Recommendation for really good book or other source with building plans for schooling jumps?

[HJECG]

Can anyone recommend a specific book (there are a number of different ones available on Amazon ) or a book of plans that can be ordered online that provides a variety of well-designed, easy to follow equestrian (for in the ring - not cross country or eventing) jump designs for DIY builders?

My husband is an extremely handy builder, and very good at following well-written building plans. We do not need very complex jumps, or jumps with a great deal of decorative details, such as for a show ring setting or anything like that.

We need to build basic jump standards (pole uprights and some wing standards). We would like to have the ability to create an oxer or two using several of the standards he has built set up together.

We would also like to build a rolltop or two, and some fillers we could paint such as brick walls, flower boxes, etc

We definitely would like to build one or two jumps that have gates for horses and ponies to go over rather than all the jumps consisting only of poles.

We are planning to use landscaping timbers (sanded, primed, and painted) for poles, but are open to other suggestions if plans offer better ideas.

Again, these will be schooling jumps only, although we plan to sand, prime, and paint them attractively, and they will be built for use by short and long stirrup riders (cross rails), novice riders jumping between 2-3 feet, and a few junior hunters who will certainly never jump any higher than 3’3 at the absolute very highest.

Thank you for any recommendations for specific books with plans for building jumps or for online sources for sets of well-written and designed plans we could order for building jumps.

And while I do understand that we could hire builders to do the building for us, and that used jumps can be located with time and effort, we have now spent about six months diligently exploring both of these possibilities within a 250 mile radius of our home, and have, after determining that used jumps in sub par condition are generally considerably overpriced, and that buying new schooling jumps of the simple types we need, or hiring someone to build them would cost as much as three to four times what it would cost for my husband to build them himself, we’ve decided to go this route.

Thank you.

[endlessclimb]

I just winged it, more or less. Here’s the thread.

I made some jumps! - Hunter/Jumper - Chronicle Forums

These have since been upgraded with a track, instead of needing jump cups with pins.

[NancyM]

If your husband is handy at building, just take him to look at some jumps that you like. He shouldn’t need actual “plans” once he’s seen the basic construction. It’s pretty simple, and there are no “rules” for schooling jumps. But you do need to talk to someone with experience to keep the construction “safe”. That is… nothing for a horse leg to get tangled in, should a crash of some sort occur. 90 degree corners on the standard’s feet should be cut off on the diagonal so not “sharp”. Standards, little walls, brush jumps, coops, all get built or collected over time. Barrels are useful too sometimes. My #1 score was three huge bags of top quality fake flowers, from a closed down restaurant, which I made into two brush jumps. I got them for free.
Make your poles just a bit wider than your fillers, so your fillers fit under the poles if you want to raise the jumps.
I made all the jumps I have now, and believe me, if I can do it, it ain’t difficult.

[HeartsDesireEventing]

This website has some good easy plans:

How To Build Your Own Horse Jumps - Budget Equestrian

I also have this book and found it useful:

Making Your Own Jumps (Step By Step... book by Mary Gordon Watson

[Foxglove]

@HeartsDesireEventing listed the book I found most useful after making my own set of plans before it came out! Making your Own Jumps. One suggestion I have is do not use PVC poles --they make horses sloppy jumpers as they knock down too easily. I bought 4x4s and had the lumber yard peel off the corners --I think in Making Your Own Jumps the author suggested using a Skil saw to do so, but I just don’t have the arm strength and hand strength to do that. Another suggestion I have is to use 12’ poles --it is a more attractive obstacle for a horse --but you can get by with 10’ --of course the temptation is to use 8’ landscape timbers --I suggest not as that is really visually a narrow fence for a green horse.

Oh, if you make a coop or roll top, build it in sections --really tough for one person to move a full sized coop or roll top --but relatively easy if it is built in 3 sections.

[rulex]

I picked up a copy of this book

Jumps, Etc.

after seeing it recommended here. I have yet to build anything from it, but the instructions look clear and easy to follow.