How to Build a Horseback Riding Jump

If you're into horseback riding and you're training your horse to perform jumps, whether for show or just for fun, you'll need a set of jumps to practice. A jump design basically consists of poles and a pair of standards, the frames that hold up the poles. Standards are easy to make and poles are easy to find. These simple steps show you how to build an inexpensive horseback riding jump.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Power drill with 1/4 inch regular and 1/2 spade bits
• Saw
• Screwdriver
• Screws
• 8-foot-long piece of treated 4-by-4 wood
• 2 8-foot-long pieces of treated 1-by-4 wood
• 1 pair of metal or plastic jump cups
• 8-foot long wooden poles
• Outdoor paint or adhesive jump tape

1. Cut the 8-foot long piece of 4 x 4 wood in half to yield two separate 4-foot long pieces of wood. They will be used as uprights to support the jump cups.
2. Take the two 8-foot long pieces of 1 x 4 wood and cut each one into four 2-foot-long sections (for a total of 8 pieces of wood). These pieces will be the horizontal feet that hold the upright pieces of wood cut in Step 1.
3. Drill a hole every 3 inches in each of the 4-foot long pieces of wood cut in Step 1. Use a spade bit and make sure to drill the holes entirely through the wood.
4. Place the drilled wood upright on a table. Attach one of the 2-foot long pieces of wood made in Step 2 to the bottom of the upright piece of wood with three screws in a triangular fashion. The wood should be exactly flush along the bottom edge of the upright piece of wood.
5. Screw three more pieces of 2-foot long wood around the bottom of the upright, each at a 90-degree angle to last one. It will look like a pinwheel at the bottom of the upright piece of wood.
6. Repeat Steps 3 through 5 to make the second standard.
7. Attach the jump cups at any set of drilled holes made in the upright (depending on how many poles you have and what height you want them set at). Some jump cups come with pins, some are pinless, so follow the directions that came with your jump cups to properly attach to the standards.
8. Take your 8-foot long wooden poles and paint stripes on them with outdoor paint or wrap adhesive jump tape around the poles to make stripes. Attach the poles to the jump cups.

Tips & Warnings

• You can find jump cups and jump adhesive tape at a tack shop, in a horse catalog or on the Internet.