How to Build Pole-Bending Poles

Pole bending is a fast-paced sport that requires precision from both rider and horse. Practice will not only help improve your judgment, but will also familiarize your horse with the pole-bending pattern. Practicing at home will increase your horse's fitness and help prepare you for competition. Making your own pole-bending poles is simple and cost-effective when compared to buying ready-made poles. You can obtain supplies from a hardware store, and the poles are simple to assemble. The resulting poles and bases are suitable for home or competition use.

Things You'll Need

  • 6 plastic adjustable-mount patio umbrella bases, 14 inches wide
  • 6 Schedule 40 2-inch PVC pipes, 6 feet long
  • 6 2-inch PVC end caps
  • PVC glue
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Instructions

    • 1

      Apply a thin coat of PVC glue around one end of a pole, and then apply a PVC cap to the glued end. Repeat this step until all six poles have caps securely glued to one end. The caps provide additional safety in case of an accident. The National Pole Bending Association states that poles should be made of Schedule 40 PVC, which is readily available in most hardware stores. The wall thickness on Schedule 40 PVC is resistant to breakage and shattering. There are no regulations on the diameter of the PVC pipe to be used. However, 2-inch PVC is the most widely used in competition.

    • 2

      Remove the plugs from the umbrella stand bases and fill them all with water. If stands are too heavy to move, drain some water, leaving in as much as possible. The water weighs the bases down; if they are too light, the poles will easily fall over. Reapply the plugs into the bases. For competition use, the bases must be entirely filled.

    • 3

      Place the uncapped end of each PVC pipe into an umbrella stand base, and tighten it so the pole is very secure in the stand. Most aftermarket umbrella stands feature an adjustable-mount opening to suit all sizes of poles. It is important you use these or find bases that have 2-inch mounts. Do not glue the PVC pipe into the base; if you do so, it will be impossible to remove later without damaging the base and the pole.