DefinitelyDressage.com

I’m looking for some tips on building my own. Also, is there any difference if I use a round pole or a square pole? What about pvc?

Pvc easily shatters as it ages. Best shape is octagonal (or oval), square can cause injuries. It is more difficult to connect round poles to an X shape (mho).

Where do I buy octagonal or oval poles?

I find squares safe when attached to a cavaletti. The "problems" with squares happens when loose. Jmho.

Definitely dont use pvc

greenhorse wrote:Where do I buy octagonal or oval poles?

You have to cut them using a table saw.

What is the problem with square? I was afraid it could catch a hoof on the edge.

Just this week, I had a pvc ground pole shatter when my horse stepped on it. It practically exploded. I picked up two handfuls of sharp shards.

I made some cavaletti last year. I had 2, 12' round poles from a jump set I scored on Craigslist, so I cut them in half and made the cavaletti so I can stick the poles in when they are in use. I don't mind having only 6' wide because they are easier to move around and don't take up so much space in the indoor arena. I painted a 1' wide contrasting color in the center as a visual cue to aim for. I made mine smaller than standard, so they're lighter, and who ever uses the highest setting on large cavaletti anyway? The ends were made by notching out and fitting together pieces of 4x4 and then attaching them together with lag bolts. It was a pain in the butt, but they are sturdy and will hopefully last a while. I'll try to remember to get some pics when I'm at the barn today.

Altho not as long as a classic cavaletti, landscape poles make good ground poles and would make good cavaletti IMO. I have seen cavaletti that ware just a square of plywood (use marine grade) with an off-center hole for the pole; the square sits sort of angled on the pole and it supports itself.

(I have seen riders and horses hit the square ones and get injured.)

I just use painted round ground poles stacked on these Horseman's Pride blocks: https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/horse ... gKee_D_BwE

How do you like them?

Gallop: Would landscape timbers be safe? I was thinking as ground poles they would be less likely to roll, but they don’t have as sharp of edges like square poles. They are only $5, too!

https://m.lowes.com/pd/Severe-Weather-A ... KeEALw_wcB

OK, finally got a pic of one of the ends I built. The pole fits snugly in the triangular pocket. You might be able to see where I had to remove the piece of 2x4 and router it out a little bit because the wood swelled when they got rained on, so that some of the poles no longer fit properly. These are about 20" whereas I think 24" is the traditional large size. There is a 3" lag bolt going in from either side to secure the two pieces of the "X" together.

greenhorse wrote:Gallop: Would landscape timbers be safe? I was thinking as ground poles they would be less likely to roll, but they don’t have as sharp of edges like square poles. They are only $5, too!

https://m.lowes.com/pd/Severe-Weather-A ... KeEALw_wcB

I use landscape timbers for ground poles. DOn't roll and have rounded edges and are PT as well.

Nice! How long are your poles?

greenhorse wrote:Nice! How long are your poles?

My poles are only 6' because I ended up with a pair of skinny 12' long jump poles. I'd probably do 8' if starting from scratch.

Mine are similar to Straight's, but I used landscape poles (flat on two sides, round on two sides, if that makes sense). The lag bolts get loose and need to be tightened, being out in the elements all the time. DH made 4 for me and they worked great. Just roll them along the ground till the crossrail is the height you need. Plastic would worry me, not to mention, it likely wouldn't last in the sun/heat of our summers.

galopp wrote:(I have seen riders and horses hit the square ones and get injured.)

I've seen horses and riders hit round poles and get injured.

My cavelletti are built with 4 x 4 square posts for the cross bar supports and I think 4" round fence poles. They are VERY heavy. They do not tip over unless the horse hits them hard. The horse very quickly learns to respect the poles which makes them much safer to jump and ride over obstacles out on the trail. They are lag bolted together and I repaint them white every year. My husband built them with me when we were still newlyweds, which means they are about 20 years old now and still in perfect condition despite never having been under shelter. My shoulder hates that they're heavy, but I'm from the school of thought that heavy is safer because a light tap won't result in the cavelletti rolling under the horse's feet. I can put them at 4", 12" and 18" for heights.

greenhorse wrote:How do you like them?

If you're asking me, I LOVE them. They are super useful, they can be used at 3 different heights, and have held up well to a decade of sitting out in the weather of my outdoor arena.