Mini Panels

[TuffyLynn]

Hey everyone.. i know this has been out in the past i assume but..

does anyone have any opinions on mini panels..was thinking of the smaller panels that could be used for a mini round pen

but to be honest i was wondering if that could work on my property as a movable paddock area..

would love to have anyone's thoughts as well as where to get..i live in mass.

thank you all so much for your time!!

 

[ruffian]

I bought a bunch to use as stalls and round pen in my new barn. I'd give them a 5 out of 10. They are sturdy, easy to move and easy to set up. However, some of the horses have learned to push them around and lift them apart. Apparently by sticking their heads through and lifting, disengaging the pins and brackets.

I've also had some close calls with them getting their hooves caught between where the panels connect. Mostly the colts rearing and pawing at the horse in the next stall. I do have one silly filly who seems to get her foot caught frequently.

I am going to use them for round pens, but am changing my stalls to wood.

 

[krissy3]

The pipe pannels are all I ever use here. I use the goat-sheep or pig size... there is no way a miniature can lift and move these, I need help moving them. They are 3 meters long and about 1 meter high or less, the space between the bars is about 8 inches, they come with a long pole that you drive into the ground to hold them in place. I( love my pig pipe pannels , but they are a bit pricy... 160CHF per pannel..I use it for the round pen, in the winter all pannels are taken down and stored . I can move my round pen all over the place, even on a slight hillside so the horses can lunge on a hill and build muscle, then the next month its flat work with ground poles. Sooo, I am a firm believer in the pipe pannels...they are a good investment that you can always sell later if you no longer need them.

 

[targetsmom]

I love the panels too, but have to admit that some of the horses have pulled them apart (if there is grass on the other side) and one of ours - Princess of course - will stand on them and give me a heart attack. She can stand as high as half way up the panels. But I really don't know what I would do without them. I use them at the end of the driveway to create a safety net when driving, to divide pastures, for a round pen, and to make temporary pens for our minis or my friends goats. I pick up used ones whenever I see them for sale.

For you in MA, check with Crowleys in Agawam. Not at the auction, but he should have some available in the big fields for self-service.

 

[TuffyLynn]

mary does crowleys have the smaller ones?

do you know

 

[ClickMini]

I've also had some close calls with them getting their hooves caught between where the panels connect. Mostly the colts rearing and pawing at the horse in the next stall. I do have one silly filly who seems to get her foot caught frequently.

This is a REAL HAZARD. I lost a gorgeous and wonderful yearling Draft X filly to a broken leg when she got caught between a gate and fencepost. I will never again use a panel type that doesn't have square top edges and butt up against one another to remove the gap. Losing that filly broke my heart.

 

[targetsmom]

Yes, Cowleys has (or at least did have) the smaller ones. Ours are green and sometimes called hog or sheep panels.

I have not used them for stalls (e.g. foaling stalls) but if I ever do, I plan to line them with peg board or something so that foals can't get little hooves or other body parts caught.

 

[ruffian]

Double Diamond sells them, and will deliver if you buy enough.

 

[shoegirl]

I live in Mass. Try the Harwick Farmers Supply. I know they have them. I only use them for a round pen and they work well.

 

[TuffyLynn]

thanks shoe girl! you must live near hardwick farmers..they are about 20 min from me ..i will check them out..

i dont want to make stalls.. want to make a movable paddock area in my grass field.. i only have on area now..and my money tree just isnt growing that well right now in the back yard

so i cannot fence the whole thing in right now.. ,therefore, i thought mini panels could serve different purposes for me?! ot sure just a thought

 

[Shari]

I bought the 6 rail big horse panels for my round pen. There is no way they can get a hoof stuck any where, or any other body part for that matter.

Not sure I would trust the mini panels, unless they have the safety feature so horses can't get legs, hooves or necks stuck between the connecting panels.

 

[Little Hooves]

I've been using the large livestock/horse panels that weigh somewhere around 70 pounds a piece. I have trouble moving them...but when you see your stallions able to lift and move the panels and try to roll under them and lift them (and managing to lift it enough to get out not once, but TWICE), you would have second thoughts about using anything smaller in my case

But I just have a special stallion, I guess. He's the only one who was determined enough to figure it out.

Never had anyone get caught up in them, though. So far, they have been pretty safe. And in order to keep the stallion contained, I had to make a smaller pen (added more stability to the structure) and attach it to a permanent fence/structure.

 

[targetsmom]

Nothing is foolproof where clever animals are concerned!! I use both the mini panels and the regular round pen panels and our minis have actually been able to get BOTH types apart. We came home from a horse show once to find the minis had escaped into the big horse pasture by separating the big panels wide enough for them to get through. At least no one got hurt.

I like the mini panels to divide the pasture and for temporary fencing. They work well as long as there is no huge attraction (i.e. better grass) on the other side of the fence.

ETA: I just realized you can see both types of panels in my rotating avatar. The big ones in the photo of the lead line pony, and the small green ones can just about be seen in the foal photo. Cowboy (the B/W) is actually on the other side of the mini panel fence in that photo.