Can you use...

[Bossdog]

... normal 12ft x 4 in timber poles as trotting poles, presuming they are machined and smooth (i.e, no big splinters sticking out)? Our local timber place is supplying them for £7 each and I thought we could just paint and gloss them ourselves....

 

[Alibear]

there's the risk (up to you to decide how big it is) that square polls will not roll if hit and hence could trip the horse. Hence round ones are usually used. All though you can now get little cups to raise round polls and stop them rolling as easily.

As with everything equine, conflicting opinions!

Oh and a round ege is less likely to bruise a horses leg than a sharper corner on a square poll I guess.

 

[Bossdog]

Oh yeah, I did mean round ones, (just machined as in smoothed), I didn't even realise anyone used square ones!!

 

[PapaFrita]

I thought square poles were better on the ground because they wouldn't roll!

We've got square (rounded edges) poles as well as round ones for jumping

 

[Alibear]

Yep PF and cavalettis always has little square polls to.

Then there's planks as well.

 

[Bossdog]

Blimey, my ignorance is showing! I just want them as trotting poles (we don't do jumping!).

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Sound a bargin to me

 

[nicnag]

Yes, we already use them and never had a problem.

 

[Weezy]

Always buy poles from the Timber mill - far cheaper.

And as for trotting poles I ALWAYS prefer to use small square ones when poss as they do not move