I need to buy some wooden jump rails. They have to be 12’ x 3.5" rounds, and can’t be PVC.
Are most lumber yards able to do this? Most of what I’m seeing online only goes up to 8’ or 10’ in length (if they advertise round rails at all). Also, what have people paid in the past for poles of this type?
Find your closest lumber yard --try local, not box stores. Always good idea to have a sample pole to show them --I used to buy 4x4 and have the corners pealed off --cost was about $15 --$10 for the pole and $5 for labor --I used 12 foot poles too. Best time to do this is in January. Lumber yards are not getting a lot of business in January when building is slow – if the lumber yard is unable to accommodate your request --ask where you can have it done --sometimes they know a builder who will custom cut wood —again, January is a slow time for builders. Another possibility (and I have done this) is to contact the local high school if it still has a wood shop class. If there is one, find out the name of the teacher and when he/she is free during the school day. Call and ask if you can come in to discuss a small custom cutting wood project. Be prepared to offer a donation to the school or pay the teacher out-right if he/she is going to do the project after school hours. [I worked at the school, so it wasn’t too hard to get my poles shaved]. Last choice is to do it yourself. You can, if you are handy with a Skil saw, “free hand” taking corners off a square pole --but it’s difficult to get a good result (I’m an old lady and holding the saw was not easy for me, but I got the job done) --a table saw is ideal --and the poles need to be cut true, no bend.
If poles/jumps are something you plan to build a lot of —in 20+years I eventually built a full 15 obstacle course of wing standards, elements, and poles --buy a table saw, chop saw, and drill press (although the last two I think you can rent --maybe you can rent a table saw too, but they take some skill to use, I think.
I would expect to pay $20 a pole —having said that, I am still using 30 year old poles in my ring . . .buy as many as you can afford if you find someone who will do the work for you.
I have in the past found these at local feed/farm stores. The poles I have found there “in stock” are not near the quality that you would want for fancy, beautiful jumps, but they were fine for schooling and local show type stuff. I have never found 12’ round poles at lumber/hardware stores.
It has been a number of years since I bought, but I think the poles were around $10 a piece at the time.
These are very common locally at lumber stores, but perhaps it is a regional thing? They are not “super fancy” but are fine for schooling. They are not all “exactly” any unvarying width, they are sold as “3-4s”, meaning that the width varies between 3" and 4". 4-5s are also available, and 5-6s. I prefer the 4-5s. The 12 foot length is no problem, they are available in all lengths up to 14 or 16 feet. We use them for fencing as well as jump poles.
Do they have to be perfectly round? Easier and cheaper to plane the edges off a 12 ft 4x4 making it octogan. Then when they drop they also don’t roll !! much safer.
Thanks for the responses - I should have clarified that they will be used for shows, so they do need to be of a certain quality. Open to any and all guidance in this.
I’ll take the suggestions for schooling sets too though! One of my preferred bipeds needs some new jumps too, and they only need to be schooling quality.
what type of wood is best?
And thanks for starting this thread. 
I buy 4x4s and rip them into octagons.
Here’s some round poles - shipping will be costly though.
https://www.amazon.com/Unpainted-Rails-Poles-Horse-Jumps/dp/B07CM1BWL6
https://www.platinumjumps.com/collections/round-rails
http://www.eastcoastjumps.com/product/3-5-round-premium-jump-rail-plus-freight/
If you need show quality, I believe some of the companies that build jumps for high level shows occasionally sell used sets. Maybe find a company in your general geographic area that builds jumps and ask them about their sources - possibly go in on a load of raw material?
Where are you located? I have gotten a bunch from Jumps by Fuzzy in Middle Tennessee. He also travels to shows and sells some at the end. But you might want to contact him and see where he may be.
Up here, the mills make round poles in batches, so they aren’t always available. Try a farm supply store for your best chance of finding them. Ours will let you pick and choose individual poles.
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