Help for a show -- jumpable oxers from both directions?

[tle]

I’m co-organizing a schooling show on Saturday. It’s exploded beyond our dreams and we’re thrilled but I’ve come to realize I have a question I can’t seem to find an answer to.

One (or rather 2) of the classes we’re offering are Gambler’s Choice classes. Coming from the eventing world where oxers are specifically set to only be jumped 1 direction (the back rail is only a single top rail), I had thought that I would just limit any oxers in the GC classes to only being able to be jumped 1 direction. However, the actual USEF rules for GC classes is that all obstacles must be built to be jumped in both directions.

Exactly how would one build an oxer (other than making it square on top) to be jumped in both directions? Is it just a matter of more poles? What about the ground line? I know for our recent Prelim class, most oxers already used 3 poles on the front set of standards and 1 on the hind, plus some kind of ground line (max height 3’7"). I don’t want to build “cheap” but we do have a limit on rails! (we’re doing a low GC between 2’ and 3’, and a high GC 3’ to 4’)

Thanks for the help!!

[alternate_universe]

I would imagine a square oxer would be the easiest, most logical type. Swedish oxers would work too. I can’t really think of any other type of “both way” oxers.

[gottagrey]

wouldn’t do swedish oxers, I’d just do square oxers and maybe fill the middle w/ strawbales… Good luck w/ your show, sounds like fun

[alternate_universe]

Are Swedish oxers even allowed in competition? I school them, but for some reason I do vaguely remember hearing they were illegal, atleast at certain levels/divisions.

[supershorty628]

[QUOTE=alternate_universe;7051606]
Are Swedish oxers even allowed in competition? I school them, but for some reason I do vaguely remember hearing they were illegal, atleast at certain levels/divisions.[/QUOTE]

Can’t use them in the schooling ring for jumpers, can use them in the show ring for the jumpers (and maybe the WIHS jumper phase/USET but not sure about those).

OP: Square oxers. If you go on Youtube and look up the gambler’s choice from either Devon or WIHS, you’ll see examples for how they build them.

[Tackpud]

Swedish oxers are legal in competition but not legal in the jumper schooling ring. Best to build square oxers with the same number of poles on each side.

[goodlife]

If you’re short on fill, try two square rails on top, one half-hung rail underneath on each side (one side in a cup just under the top rail, the other side on the ground). Hang each side opposite so it looks like an “x” underneath when looking at it head on.

[rugbygirl]

[QUOTE=Tackpud;7051654]
Swedish oxers are legal in competition but not legal in the jumper schooling ring. Best to build square oxers with the same number of poles on each side.[/QUOTE]

Make sure that if you use fill with a square oxer that you don’t create a false ground line from one direction (ie: boxes that create a ground line from one side, but are set back from the other direction)…best is probably to put a true ground line (rail) on both sides.

A Swedish oxer is less common/scary in my schooling show circles, so it could be a good choice for a high-value GC jump

[fourmares]

Square oxers, swedish oxers, hogs back oxers can all be jumped both ways… someonr mentioned that you should be vareful that yourfiller doesn’t create a false ground line. I disagree. It’s a jumper class. Groundlines are optional. As a course designer that is one way to change the difficulty of a fence without adding height

[lcw579]

We’ve used a Swedish and a Hogsback at our jumper show.

You can see pictures of the fences here:
http://www.hoofprintimages.com/mp_client/pictures.asp?pagenum=1&action=viewphotos&size=thumbnails&thumbeventstatus=0&categories=no&keywords2=no&groupid=0&bw=true&sep=true&ckw=false

[PoohLP]

I like Swedish oxers. They sometimes are easier/more inviting than square and give you a nice question too for gamblers choice since you can go straight over the middle (low point) or jump one of the higher sides to shave a corner/get a better line to another jump. People are more bothered by them than horses, too, so they are a good test of the rider.

[Janet]

[QUOTE=alternate_universe;7051606]
Are Swedish oxers even allowed in competition? I school them, but for some reason I do vaguely remember hearing they were illegal, atleast at certain levels/divisions.[/QUOTE]

For HUNTERS. swedish oxers are legal for schooling, but NOT for competition.

Foe JUMPERS, it is the other way round- Swedish oxers are NOT legal for schooling, but ARE LEGAL for competition.

But they are definitely going out of favor in jumper courses.

[Dewey]

Use a hogsback–perfect solution.

[rugbygirl]

fourmares, false ground lines are not legal in the Jumpers. This may be different in the US, I suppose, but most of the Canadian rules are the same.

Ground lines are not required, but things like boxes and roll-tops can not be used to create false groundlines.

IF you want to use that kind of fill, it’s fine, just be careful that you don’t set an illegal fence. It is easier to put a rail on the ground sometimes, but you certainly don’t have to.

[Rel6]

I think a swedish oxer would be a great question to add to your course, especially in a gambler’s choice where everyone is setting their own track.

You could also do both, and set the swedish as a higher point value than the square oxer.

[foursocks]

Square or Swedish, no ground lines. Jumpers don’t need no stinkin’ ground lines! :lol:

I love me a Swedish, personally, and any jumper course worth its salt has square oxers.

[bluebuckets]

If you have access to one, what about a half-round? Jumpable from both directions (although admittedly more of a cross-country jump. Add a rail on top for height (makes it more of a hog’s back).

And I second all the other suggestions here: square oxers with the same number of poles on each side, and hog’s back jumps. I love Swedish oxers, but you might get loottsssss of angry people complaining about that one- I know we would at the schooling-type shows around here. The trainers would all have absolute sh*t fits. I don’t know why, I always found them more inviting than square oxers.

And seriously? I haven’t seen a rampy oxer in the jumper ring for ages- everything is square unless it is a fan jump or something like that. Is that what we’re coming to?! Ramped oxers in the jumpers? Really?! (But that is for a whole 'nother thread…)

[fourmares]

You want to freak people out set up a Mexican X (that’s what we call them around here… I don’t know why). Basically set up four standards like you would for an oxer. Put cups on the bottom holes on the front right and back left put a pole on them. Put cups on the third hole on the front left and back right. Put a pole on them. Put cups on the 5th hole on the front right and back left, add a pole, continue in this fashion until it’s as big as you want. It looks intimidating, but it’s about the easiest thing to jump.

[tle]

Thanks everyone for the discussion! That’s exactly what I needed to know.

fourmares, that Mexican X sounds fabulously evil! LOL I love it!

[supershorty628]

OP, you might want to check the rules and make sure that the X thing is allowed… I have NEVER seen it at a show and think there might be a reason for that.