hdonna
Olympic Poster
Posts: 629
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Post by hdonna on Jan 9, 2010 16:41:22 GMT 1
Would love to buy a round pen but they are out my price range. Has anyone every made a DIY one if so how and do you have any pictures so I can have ideas please.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2010 19:14:09 GMT 1
A friend of mine who I met on the 5 day course said she made her own pen by using 6ft fence posts in a circle and wrapping scaffold net around it. It's just grass so she only uses it when the ground is suitable. I've been trying to find an easy way of fencing off half the 20 x 40 school. I've got some scaffold net (after hearing about the above!) and rope to tie it off to the fences but it's a bit saggy! My OH suggested I try his ratchet straps to tension the scaffold net but have yet to try - will let you know when I have - won't be until the snow has gone though, I'm not that hardcore!
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Caroline
Grand Prix Poster
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 2,277
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Post by Caroline on Jan 9, 2010 19:49:05 GMT 1
You can make them with post and rail. Make sure the rails are about a foot apart vertically - so a horse can't easily get it's feet through (it could break a leg). You will want about an 18 inch gap at the bottom so you can roll out in an emergency, but a horse can't.
One design I saw and liked used hardboard panels instead of a set of rails. Rails plus a hardboard liner would probably be the safest of all.
Depending on size of pen and wood cost, you would be looking at somewhere between £300 and £700 to build a post and rail pen.
Hot tip : Knock a tent peg in the centre before you start building and attach a length of string to it - this will circumscribe the edge of the pen for you. Then start one side of your entry (Don't forget to leave an opening!) and work around to the other end, one post and rails at a time. Attach the rails on the inside of the pen and be very careful about not having any nails protruding.
Surface is very important. Avoid building somewhere boggy. Be sure to clear out any rocks or stones. Ideally, put a proper menage surface down. Round pen surfaces are a whole subject of their own.
I've got some pics of wooden round pens somewhere - will look for them later.
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Post by donnalex on Jan 9, 2010 20:22:53 GMT 1
Nt the best pictures but you can get the idea.
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hdonna
Olympic Poster
Posts: 629
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Post by hdonna on Jan 9, 2010 20:24:27 GMT 1
cheers keep tehm coming
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Post by portiabuzz on Jan 9, 2010 23:13:27 GMT 1
wow spectacular place donnalex!!
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Post by donnalex on Jan 9, 2010 23:39:29 GMT 1
wow spectacular place donnalex!! Thank you! You cant see the junk from that distance though. We need to have a massive tidy up in spring. The pen is built on loads of clean stone levelled out roughly. It has sixteen telegraph poles concreted into the ground. The retainer boards are wood and the wood panelling is one inch plywood. The surface is silica sand and rubber shred top and there is a membrane between the two. The materials cost just under £2000 then there was a few days labour and machine hire on top. Im not sure that it can be done any cheaper as our land is very stoney and well drained as it is ex quarry/fill from stone mining years ago. Hope that helps
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jinglejoys
Grand Prix Poster
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 3,503
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Post by jinglejoys on Jan 10, 2010 0:16:54 GMT 1
Posts,stock netting and a top rail if needed
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Post by clara81 on Jan 10, 2010 12:30:54 GMT 1
Glad you asked this. I've tried it with electric fence but the pony jumped out so never risked it again.
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