Definitely looking to buy corral panels. For my current space, probably 15-20 12 foot panels. Do you wish you would've bought heavier gauge panels or do the cheap economy panels do the trick? I have a broke, pleasant boy; not looking to break any colts in it or use it for cows. What do you wish you would've done/bought? What can you get by with?

Guessing it's all preference. Don't want to break the bank, but want it to be worth my while as well!

I want the most panel I can get for the money.  I just bought a bunch of 14 guage  72" tall 12' long panels with 7 rails.  I made a couple stud pens with them.  They are nice and solid.  For $130 a panel.  

http://www.mountaincountryequipment.com/store/?model_number=mcebigguyhd 

You need to go with a heavier gauged panel, the light weights are ok but they bend so easy under light pressure and you will have to be replacing panels over time, so by the time you are replacing the lighter panels you could have saved money by going with the heavier guaged ones in the first place.

What are you using for?  An actual round pen/arena or to set up like a holding pen/lot area for your horse?

For a broke horse to ride in a round pen, you're going to bored them out of their mind pretty quickly if you're riding in it all the time, unless it's arena sized.  15-20 isn't arena sized. I got along fine with the Priefert brown panels, which I think are a lighter guage, but I'd have to look up the actual number.  I used them with a lunge line, not free lunge, so I had some control over the horses direction, but she was 2 and 3, not broke. 

If you're using it for a separate pen, I'd go with a heavier guage.  

If your horse is broke, I would just save my money and not worry about riding in a pen.  

I am using this just for a place to lunge my horse and warm up. I won't be riding in it 24/7! Unfortunately it's the only flat, sandy area I have access too where I rent. I stepped it off and at the very minimum I will need 15 panels, but I would like 20 I'm thinking. 

He's very broke! I just would rather "lunge" him in a round pen free hand with no lunge line, so that's why I really want the panels! I also want an area to canter circles. I can do long trotting in the field and such. Just working with what I got! 

Thank you for your feedback so far! I think a little heavier gauge would be best, but wanted to see what you all like and don't like!

I'm used to using corral panels, as a previous beef Farm Manager, and they get BEAT. So using panels with a horse who isn't going to run into it like a cow is new to me! Haha

I've had an "affordable" round pen, and now have a premium/heavy duty one.  I could never go back...but I start several colts a year, as well as use it for lunging/exercising my finished horses when I'm crunched for time.  Mine are 6ft tall, 6 rail, square cornered, non-looped legs.  It's heavy enough to tie horses too, and I've had colts hit it pretty hard and it doesn't bend.  It is a 2 person job to move panels if needed, and the gate takes the skid steer to move, but it's freaking awesome.  I think I have 18, 12 ft panels and a 6ft bow gate (60ft round pen).

P.S.  I still have my "affordable round pen being used for various pens and stalls, but most of them are bent and beat to heck.  And it was considered a "heavy duty" one, not a farm store special.  But it was only about 1/3 the price of my current one.

I prefer to use panels that attach to each other with chains....versus the panels with pins [which i feel are dangerous].

But that is a good point! He doesn't seem to do as well on a lunge line, and corral panels would make my life easier..but is it worth it? Hmm. Also was looking to buy a saddle (very used but good quality) since I am saddle-less at the moment, and really wasn't looking forward to forking out money for both!

Not sure if I've seen the panels that connect by chains? Not sure what I'm gonna do yet. I appreciate all the feedback! It helps

I have purchased all different kinds in the last few years. I have the $40 panel round pens and the $120 "economy" from priefert and also the $80 economy. I have not bought top or the line from priefert but I did borrow some a few years ago. 

The $40 panels suck. No question about it. They are good if you are using them as a support or barrier between your horse and another fence like barbed wire or something... we use them to protect my horses from my neighbors barbed wire. As long as a horse doesn't touch them, they are great, but even one scratching their butt on them causes them to warp. 

The priefert economy has been my favorite honestly. You pay almost the same price as a general economy panel/gate but the quality is sooo much better. 

The general economy ones dont last. They are better than the $40 ones but they lasted maybe 2 years and the bottom legs rusted off. They also will NOT stand up to any kind of horse pressure. (climbing, bumping, rubbing, tying) 

The top of the line priefert- you could probably tie a dinosar to those things. I loved them, they just arent huge on our priority list yet so we havent purchased. 

I also learned..... buy the 6ft panels (height). Horses WILL test a 5ft panel but for some reason, if they can't get their head over it, they are much less likely to give it a go. We expereience this a lot becuase we tend to take in the charity case 3-4yos that are hardly halter broke and day 1 round penning is sometimes a wee rough. 

Edit to add:: GET THE CHAINS!!!! I have the pin lock ones and the chains and you dont have to have flat ground to use the chain ones but I have 1000 bent pins from forcing panels to go together on my wonderfully uneven ground. 

Good to know! Thank you!