Lightweight DIY Jump standards/poles - help!

[Miss_Motivation]

Not cheap, but a very good value:
http://www.burlinghamsports.com/store/products/888/jumps-and-accessories

These are NOT PVC, and they are tough. We like them because you NEVER have to paint them, there are gobs of different designs, and they are easy to move around. Unless you’re in a windy area, you don’t need to weight them with sand in the bottoms. Ours never blow over, even with heavy winds… and they also don’t splinter.

When you figure out what you spend painting wooden jumps, and how they tear up your hands, and are like lugging huge boulders around… these made sense for us. Their poles are nice too- wooden poles incased in strong plastic that won’t shatter. The weight of a wooden pole with the easy care of plastic.

And the prices include freight, which is a huge bonus.

Worth considering… when you really evaluate all the pros and cons of various jump types. If you want to buy jumps every decade or so… take a look.

[2DogsFarm]

DH made me 4 standards using 4X4 PVC deck posts with bases made from treated lumber (design copied from standard wooden bases).

Posts are topped with plain beveled caps - glued on with PVC glue - but Home Depot also had decorative options including horseheads.

Posts fit into the bases and breakdown for easy storing & carrying - I can carry 2 bases & four standards easily.

To make the standards fit tightly he planned to line the bases with rubber from old tires.
Never got done, but I just fill the spaces with sand to secure them.

We drilled the standards at 3" intervals & bought plastic jump cups w/pins from Dover (track system was not an option at the time).

Bases can double as cavaletti with a PVC or landscape timber inserted in the opening.

I used rail tape from Dover to add color/striping to PVC poles - 3" diameter plumbing material. Heavy enough so shattering does not seem to be a problem.

15yrs later they are still in good shape & have been stored outdoors and in my unheated barn.

[NancyM]

The cheapest poles are the ones you cut out of the bush. They are heavy if they are living. They get lighter as they dry out. White skinned poplar are nice.

Standards, I built mine. Myself, no help. It was easy. The hubby had ordered a load of 4X4s for another project, and had way over estimated what he needed. They were 10 feet long, but 8 feet would work just as well. I don’t need standards that are 6 feet high any more, 5 feet works fine for me. So I just cut them in half. 4 feet may be OK for you. If you buy 2X4s, 8 feet long (“econo studs”), you can double them up to get close to 4X4 size, if you want to, or leave them as 2X4s. Econo studs cost between $1.50 to $1.99 each. I cut scrap 2X6 into the base supports, a long flat one on the jump side, and a double support out the back. Knock the corners off the base supports for safety. These standards are light, and stack well.

[mkevent]

I built all my own jumps. I agree with what posters have mentioned about PVC.

If you are not jumping very high (3’6" or less), consider using 4’ high standards instead of 5’. Less awkward to move and lighter in weight. I also use 8’ landscape timbers for jump rails. It also makes jumping a 10’ or 12’ wide rail seem huge.

To keep things easy, I use solid white stain and re stain as needed instead of painting. There is less sanding/scraping when the time comes to spruce up your jumps if you use stain instead of paint.

The following link gives step by step instructions on how I made my standards and fillers-including a Liverpool and rolltop.

http://thepitchforkchronicles.com/step-by-step

[kelsey97]

Have any of you made gates out of PVC? I have wood standards and jump rails, would love some PVC gates and/or panels for filler.

[crosscreeksh]

[QUOTE=Ambitious Kate;8361013]
I don’t know if you can see it, but I always liked this cheap inexpensive way to make a jump cup rather than buy them: Its on eventingnation page but I googled this: https://www.google.com/search?q=building+inexpensive+lightweight+horse+jumps&biw=1024&bih=637&tbm=isch&imgil=k4vXJsbfJUWmNM%253A%253BfyOJeW8pEo-K_M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fhomemadehorsejumps.weebly.com%25252Fstandards.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=k4vXJsbfJUWmNM%253A%252CfyOJeW8pEo-K_M%252C_&usg=__IIKr5Q0CKkX39sWH34E4azNE9jo%3D&ved=0CCwQyjdqFQoTCOuC47C1x8gCFYKgPgod0BwAHw&ei=hiYhVuunGoLB-gHQuYD4AQ#imgrc=SctRWfIiN77cDM%3A&usg=__IIKr5Q0CKkX39sWH34E4azNE9jo%3D[/QUOTE]

Some of these jumps are insanely dangerous!! Laundry baskets with 1 inch PVC pipes??? Really!! If a horse hits some of these jumps “somebody” will get hurt as the weightless objects get tangled between the horses legs!! Better to go with landscape timbers and cinder blocks…or solid standards.

[wildlifer]

I’ve posted a couple that I’ve built, I have an even better one that hasn’t been posted yet (foreground of this photo: http://bit.ly/1TzB646). I’m poor, so I scavenge free scrap lumber or anything else with no shame! My horses & I are also experienced jumpers, so it’s a bit easier to get creative.

http://www.teamflyingsolo.com/2014/08/no-cups-no-problem-build-hassle-free.html
Standing (although currently re-doing base on these); https://twitter.com/eventer79/status/508033473014034432

Free flower box: http://www.teamflyingsolo.com/2014/05/fun-with-power-tools-how-poor-people.html

[Eleanor]

If you are not jumping high just make your schooling standards 3 or 4 foot high. I find that I am not as tired if I am moving around 3’ standards and setting up a course then if I am move the 5’ ones.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=Eleanor;8438762]
If you are not jumping high just make your schooling standards 3 or 4 foot high. I find that I am not as tired if I am moving around 3’ standards and setting up a course then if I am move the 5’ ones.[/QUOTE]

Consider, if making the standards lower than a 5’ minimum, that they be as safe as possible if a horse lands on top of them.

With the taller ones, they will hit them, but not be as apt for the horse or rider to get impaled if landing on them.

[horsecents]

Christmas tree stands, Walmart will have theirs on clearance for about $2. You can use 4×4 with the keyhole track to make assembly easier. I’ve used the heavy guage PVC in the past but you’ll need to drill the holes. This year I’m leaning towards the 4x4’s so they won’t knock over so easy when horse hits rail.