Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
The 10-foot posts are set about 3½ feet into the ground, leaving 6½ feet exposed for the
wall. The 12-foot gateposts will extend 8½ feet above ground level. If the posts are tilted
outward at an angle 5 to 10 degrees from the vertical, the rider's knees and feet will be less
likely to take a beating when an inexperienced horse crowds the rail. Depending on the soil
type in your area, you may need to use a concrete mix to stabilize the bases of the angled
posts.
Set all of the posts except two, so that a truck and/or tractor can fit inside the pen for
dumping the footing and leveling it. In many parts of the country, native soil is inappro-
priate for training surfaces, as it is hard and drains poorly. Four to 6 inches of decomposed
granite or sand provides adequate cushion and drainage in most locales and for most train-
ing situations. Choose a footing that won't become compacted so it will have good shock
absorbency. To end up with 4 inches of footing in a 66-foot-diameter round pen, you'll
need about 45 cubic yards (67 tons) of sand or decomposed granite. (See Footing, later in
this chapter.)
