I’ve found a good deal on some poles but they are 3 inch in diameter by 10 feet. From the research I’ve done on poles and jumps, most of them are 4 inches in diameter. I know the 10 feet is okay as far as length. Is there anything that you can think of where it would cause problems to use 3in diameter wood poles? They are so much cheaper than the other pole options I’ve found that unless its a safety issue, I’d really like to go with these.
It’s not a safety issue IMO, but being lighter they will knock down easier with a light tap from the horse’s foot when jumping. Which means you have to get off and put them back up more often, which is a PITA. If the money saving on the purchase price is worth it to you, go ahead with the purchase.
If jumps knock down easily, SOME horses may get sloppier over time, not care about hitting jumps. If jumps are more solid, they demand more respect from the horse about jumping clean. But it depends on your horse whether this will become a problem for you. Those with a high desire to over achieve will not hit anything, no matter how light the construction.
I agree the lighter poles can be a problem for some horses learning not to respect them. One solution is to buy enough 5" poles for the top of the jump and fill the rest with 3" poles
We have some of each. Generally use the smaller ones for ground lines or crossrails, they are useful and were far less expensive.
I didn’t consider that they might not be a deterrent when he hits them. I think it will be okay to get the smaller ones for now and get some larger ones if that becomes an issue. They will always work as ground lines or trot poles if I end up needing to get more later.
