Building a water complex

Though they aren't mandatory at the lower levels of competition, most people who host horse trials or three-day events would like at least one water jump on their property. Even if your course is only used for schooling purposes, it's wonderful to have a water hazard to splash through. Most horses need some practice to learn to first enter, and then jump in and out of water enthusiastically -- so the more schooling opportunities you have, the better! Perhaps you've been considering building a water jump on your course. You may be on the verge of renting that backhoe and digging a hole. But before you do, stop.... and read this primer on building a water complex.

First and foremost, identify the ideal site. Water complexes have to have two things: safe, non-slip footing, and a consistently shallow depth (generally no deeper than 18"). To jump a horse into a water hazard which has a muddy bottom is to invite tendon injury .... and water which is too deep creates so much drag on the limbs that it generally stops forward motion and causes horse and rider to tip forward into the drink.

How do you make sure that the footing in a water jump stays firm and welcoming? How do you keep the water level nice and shallow? It's all about location, says professional course-builder Jay Hambly, who has constructed jumps for Denny Emerson's Tamarack Hill Farm, the Advanced level Chatsworth Horse Trials in Great Britain, and Canada's Bromont CCI** three-day-event. "The ideal site is a natural water source. Personally, I prefer small creeks and streams. Look at the ground in the surrounding area ... how soft is it? The softer the ground is, the more you'll spend on fill, making it firm enough."

Water jumps are technically challenging for horse and rider. Photo by Bob Langrish

What sort of footing should you look for? "Riverstone, in creek beds, is really good footing," Hambly says. "Clay is good too, because water won't seep through it very far. You can get away without a liner if you have clay." Sand, while it's easy on the horses, tends to let your water drain away, so you'll need to put a liner in your water complex to keep it filled. But sometimes, notes Hambly, if you dig beneath a layer of sand, you'll find clay further down.

If you don't have any natural water sources on your property, don't despair. It may still be possible to create a water jump out of nowhere. You'll want to place it where it can be filled with water by a hose from the barn or from a water truck, and use a liner to keep the water from seeping back into the ground. Sheets of plastic will make a temporary liner, but for more permanent results Hambly likes to use heavy-duty tarps or swimming pool liner knock-offs, filled with at least half an inch of sand or stone dust and then two inches of gravel. Such a water jump might only be filled with water on competition days (or after a heavy rain), but it's better than nothing.

Consult a professional course designer for ideas before you start building. "You definitely want to talk to someone who knows what they're doing," says Hambly. Versatility should be a key aspect of your design. You'll be happier with the results if you can provide several different options for different levels of horses and riders.

Most water jumps are revetted along the edges -- that is, they're lined with railroad ties or other sturdy squared-off lumber so as to provide a bank to jump down or up. To revet the shoreline, Hambly uses nine-gauge galvanized wire, wrapped around the lumber and brought back a couple of feet to sturdy stakes which are buried in the ground. The wire's tension on the lumber keeps them from dropping into the drink when a horse decides to put on the brakes at the edge. It's nice to provide a gentle sloping entrance to the water as well; it's much more inviting for green horses getting their feet wet for the first time.

GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS

A water jump is probably the biggest project you'll tackle on your course, so you're going to need a couple of brawny helpers, a backhoe or tractor, a posthole digger attachment, plus plenty of shovels and rakes, a chainsaw, and of course the materials for your actual jumps.

Establish solid footing that will last, using rubble (large stones) pushed down into the soil with a tractor. Once this first layer seems solid, Hambly recommends placing a mesh or membrane layer on top of the stones to help keep the water from seeping into the ground. There are several types of weather-proof liners like this commercially available, he says, but even mesh fencing or old carpet will do in a pinch.

Next, add a layer of smaller (approximately six inches across) stones, sometimes called riff-raff, then some Grade A gravel, made up of one to two-inch round stones which won't provide a sharp, ouchy landing for your horse. And finally, on top of that, place a layer of stone dust or sand and smooth it flat ... but, Jay advises, "don't overdo it. Remember that it's much easier to add than to take away."

If you're working with a naturally-occurring stream or creek, you can install a drain pipe in an out-of-the-way spot, to allow water to drain back into the creek (or a lower portion of your property), and place an overflow pipe at the depth you'd like the water to be. That way, the water level never gets too deep. A simple dam lets water into the jump complex when you need it.

Ideally, Hambly likes to let a newly built water complex settle for about a month before using it. During this time, he likes to fill and drain it for a couple of days at a time, checking that the footing remains solid and that the water level is reasonable. Walking around barefoot in the water is a good test of the footing's solidity.

If your water level is too deep, you'll need to drain the reservoir (pumping it out if necessary), build the footing up, and try again. It might take some repositioning of your dam and/or overflow pipe to get the water level to regulation levels. Remember that it's not really necessary to have more than three or four inches of water in the jump; you'll want to plan for the possibility of torrential rains just before your event!

Building a water jump is a HUGE undertaking, but the payoff can be well worth it. Imagine being able to educate a young horse about water at your leisure, in your own backyard ... or even better, picture that first horse and rider splashing bravely through your water complex on competition day, spraying water everywhere and grinning from ear to ear. It's the very essence of eventing -- simple H20.