Square jump poles?

[Silverbell]

Recently a rider mentioned replacing a regular top rail with one that is cut square, with four sides, in order to give her horse more than an ordinary ouch if it failed to clear the jump. (Jump is about 1m, horse is honest, rider is just okay.) I have never heard of doing this. Anyone else?

 

[stangs]

I’ve seen square edge poles used in cavaletti, but never in the way you describe. What an awful training technique. It’s one thing using pressure (and release), it’s another deliberately using pain to ‘train’.

 

[Ossy2]

It’s actually quite common to use them, but like everything there is a time and place for them to be used correctly not just put up cause someone feels like their horse needs to feel pain.
For a horse that’s quite happy to push a plastic pole out all the time, something a little heavier and harder to push out the way does help the horse think about where their feet are, but it’s as balance as wrap a horse to many times they start stopping rather than trying to jump, which by the sounds of it is what your friend is going to end up doing with her honest horse.

 

[humblepie]

I looked to buy some to use as trotting poles as they can't role so safer but struggled to find any.

 

[RachelFerd]

Have used regularly. Useful to use if a horse has become too used to jumping lightweight plastic poles and is too casual about booting them out. No different to the way in which you'd expect a horse to mind their legs when jumping cross country.

 

[LEC]

Square or hexagonal poles are useful tools. They roll less so they either hit them or they learn. Some horses can be very casual with rolling poles with toes.

 

[sbloom]

For jumps I was always taught that they should be on gate/flat cups so they roll just as easily. On the ground they're safer for sure, but if you don't need the height you can split round poles.

 

[Silverbell]

Interesting! Thanks, all!

 

[Ratface]

I’ve seen square edge poles used in cavaletti, but never in the way you describe. What an awful training technique. It’s one thing using pressure (and release), it’s another deliberately using pain to ‘train’.

Reminds me a "trick" used by (some) showjumping riders/trainers many years ago: wrapping hedgehog skins round the top poles of practice jumps. Sometimes, adding a sharp uplift to the pole as the horse went over it.
I do so hope the law of Karma still exists . Have a look at what happened to Prometheus . . .

 

[Fluffypiglet]

My yard has some heavy hexagonal poles for certain horses who are competing regularly and at a high level. The less experienced and/or sensitive horses are kept well away from them!!

 

[Ratface]

I’ve seen square edge poles used in cavaletti, but never in the way you describe. What an awful training technique. It’s one thing using pressure (and release), it’s another deliberately using pain to ‘train’.

Reminds me a "trick" used by (some) showjumping riders/trainers many years ago: wrapping hedgehog skins round the top poles of practice jumps. Sometimes, adding a sharp uplift to the pole as the horse went over it.
I hope Karma is still exacting the necessary price for such despicable behaviour.