how big should a round pen be?
While that conclusion is true, it requires the trainer himself to negotiate a circle much larger in the center of the round pen. So, it should be considered optimum when the round pen is as small as possible allowing for a comfortable canter. Having accomplished this, the trainer travels the shortest distance to complete his task. When I work in a 50-foot round pen, the circle that I personally use is about 8 feet in diameter.