride. We had planned to eventually build a round pen, figuring at some point down the road we would end up with a younger, less trained horse, that would benefit from round pen work. In Lynn Miller’s Training Workhorses/Training Teamsters, he recommends round pen work for all horses, regardless of background. We want to do everything we can to get off on the right foot with foundational communication, so now I’m thinking that includes a round pen. I’m interested to know what your experiences have been.

Thanks,
Tyler

[sickle hocks]

Somebody said something once about a round pen being the quickest way to win your horse’s mind or the quickest way to ruin it. So, it won’t train your horse by itself…I know you know that already, just making the point that you will also need to make an investment in learning how horses work before you can get the most out of the pen.

Having said that, I think it’s a great tool. You can definitely train a horse without one…but you will need someplace safe to work, and if you need to build something it might as well be round as square.

My most important tools I carry in my head..I got them from spending lots of time with a really good mentor (i really wish it could have been longer, i would be better off)…if I were you, finding someone like that would be the first priority. I would also start working on a round pen. Good Luck!

[Thecowboysgirl]

Disclaimer: I have zero experience training work horses and very little experience with draft horses period, but I have used roundpens extensively with light horses.

I am a huge believer- there are advantages to working in a roundpen that you can’t find anywhere else, like the ability to let your horse move away from you without being able to go far, and without getting stuck in a corner with their butt in your face. You’d be amazed how different a flight animal thinks once he’s been allowed to run away and then chooses to come back.

I was taught the “show em who’s boss” method first, later learned natural horsemanship. I’m also a psychology student and I’ve studied animal behavior and the differences between the way primates think and relate versus canines and equines. Horses are very willing to learn peaceably and the best place to do it is in a roundpen. I would exercise caution with a heavy horse in such a small space though, and if you’re building it from scratch it might be a benefit to make it a little bigger than the standard size. We never used heavy horses in our lesson program because their hocks usually couldn’t stand up to the constant sharp turns going around and around in an arena.

there is simply no replacement for a strong relationship of trust and respect as a foundation for everything else. Of course, I’m a tree hugging buddhist so feel free to take it all with a grain of salt 😉

[blue80]

I think roundpen work is a huge tool in the toolbox of what we have available to establish a foundation of leadership.
It becomes a very safe method of getting to know, beginning conditioning, and inspecting your horse for lameness; Often they will limp in a circle but will not while moving straight ahead.
When a mare is in heat and not paying attention, I may send her around a few times and tune her up.

The horses/teams that I have put straight to work, I have had more close misses, and even a couple runaways. I was “too busy” to work in the roundpen with them….
Right now I am working 4 horses abreast discing. Three of them had never worn harness before last September, one of them is in harness only 2 weeks.
I agree with Lynn Millers checklist. If they did not all know and respect a sharp “whoa” command, chances are I would be having more problems….

What I am trying to say is that I think round pen work makes me more productive and safer in the field, quicker.

[drafthorsey]

You’re right, there’s nothing like thumbing through any of Lynn Miller’s books for a thought on this or that. What a round pen does for me is let the horse run as far as he needs to before we are going to reconsider the deal we have together. New horse, old horse …. nothing like a little morning trot to get us back to working together. Sometimes I’m away for a few weeks and if want to go for a wagon ride on a nice afternoon a few lessons in the round pen re-aquaints us nicely. With a new horse I can rattle cans, flash tin at them or whatever and see how they react. Lot’s of folks will sell you horses that are ‘broke’ right up to where you get them home. Can’t blame ’em, you aren’t their friend yet … that’s the job of a round pen. To make friends, see how you’ve harnessed today, see how they’re moving today or just work on the word ‘whooaa’.

I started with the pipe round pen already on the property. Moved to a railroad tie installation which is much tougher against anyone who might crash into it. A fellow told me that it might be a good idea to plant some shrubs or bushes around the outside as it blocks the vision of the horse and keeps his attention where it ought to be … I’m guessin’ they work, but be careful to pick something they won’t eat or are poisonous to the horse.

[Donn Hewes]

I think the pros and cons of a round pen should be broken down carefully. I think they are indispensable in a few specific situations, and useful in many others. They can also be a hazard to many beginning teamsters and might be something that is unnecessary. Let me explain.

First, the most important moment with a round pen is with a totally green horse (and not every horse) that needs that pressure of the pen as something you (the trainer) can push against. Eventually they will respond by turning to you, physically and mentally and the fun is over. Even here the round pen is a small part of the process and the skill of the trainer is paramount.

Any horse trainer (that should be any teamster) with some basic training skills, can take a young or green horse into a round pen and teach it some basic, and very important skills. These same skills can almost all ways be taught with a halter, (I like a rope halter) in your front yard.

The down side of the round pen comes when some one is unsure of what they are doing and goes into a round pen because it makes THEM comfortable. These animals are very smart and are looking for a leader. They will quickly sense when someone is unsure of the next thing so we are just repeating what we already know. You must continue to challenge them with some thing new (like get out of the round pen). This can be tricky if you are not comfortable.

I have trained a few horses, mules, and most recently a donkey. I don’t use a round pen because I don’t have one. Every time I think about building one I remind myself that I would use it about two days a year, and I figure out a way to reach that animal and get its attention (the real job of a round pen) with out one.

Just my two cents.

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