Round Pen - How Level?

Hi,

I bought a 60 ft round pen to work on our horses. The problem is that my 5 acre property is not very flat. It slopes towards a lake.

I have placed the round pen on the flatest part of the yard I could find but it is still at a slight angle.

My question is, how flat does the ground need to be? Does the round pen area need to be completely flat?

Marissa

The arena we use is pretty flat. I'd think that flat would work best. Can you get a bobcat to flatten the area you wish to use?

Ours is not severly sloped but we did have a problem with the sand running out of it on one side when it rains. Just build it up with some railroad ties or blocks on the outside.
If you haven't put sand or some sort of dirt in it, that's something you might consider. Again adding a retaining type wall on the downhill side and filling it with sand/dirt.
I didn't think ours had much of a slope till we had a few rains and all the sand I paid for ended up washed out into the arena


I want to add too that it depends on what you plan on doing in the round pen. If you plan on doing lots of lunge work I'd say it needs to be fairly flat. If its just for close training flat isn't that important.

I personally like a flat one, but the one at the barn is on a tiny angle.....not huge though.

Where my friend board's...her whole arena is on a slant downwards....a kinda steep slant...NOT fun when cantering, but the horse's learn how to balance themselves fine

Our round pen is on a small slope, and for the life of me I can't figure out why they didn't level it... it is OK to work in, but I would much prefer one that is flat.

Mine has a small slope too... I wish it were more level but...

You can bobcat like previously mentioned..or red clay then river sand

You can use a box scraper too...