Help: Need to build a suspension bridge

[purplnurpl]

Hi all!!

I build XC and SJ fences.
I’ve been asked by two groups (one who already hosts trail competitions) to build a suspension bridge.

They have asked for it to be 3’6" wide and 10’ long.
1st, are these good stats?

I can’t seem to find any good free standing pictures of these bridges.
I can find them when they are built into ditches or rocks like this:
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A200a5/NWHSDECEMBER2012/resources/18.htm

but I need one that is free standing with a side view so I can look at it’s construction.

I’m not looking to build a high one. And I thought I found one a few weeks back that was set up on 3 supports.
like this:

[I][B]anyone have an pics they could share?

[/B][/I][B]also, from what I have seen it looks like they are all just plain wood. I would want one that was painted over with truck bed liner to offer grip. Is this a good idea or bad idea? Seems like if it was a good idea I would have found some with that design…

Also, price, I’m sure some of you have them at home to practice on. How much do they usually run?[/B]

[purplnurpl]

whoops! totally missed the Trail Riding forum.
my bad!

[BayRoan]

My main experience with suspension bridges is the ones built and used at the Oregon Horse Center trail competitions. The bridges are constructed with cables threaded through the drilled lumber. Cables at least on both edges, possibly in the middle. The ends are attached to railroad ties, and when the end ties are not buried into dirt or an obstacle, there is often a middle tie, like your second picture, to offer stability. Often, large horses will cause the bridge to “bottom out” on the ground in the center, but that’s ok, as you would need to have the ends very secure if you are actually planning to “suspend” a draft horse over a pond or ditch. I don’t seem to have any still pictures of the suspension bridges that I can find right now, but you can see the suspension bridge in this video of my dad’s go on his 3 year old gelding last fall at a practice show at OHC. Let me know if you have trouble playing it. I will look for some still pictures.

https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=358471120912273