Why use a Horse Round Pen?
I personally like the round pen as it allows you to work your horse at liberty which gives the horse more freedom to be a partner in the relationship, compared to lunging on a lungeline. The basic principle is that you are able to stand in the center and efficiently and effectively direct your horse to work around you. Trying to do this in a rectangular shaped arena is much harder as your horse may tend to get stuck in the corners. The round pen, being circular in shape, prevents this from happening. Round penning is a great way to develop the body language skills between you and your horse, and you will be amazed at how sensitive your horse can become to the smallest of signals from you. With practice you will be able to use cues so small that they are hardly detectable to most spectators and when your relationship fully develops you may get to the point where you almost only have to think it and your horse will respond. Using the round pen should be a fun exercise so be careful not t
