Cheap Show Jumping Poles

[Bertie]

I was wondering if it would be possible to get cheaper versions of show jumping poles?? I'm aiming to buy some poly jump or WB Stubbs jumping blocks for use on the livery yard but the poles are as expensive as the each bock at £22.00 each!!!

So I was thinking if it was cheaper and more importantly OK to imporvise and maybe use a length of piping or a wooden fence stake (without stake end though) - is it OK to do this??

Or does anyone have any other cheap pole suggestions please :)

[Trewsers]

Do they have to be tubular? If not, what about washing line clothes props? They used to be quite cheap and you could cut them to size (if you're a handy type of gal with a saw). Just an idea........I think Robinsons do fairly reasonable plastic ones tho.

[nutkin]

I shouldn't be telling you this as hubby makes jumps for people but you can get jump poles from your timber merchant much cheaper.Some places sell them for as little as £5 each so shop around.

[Jiouxles]

I was looking into this a while ago - one suggestion I saw was:


use lengths of drain pipe
put some earth/sand in them to make them a bit heavier (NOT fill them up lol!)
block the ends up (you can get plastic caps- just look on the roof of a plumber's van they use drain pipe and caps to keep their copper pipe in)
then put them in those plastic sleeves (pole rolls?) you can get.


The theory was that if they did get knocked down and trodden on the plastic sleeving would keep all the bits together if the drain pipe broke.

Cost (according to web sites I looked at)
Drainpipe x 2.75m (9ft?) £6.99 each if you buy 5 from Wickes. Bet you could find them cheaper down your local builders' merchant tho' and it doesn't matter what colour they are because:

Pole rolls available from this site: http://www.thanetshowjumps.co.uk/plastic.htm

price says £2.50 +VAT so, about £3.00 (and they're 12' long so you could just knot the ends and stuff them into the poles instead of buying caps

So that would make them about £10 each (+ earth or sand)

Don't know anyone who's tried it but it might work.:)

[Vez]

One of my friends used some drainpipes. She painted them to look like poles and they look dead good. I'm not sure of price but it was definatly cheaper then £22:)

[Pink's lady]

Pretty much what Jiouxles said - drain pipes make great poles.

Or you could just go down to a local timber merchent and buy some long posts. I have 10 8ft 6inch square posts and they are great, although they're a little heavy. But since they we free from a buildr who no longer needed then, I'm not complaining. Having square poles isn't a problem.

If you do get wooden poles make sure you paint them asap and they will last years.

[Vix3n]

We use the long cardboard rolls that carpets and fabric are stored on then thrown away.:o YES we raid the skips on the industrial estate close by.:o They don't like too much rain though!!:D

[phyzelda]

I'm another one that uses plastic pipes, but i got some cheap coloured tapes to decorate mine with.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/phyzelda/17-04-06_1932.jpg

[Bertie]

I was thinking about the drainpipe thing and Think that sounds like a great idea, might try and have a look round this weekend.

Thanks, everyone :)

P.S phyzelda - great poles, they look really good :)

[katieB]

We used drainpipes at my last yard and then got a couple of tins of paint from the Poundshop - they normally have the loud colours that no one would put on their walls so theyre perfect for poles.

[Bertie]

Great idea Kate, I'll check out our ppound shop and see if I can find some loud and hideous colours to paint them!!

[jumpingkatey]

I use cheap tape to colour drainpipe poles and fill them with a little bit of sand just enough so that they don't blow about in the wind and keep the sand in using duc-tape.

[chaz_the_star]

Bloke down by us who does a pair for £5! :) But we paint them ourselves!

[Giveitago]

drain pipes-

you can get small 10inch square sticky backed tiles in different colours that you can wrap around the pole, theyre about a £1 each but are just the right width and stay on well. They come in loads of colours too.

[bexj]

Aren't drainpipes dangerous if the horse lands on them? They would surely shatter into very sharp bits?

Just interested as I'm on the look out for some jump poles too.:)

[ImaLittleBoston]

we went into the woods, cut down some dead trees, stipped them, dried them, and painted them.. TADA!
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m311/harnisk1/DSCF0095.jpg
see! haha, dont they look purrdy? ( that aint me riding, thats my best friend getting a test drive ;))

[stephanie bay]

I have used pipes and forrestry poles in the past, both with no problems, wooden poles are heavy though.

For a while I let it be known to all friends and family that if they were struggling what to buy me for birthday, christmas valentines etc then a few poly poles would be very much appreciated. Now I have a full set of poly poles and my preferred gift is now multijump wings!

[CurlyWurlyRach]

we used plastic pipe at my old yard. one cob landed on one and it shattered into sharp pieces. luckily nothing cut into her but i would always cover them in something that the sharp edges cant shear through.

[Jiouxles]

If you look back a bit on this thread to my other post you'll see I was concerned about the shattering plastic too. Hence the inclusion of the pole rolls which are plastic sleeves that slip over the drain pipe and come in different colours to look like painted poles. At £3 each they are pretty cheap to avoid an accident as any broken bits stay in the sleeve. (Plus, if the sleeve is still ok you just empty out the bits and put it onto your replacement pipe!)

[Laura+Phantom]

I imagine if you wrapped the poles in those big sticky back tiles or sheets it would make them safer though?

Great ideas!

[joey_olop]

I use drainpipes but find they arent straight, dip in the middle :D but then I dont fill them nothing so they are so light.

[BeachRiding]

I would use light wooden poles, they are safe!

[kirstie]

Like WL we use wooden poles, light enough to knock down and safe as well :)

[buttons]

Plastic drain-pipes are meant to be underground!! They get very brittle after a time exposed to the sun's rays and can be very dangerous and easily broken. I have used them in the past, but have always found they are too light and bounce back into the horse's legs, if filled they sag in the middle. Wood is far safer! The plastic sleeves are good, but they dont last either!! Sneak off into the forest or do a deal with the local sawmill!!

[chelsea105]

If u can get the poles then you could cover them in they role stuff and they look really good they sell they rolls at derby house for £2.45

[Daffy Dilly]

Our local agri merchants does BSJA spec poles, pre treated I think, for £13 a pop. Or he did last year. I suspect that local timber merchants would be much cheaper though. If needs be I will ask the YO to get some on the cheap, as he's a builder so must have trade thingys everywhere :p

[MissFolly]

we have some drainpipes with sleeves over, and when the drainpipe gets broken it just cuts thru the sleeve

[Anro]

:confused: What lenght do the pipes have to be?


(propaly a stuped question:p )

[Jiouxles]

Buttons - I think we're talking down pipe for guttering systems rather than underground drainage pipes. I think they are probably made to withstand exposure to the weather for a bit longer.