Round Pens - Tubular Round Pen and Solid Wall Round Pens
Our round pens are available in 1.5
inch or 2 inch tubing. Our round pens are also available from 40 to 80 foot
diameter.
Each of our round pens comes with a 6' High Pole Bow Gate.
All round pen parts are Hot Dip Galvanized after fabrication for long term durability and rust prevention.
Round pen sections are manufactured
using 16 gage tubing with a minimum tensile strength
of 50,000 psi.
All of the round pen hardware including; hinges, bolt hook, chain and nuts & bolts are Hot Dip Galvanized.
Triton Barn Systems round pens are the choice for strength, safety and durability.
- Rolled Tops For Snag Free Smooth Tube End
- Stainless Steel Spring loaded plunger latch for quick and easy gate latching
- Formed Stiffener on panels for superior strength.
- All tube joints cropped and mig welded for maximum strength.
Triton Barns is your source for round pens and other Livestock Equipment. All of our hardware and parts have been hot dipped galvanized, which prevents rust and corrosion long term for your products.
No more worrying about replacing your feeders and panels every few years, in fact, we even offer a 25 year warranty along with our livestock equipment!
|
 Bow Gate |
60' Heavy Duty Tubular Round Pen |
 Corral Panel |
| 70' Heavy Duty Tubular Round Pen |
|
 |
 Solid Wall Round Pen Panel |
Solid Wall Round PenSW50, SW60 & SW70
|
Solid Wall Round Pen Aerial View |
 Solid Wall Round Pen - Side View |
It's More than Just Dirt: How to Choose the Correct Round Pen Footing
Just as you wouldn't put down a dirt floor in your
bathroom, there are certain issues you should think through when deciding
what type of footing to use in your round pen. Too often we don't give this
enough thought, or tend to go with the cheapest option, only to have to
redo it or pay for our choice many times over in the future. Remember, your round pen footing
is the cushion layer. It will absorb shock and help protect your horse from
injury.
The cheapest and easiest is natural grass or dirt. Though it has the advantage
of being a natural footing, it also comes with many drawbacks. Grass can easily
be damaged and end up with bare and packed spots, especially under heavy use.
Dirt will compact with use and can create a hard, "concrete-like" top layer
that may cause injury to your horse's legs. Neither of these two surfaces
is suitable for rainy climates or use during or after a rainfall.
Sand is a very good choice for your round pen footing. It provides a great
cushion and well drained, it can be used in wet climates.
Another option for round pen footing is wood shavings and other wood
products. Wood adds organic materials to your round pen footing which helps
maintain its springiness. The drawback to wood is that if it gets too much
moisture (either through rain or improper runoff) it can become slick and
break down quickly through rot. On the flip side, if the wood gets too dry
it will also break down and turn to wood dust.
Recycled rubber pieces or "shredded rubber" is also a good choice for round
pen footing. Rubber helps break down the any natural hardness, as well as
provide for greater soil water absorption. Rubber does
have its drawbacks, as it can float away during a heavy downpour or blow
away during high winds.
The best choice for round pen footing is usually a combination of materials.
Many times you will need a coarse layer to help with water runoff and breakdown,
a finer layer for drainage and compaction (preventing your cushion layer from
filtering into the ground), and a cushion layer to help provide natural footing
and reduce the hardness of the ground.
A "three-layer round pen footing system" consisting of coarse rock, fine rock
and a combination of shredded rubber and sand is one such system seen often.
Each layer brings its own properties, and you are assured of excellent drainage
for year-round use.
Before starting on your round pen footing it is best to plan ahead. What will
the round pen be used for? What is the climate in your particular area? How
hard or soft is your natural ground?
Remember, the physical round pen structure is only part of the equation. Proper
footing and drainage are as important as the actual round pen itself. Failure
to plan for proper footing now can bring about injury to your horse, as well
as costly rebuilds later.
Curtis Gardner, CEO, TritonBarns.com
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What is Round Pen Training?
In recent years, "natural" horsemanship trainers
have brought round pen training into forefront when it comes to training
horses. This type of training employs the round pen to
build a basic foundation or to re-train an older horse instead of using traditional
methods.
What's the basis of this type of training? Well, round pen training is actually
derived from behavior modification principles used in training any
type of animal, including horses. On a side note, these techniques also work
with people.
Round Pen training uses rewards in the form of body language that mimic the
horse's natural herd instincts to encourage the desired behavior. Results are
usually seen very quickly and a strong bond is often formed between horse and
human through these training methods.
A study at Michigan State University shows
that by the seventh training session in a round pen, horses react with a predictable
response in as little as six repetitions rather than the 60 it took in the
first session (Nielson, B & A. Zanella). Once the behavior is learned,
it is embedded for life as long as the horse receives the same consistent human
responses.
Round pen training is an invaluable tool to teach a basic education for
beginning horses or remedial work for older horses.
Horses have a natural instinct called "fight or flight". Using a round pen,
a handler can avoid the dangers of the fight response and maximize the benefits
of the flight response.
Round pens allow the horse to mentally escape from the pressure of the human,
giving them time to think over what response they should be giving. If the handler
were to use a lounge line in a pasture or arena, the scene often appears to
be a struggle, while in reality, the horse is simply trying the flee.
The design of the round pen is yet another advantage in that it maximizes the
horse's thinking capacity. There are no corners for the horse to "hide" in
which limits his options for controlling the situation. This focuses the horse's
behavior on the trainer.
By having enough room to move away (flee) and think about what is being asked,
the horse will learn that cooperating with people is the easier decision to
make. The trainer must keep in mind, however, that there should be specific lesson plans for
each session since mindless running of laps will actually give the horse time
to "tune out" the human.
Using round pen training with a calm focused plan, can afford a trainer and
horse a safe environment for establishing a line of clear communication. Of course,
every horse is different, but round pen training consistently produces positive
results in a relatively short amount of time.
Learning the appropriate techniques and working your horse in a properly built
round pen are the keys to fast results and long term success.
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Curtis Gardner, CEO, TritonBarns.com
