Building a water jump - advice needed!

[ctab]

Ok peeps, ![](n an effort to encourage eventing on Long Island, I am looking into the cost of building a water jump. The barn I board and teach at has a small XC course and the only thing missing is water. I think if I can show we can make it on a small budget we can make it happen!

A simple one is what I am thinking of. Ideally, With smaller bank style step/ drop on one side 12" - 18", and another larger on the other, max 2’6", I think. Obv, with enough free, flat space to encourage schooling for dead greenies. And large enough to be able to place logs a few strides out to make it interesting for more educated horses. Water is available on site. I need estimated costs for liner, footing (bluestone?), pump/ hose for drainage, digging the hole and anything else you can think of. Wood for jump construction is not an issue, I know enough contractors to get the wholesale price. Plus they have a couple of telephone poles left over that need re purposing.

I would also appreciate advice on size and how long it would take as well as costs.

​​​​​​​Basically, if you could do it again you would do what? As usual your advice is always appreciated!
And go…[IMG]https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/f4f/1/16/1f601.png)

[pokesaladannie]

I would like to be more helpful but whenever I ask this question the response goes something like this “Dig a big hole and pour money into it” haha! Look forward to reading more positive strategies!

[IrishDeclan]

I just went through the whole process of planning and pricing a small simple water complex. Long story short, my water jump got put on the 5 year plan :winkgrin:. They’re expensive to build correctly and expensive (in the long run) to build incorrectly. Mine was going to be very simple, basically a 15-20 meter sized circle with a small bank around perhaps 1/3 of it. Now I will say that I’m in Alabama and we have the most disgusting prairie gumbo clay soil so preparing the base was going to be a bit of a financial nightmare. When the price of the water jump started creeping over $10k I put the idea on the back burner for awhile.

I’m not sure how big you are wanting to make yours, and that’s going to determine a lot of the cost. How much excavation work has to be done, how much liner you need, amount of footing, etc. Are you thinking a square or rectangle shape with banks on two ends and the other two sides open or a circle shape with two bank sizes surrounding the whole thing? I couldn’t quite tell from your description. My personal preference is to never have a bank to bank schooling water jump of less than 5-7 strides. In my opinion there’s too much that can happen on the jump in to mess up a short related distance in water and then horse and rider end up going ass over teakettle because they meet the out bank on an off stride.

I learned so much through the research process and can’t wait to make my dream water jump a reality when I have the funds to do so. Keep researching and asking around. Perhaps call one of your favorite events or schooling venues and ask what their process was for the construction of their water jump. Good luck!!

[Jeannette_formerly_ponygyrl]

A lot depends on your terrain and local soil, plus of course the size you want. I am in soil ideal for lakes, not so ideal for septic. I built a small oval approximately 24 feet diameter for several thousand dollars about 7 years ago. Had crew in doing some other work. Dug shallow puddle in range of my arena watering system . Added geotextile and gravel, and it’s functional though not deluxe .

[bornfreenowexpensive]

Don’t put it in a wet area and hire someone who knows what they are doing.