Building Equine Obstacles

The main thing to think about when building an obstacle is safety for you and the equine. 

Always use quality products.  I like to use only 2” thick (actually 1 ½” thick) materials for any obstacles the equine will be standing on. 

We use screws instead of nails to ensure they stay put. We don’t want a nail to come out and puncture the horse. It is of extreme importance not to have sharp edges that could hook the horse or rider’s clothing. Any type of bridge should have a wide base or be connected to prevent tipping. 

Here’s what I’ve seen that you shouldn’t use:

• Do not use concrete blocks—they have holes that children's feet could get stuck in. Solid concrete blocks are fine. 

• Do not use pallets or plywood for bridges. These materials are not strong enough to support that amount of weight. 

• Don’t use tarps, plastic, or plastic pools for stepping on because their hooves can go through them. 

• My wife saw a horse get its shoe hooked to a tarp, and it caused an accident. 

• PVC pipe should not be used. If they step on it, it can break into sharp pieces. 

• Don’t use obstacles that have become weathered and brittle, as they can break. Be proactive, not reactive, since you are dealing with the health and safety of your equine. 

I built a jig with the obstacles I created to make them all identical and use all 2” treated lumber to help them withstand the weather. Everything is screwed together with screws made for treated materials. 

I leave a small space between the boards on the tops of the bridges for dirt to fall through. You wouldn’t want to leave too big a space because, as the lumber shrinks, you can end up with too large a gap. Another reason for using multiple boards with gaps for the top is to help provide traction for the equine instead of having one solid, slick surface. If necessary, you could add cleats or non-slip paint to the top. 

Another thing to consider is the final obstacle weight. Do you have a way to move it?

I use plywood for obstacles like the bull that will not be stepped on. Plywood does not weather well, so if it’s going to be outside, it should be painted to help protect it. 

Safety needs to be the top priority.