Picture diary of building the round pen

[rm185western]

Now I've managed to get to all the stuff that was on the hard drive of my laptop that crashed, thank goodness, here are the steps from the space to the pen.

The space was set, as it had to fit against the cattle race on one side, and the store shed on the other. I only got it built as I promised to share it, so it will be a holding pen for cows when we are sorting as well.

It's ended up just a shade under 50', which is fine for Fancy and Max, but Mr Gilmore would be more comfortable in a 60'

Starting to level the site



Once the site was level we started pounding the posts



Then the rails started going on



Making progress



Taking shape






Then we hau;ed some gravel in



and levelled it



Then we had our first volunteer

[RenosGirl]

lol Mr. Gilmore doesn't look very happy to be in there lol

[rm185western]

Originally Posted by RenosGirl

lol Mr. Gilmore doesn't look very happy to be in there lol

For some reason I seem to be happier with it than any of the horses

[redboy]

Very nice, I have a little round pen envy
Any particular reason why you built a round pen, as to buying one??
Just curious? RB

[rm185western]

There were a lot of reasons why I chose to build.

First the big issue of theft.

Last year I had a small pen at 30', made from panels, it was great for playing with Max as a yearling. Come fall when the cattle came in my pen was stolen and used for dividing cow pens. Now I suppose we should be honest, so I'll admit that I 'borrowed' them from the cow pens in the first place

Second looks

I love the way a wooden pen looks, and as I'm lucky enough to be looking straight at the pen when I come out of my door, wood was a choice.

Third, and the big deciding factor...............cost

So far we have spent

• $54 on the posts (bought at a farm auction in the spring.)
• $5 on the huge post that is my tying up post (same auction)
• $125 on the rails (bought a lift of seconds from the local timber yard, sifted through and got all the best ones for the pen.

• At the moment I have a steel panel as a gate, but after harvest is over (IF it ever is started properly this year) John is going to build gates for me that will be steel on the outside, and wood on the inside, so when you are inside the pen you won't be able to see the gate.

• Extra cost for gates $100

As we have plenty of rails left, I may steal a few more of those rails and double up the top row, make it a bit more solid looking.

I reckon that even with the extras it will of cost us less than $350 all in, a fraction the cost of buying one.

[redboy]

Wow, I guess I just assumed it would be cheaper to buy one that you assemble. I like the wood look also,..., Enjoy. RB

[pvf]

I like the looks of your round pen.. The next one we build/buy is going to be out of wood too instead of panels..

[rm185western]

There are two things that we could of done better, it was a pain to level the sand, putting into a finished pen, if we do another I would get the base sorted out better before putting the rails up.

Also if I was building it now, I think I would put the gate round by the shed there. It's a really nice shed, currently used for boring farm stuff, but it's going to be an awesome tack room as soon as I can get the farm stuff moved on. At the moment I have to carry stuff around from the barn, and I could have thought one through just a little more.

[Red Gate Farm]

Nice round pen! We built ours too, but since I don't have a tractor and a gravel pit, it's only as level as the land (slightly downhill on one side, only slightly) and it has grass in it. Scotty is working hard on getting the grass down though

[scrapchick]

RM, I thought you were staying away from "all things wooden" .........

[gbarmranch]

That looks great.. and Happy looks - well - conscripted..

We are redoing ours over the next few weekends.. now that you have it all figured out, want to come down and help..

[rm185western]

Hey GBar I'd love to come and play, but looks like it might stop raining, and the I'll just have to go combining...or....I'll be playing in my own sandpit Fancy is next up for another session

[rm185western]

Originally Posted by scrapchick

RM, I thought you were staying away from "all things wooden" .........

I tremble every time I walk in there, but as I'm still doing ground work, means I'm safely in the middle, and the horses get the dangerous 'near the wood' zone

[pauldonnelly]

I know this sounds kinda stupid but how strong could that really be i would be so afraid of a horse breaking it down especially if ya get a wild one

[rm185western]

Originally Posted by pauldonnelly

I know this sounds kinda stupid but how strong could that really be i would be so afraid of a horse breaking it down especially if ya get a wild one

Not a stupid question at all. To me it's a balance between having something that is strong enough to contain a horse, but also that will give if someone goes completely ape.

I've been lucky so far, our horses are basically laid back, so the only reason that I could see them trying to break out is if there is a panic over something. It's built high enough that no one will try and jump out.

While I have not had a horse break out, we have had cows break out of a pen made with metal panels, and had to watch them running up the field with panels wrapped around their feet

All in all it's my choice to go with something that WILL break if someone panics, anyone who is wild enough not to respect the fence doesn't belong here with me

[Midnightbobby]

Looks great! Congrats on the new corral!

___________________________
Midnight - My Pride and Joy

[pauldonnelly]

i have one of all welded pipe fence that was why i was asking about strength how tall is it i seen a young horse at the triangle sell in shawnee go almost all the way over a stall panel over 7ft high is why i was wondering look behind the horse and truck to see my round pen




this was my daughters idea to have this round pen

[Deanna]

I made my roundpen from wood as well way cheaper than the panel ones and it looks better. Mines painted white. There is a little more elbow grease in putting one up but its worth it.

[Deanna]

Originally Posted by pauldonnelly

I know this sounds kinda stupid but how strong could that really be i would be so afraid of a horse breaking it down especially if ya get a wild one

I have seen horses go through the panel fences getting caught in the bars taking the whole thing down.

[rm185western]

Originally Posted by pauldonnelly

i have one of all welded pipe fence that was why i was asking about strength how tall is it i seen a young horse at the triangle sell in shawnee go almost all the way over a stall panel over 7ft high is why i was wondering look behind the horse and truck to see my round pen
this was my daughters idea to have this round pen

Well that is one solid looking pen, if I was buying and retraining youngsters that would be the thing

As it is with our pen the only worry I had was first time we put Fancy in it, she was in a state anyway, and was put in there to chill, but was more scared that she would try and jump the metal panel gate as she was seeing that as a weak spot. Like Deanna said it's scary seeing someone caught in a panel. When she is calm and working it's not an issue.

The only outstanding worries I have, if I leave Max in there unsupervised he'll either try and eat his way out, or will fall asleep and lean on the bars and fall out. If I leave Mr Gilmore in there on his own, I would expect as soon as my back is turned, he will take that leatherman multi tool that he keeps hidden about himself, and take down a whole section and get out