Bank Up and Down Distances for Building

[LucyMay]

Hello

I've roped my boyfriend into building a simple up and down bank with telephone poles from the neighbor. The type where you essentially build a box and fill it with dirt and supports so you have a box to jump up and down. I was planning on having it so you could do a one stride from one direction and a bounce from the other direction. I was planning to use it for training young ones so I was thinking low like 2 foot (the poles are one foot in diameter so I only have 1 foot increments to pick from) and was just debating on the length for striding. I was thinking 10 foot for the bounce and 18 feet for the one stride. Does that sound right? I'm worried we'll build it and not like the striding. Any feedback appreciated??

Thanks!

[FairWeather]

Bumping this for a quick opinion--i have fencing guys here (surprised me!) and wanted to find out what distances to use?

[GotSpots]

I don't think you'll find a bounce bank terribly useful if that's the distance across the top - many of them don't really understand the question on top because it's a bit too wide to be an Irish bank (though occasionally you'll have one try to take a flyer), but the bounce on top before stepping down is pretty awkward (as opposed to, say, a bounce UP stairs, which can be useful and helpful, but usually not seen until Preliminary - leaving Rockhing Horse's Training one aside). I would think about having no less than a one stride on top, and if you have the room/space, I like having at least two strides across on top, or better, a U-shaped bank so that you can walk up the ramp and pop down, or up/down across it. Remember that you don't want a terribly long distance on top of a bank, as they tend to jump fairly carefully up and land a bit shallow - an overly long distance on top will only encourage a launch off (not what you want) or a stutter step (ditto).

[FairWeather]

Thanks!
If you were building a schooling bank, ramp up one side, three size banks down, what dimensions would you use?

I just want something simple that horses can learn the concept and trot over.

[Janet]

Look here
http://www.useventing.com/resources/files/docs/xc_obstable_design_standards.pdf

Novice – 3 strides (40’); Training 1 or 2 strides (18’ or 30’);
Preliminary/Advanced – Banks should be no less than 12’ across the top.

[LAZ]

I just finished mine--it consists of two L shapes on ends to each other. You can jump up the short end, take two bold or three cautious strides (it's 32') and off the bigger end, or run up a ramp and jump out headed into the field or jump up a bank and head out to the field. It is 18" at it's short end and 2'6" at it's tall end with the ability to lash a pole or two at to make it taller. The faces of all the banks are at least 14' wide.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641567647&v=photos&ref=profile#/album.php?aid=110556&id=641567647

See if that link works...I'm a computer idiot.

[FairWeather]

super duper helpful!

Since I had to make a quick decision, I did a length of 18' (ramp will be on one side) and 13' wide. It will be just something I can walk up and pop down, or trot and canter one direction (up the ramp, straight down the other side)

thanks for the assistancce, the jump standards are great!!