| Training Equipment Recommendations
ROUND PENS
I suggest information for correctly building 'safe'
round pens
(I have seen many unsafe ones built).
Round pens (used for Join Up and much more) need to
be built safely with sides/walls being built at least
six to seven feet tall or more and with no gaps left
between the top edges of where panels meet in order
to prevent a cannon bone or fetlock slipping into. There
should also be no spaces larger than 1.5 inches between
horizontal panel slats or rails as a foot could fit
through and becoming cast in such a way to do major
damage (a mesh or closely spaced slats or flat panel
of wood or flat metal is best). A good surface would
be a packed clay base with about 1.5 inches of sand
on top. Minimum size should be 60 feet diameter and
75 feet is even better.
OTHER TOOLS
Use rope halters for training as well a 12' and 22'
rope, and for extra difficult horses (and particularly
stallions) use a sturdy 4' to 4.5' stick (with a blunt
end) as an extension to your arm, with ¼”
string and popper attached , much like the Parelli (carrot
stick) and sticks that many other trainers use . These
tools are nothing new and have been in practice for
hundreds of years.
WARNING
Training stallions is not generally recommended by
other than experienced professionals.
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