Thursday, February 23, 2023

Jump Panel and Décor Ideas

 So I am always looking for novel ideas to make new horse jumps, or to dress up plain old logs in the woods.  Here are a few that I have made, as well as ideas I have for others.

Ideas for jump panels:

These PVC or vinyl panels are available at places such as Walmart, Home Depot, and Lowes.  They came up in a search for "decor screen", so hard to say how sturdy they are, but they look like they would be super easy to attach to a long board plank to act as a wider plank or a filler:

premade panels to use for horse jumps
They also come in a couple different colors, although generally that is limited to shades of brown, black, and white.

Along those lines, another search for "decorative panel" came up with these that look a bit sturdier (or at least I am more confident they would stand up to outdoor use:



*Other ideas:  Woven willow / branch filler

Faux ivy / hedge fence panels


Becoming a Bombproof Rider

 I recently started reading a book about bombproofing your horse, and as I was reminded of the psychology of it, I had an epiphany; I could apply the same ideas to make myself a braver rider.

Basically, in working on de-spooking or bomb proofing your horse, you are gradually making them confront a scary thing, first from a safe distance, then gradually increasing the pressure until it's no big deal.

So it occurred to me, if I am worried about my horse spooking, or even trying to turn and bolt on me, I need to set up a situation where my horse is nervous, but I can handle it and bring him back under control.

Training a Horse to Handle Scary Objects: Using a Bag of Noisy Soda Cans

     Be the brave leader your horse needs! Can your horse trust you to protect him from danger?  That is what is the most important thought ...