My Many Construction Supervisors

Stormkite and DeCato examine the new construction.

Today I decided that I have been without a round pen long enough.  

I kept thinking I needed to order a steel one, somehow forgetting that I had a perfectly useful one at our old place made of T-posts and Horseguard electric tape.

 

Today I remembered, and put one up with Fiberglas poles and electric tape.  The horses watched me building it, as they grazed in the adjacent pasture.  When I pulled them into the dry lot, where the pen construction was underway, they investigated it from every angle with great interest and a bit of snorting.

I doubt they will be so interested in it once they realize it means work.

Hudson and Starlight consider the implications.

I’m better using a round pen for training than I am a longe line.  Trying to manipulate the line and a whip prevents my being able to use body language as clearly as I can in the round pen. My being able to use good body language helps the horses learn the verbal commands faster and more definitely, I think. 

I have found that my ponies trained in the round pen know “walk,” “trot,” “canter” and “whoa” very well and respond quickly to the requests.  Those trained on the line know the commands, but they are more sluggish to respond, especially to that all-important “whoa.”   I’m just not as good with the longe line, so I’m happy to have a round pen again. 

The gang squeeze in, as close as possible

Since I use those verbal commands when training them under saddle, being sure that they know them and will cooperate with them is critical.

I have also found that horses trained in the round pen take to longeing seamlessly.

Just as I finished installing the gate handles, the rain started coming down, so we didn’t get to try it out.  I’m hoping it will be dry enough tomorrow to get the pretty ponies going 'round and 'round.

Dee alerted me to her presence with a loud snort.

Perhaps wondering if it has something to do with food.

I felt a snorfle on my hair and took this one without looking round.  I knew it would be Stormkite!