Different obstacles

Verticals (Straight)
Definition of a vertical obstacle: An obstacle whatever its construction can only be called vertical/straight when all the parts of which it is composed are positioned in the same vertical plane on the take off side, without any rail (pole) hedge, bank or ditch in front off it. A wall with an inclined face may not be called a straight obstacle except in puissance and power and skill competions.

This type of vertical is most common. The height is 1,50m (Croatia)

This type of vertical of 1,50m is little more difficult to jump because of it's more airy character (Croatia)

Another type of vertical. This obstacle should come after a left turn (Germany)

Here is the last sixbar obstacle at the beginning height of 1,65m (Croatia)

A nice obstacle not to difficult even if it has a plank in the middle (Germany)

Very spoky triple combination even if the first obstacle is a vertical, because of strong colours, contrasts and windows at the end. (Turkey, Foto Neylan)

This obstacle has poles without contrasts mixed with planks in the middle. Strong sunshine can make obstacles even more difficult for unexperienced horses. (Croatia)

Same obstacle but with the planks now up and down. (Croatia)

Only planks difficult for young horses (Croatia)

This Baby blue colour has made a lot of problems for the young horses, the first year it was used (Croatia)

This lovely alternative obstacle has two opportunities, left side easier to jump and the right side which is much more difficult Next obstacle after this is to the right, so if you jump the right side you will have shorter way and if you jump the easier left side you will have a longer way to the next obstacle (Croatia)

Gates are very difficult obstacles, specially this one which is only 2,20m. (Croatia)

Liverpools should be a normal part of the course. Don`t hesitate to use them even in the lower classes. (Slovak)

After two days using this Samsung obstacle, we tryed to make a new look and this is the result. (Grand Prix of Zagreb, Croatia)

Ditches, Banks and other natural obstacles are nowdays not so often seen at the tournaments. We must be carefule with our sport so we don`t lose our rots of the sport, natural obstacles. This permanent water ditch obstacle is in fact a spread obstacle because of the water widht, caused only the first day with some horses problems. The next two days nobody had any more problems with it. (Slovak)

Verticals (Walls)
Walls are often influenced by places where they are from. This nice wall is from Aachen in Germany.

This wall is very much influenced (the hole) from traditions in Turkey. Foto Neylan

In this red wall are four holes which makes it little more difficult for the horses. (Slovak)

Same wall but green (Slovak)

This is not a correct wall. The base of the wall is little more than one meter. Only the pole can fall down. To make it more worse the course designer and his assistent had their headquarters at the right side of the wall. (Croatia)

A bended wall is more difficult to jump for the horses, but the wall was wide enough and the horses did not have problems. (Slovak)

More difficult. Same wall but under another curcumstances. Between the flags is only 3m and the wall is bended

Spread obstacles (Oxers)
For young horses and riders at lower level it is better to use more slopy oxers in the beginning of the course. The little cross under helps young horses to make a better jump over the obstacle. I use it often on lower national competions as first obstacle or in combinations. My experience is, that in young horse classes, where you want to have gates or planks in the combination you must use likely material in the obstacles before the combination. You will minimise too much problems. (Croatia)

It is importand to use all kind of material even in the lower classes, so rider and horses will get enough of experience for the future. (Slovak)

Airy oxer. It is very importand to have variation of colours, material, massive or more less massive verticals and spread obstacles. (Slovak)

Variation. This obstacle should be jumped on the right hand (Croatia)

Variation. This obstacle should be jumped on the left hand (Croatia)

Nice oxer, maybe little spoky for the unexperienced horses. If you don`t know how the horses will react, use it first as a vertical. (Slovak)

This obstacle is made of students between 16-18 years age at a carpenter School. (Croatia)

Commercial obstacles is a nessesery. But try to avoid "Mickey Mouse" obstacles. (Croatia)

Natural environment obstacle (Germany)

Commercial obstacle (Germany)

Commercial obstacle (Slovak)

Rainbow. This a nice low budget obstacle (Slovak)

Beer producer (Germany)

Commercial obstacle (Croatia)

This gate oxer is a very difficult obstacle and should only be used not to wide in classes where the horses and riders are very experienced. I used this gate oxer at the third day of the tournament, after that the horses already have jumped it the day before as a vertical. (Slovak)

Liverpools should be used nearly in all classes but don`t start to put it in a spread obstacle the first day of the tournament. (Croatia)

Spread obstacles (Triple bars)
Triple bars are often one of the easier obstacle to jump. It is very importand that it is the same distance between all the poles. Whats make this obstacle difficult is how much the triple bar is wide and how high the front poles are.

Spread obstacles (Waterjump)
For a spread obstacle to be called a waterjump it must have no obstacle in front, in the middle nor behind the water. Only a take off element or a lath fixed to the ground maybe erected on the take off side. The take off element must not exceed more than 50 cm in height. The face of the waterjump obstacle should be 5 m.

Zagreb, Croatia

Bratislawa, Slovak

Bratislawa, Slovak

Overbuillt waterjump. The pole counts as fault if its falling down and it is the same rule for the small wall in front of the water. It doesnt count as fault if the horse touches the water. This obstacle is often used as a "warming up waterjump" the day before Nations Cup.