What is a round pen used for?

You could think of a round pen (or round corral) as a learning area for both you and your horse. "Round penning" is a general term used to describe working with horses in such a training area although it often refers to convincing a horse to "hook-on". The possibilities with round penning are endless! Common uses for the round pen include: *Establishing leadership and boundaries *Enhancing effective body language and communication *Influencing behavior and movement *Desensitization and confidence training *Hooking-On and Monty Roberts' trademarked Join Up method *Bonding and trust issues *Working with the horse at liberty *Safe area for the first ride *Retraining *Groundwork training *Gentling mustangs or "wild" horses *Observation *Simply hanging out or playing with your horse Round penning is not about driving your horse around in mindless circles. Good horsemanship is about influencing the horse's mind. His body goes where his mind is. Round pens have nothing to do with lunging. ...  more