How To Build Boxes For Horse Jump Fillers

How To Build Boxes For Horse Jump Fillers

I decided since I put up my jump of the month for March, I should probably show you how you can build boxes for horse jump fillers. They are really simple to build, and you only need minimal carpentry skills. I was able to make these boxes with left over materials that I had in my garage. The total cost for me to make these boxes was $0 dollars. How’s that for a bargain?

The tools needed are pretty minimal too, but you will need tools.

What You Will Need

• 2 x 6 wood
• Siding, or plywood
• 1 3/4″ screws
• Kilz 2 Primer
• Painter’s tape (or masking tape)
• Spray paint
• Exterior paint
• Orbital sander (and sand paper)
• Jig saw
• 18 volt drill
• Measuring tape and marker (or pencil)

What You Will Do

First, cut the 2 x 6 lumber to the length you will want each box to be. For mine, I wanted the boxes to be easy to move, so I made each box 44″ long. You will need 4 pieces cut to the length you want the boxes to be. One 2 x 6 will be the top of the box, and one will be the bottom support piece.

After you have the 2 x 6’s cut, then you will need to cut the siding. I was using left over siding that my mom had, and I used the lines on the patterned side of the siding as my guide line for cutting the siding. Since I am not planning on jumping very high, I kept the height of my boxes low. The total height for my boxes is 16″ tall.

Cut the siding to the height you want it to be with a jig saw. The jig saw cuts through the siding very easily, and makes fast work of the cutting. You will need 4 pieces of siding to make a pair of boxes.

Once your wood siding is cut, now is the time to assemble the boxes. Place 2 of the 2 x 6’s on the ground and then place a piece of siding over top. Line up the siding to meet the top 2 x 6. This will make the top of your box, so make sure it lines up evenly. Then, attach 1 screw to a corner, making sure to go through the siding and the wood. Then readjust your siding to make sure it is square and lined up with the 2 x 6 and continue attaching the screws from the siding into the 2 x 6.

When I attached the siding to the 2 x 6 wood, I made sure to put the patterned side in. I did this because I did not want a textured surface on the outside. It makes it easier to paint on a non-textured surface.

Then attach the second 2 x 6 to the bottom of the box. I attached mine about 2″ higher than the bottom, so there is a little wiggle room and the box will be more stable when it is standing.

After the first box is built, repeat the process with your second box. And when you are finished, you should have a pair of boxes that are equal in height, and length, hopefully!

Once the boxes are built, I like to sand everything smooth. I would recommend wearing a mask to protect yourself from the dust particles. Especially if the wood you are using is used, you never know what is in that fine dust. So be safe, and where a respirator or mask to protect yourself.

Now it is time to paint! I started with my favorite primer paint, Kilz 2 primer. And I put two coats of primer paint on each visible surface of the boxes. I also did the inside 6″ of the boxes, just in case it is visible from the sides when the box is up.

After the paint had dried on the boxes, it was time to get creative! This is when you will tape off the “mortar” for your bricks. I used tape that was 1/2″ wide.

I set the boxes side by side, so I could keep the tape similar. And after the horizontal lines were taped, then I did little pieces of tape vertically, to create the bricks. I offset the tape, so it is kind of like a brick like pattern.

Then, I took gray paint that I had laying around, and painted the top, and both sides of each box.

After the paint was dry, I used random spray paint to spray over the boxes to give the bricks some texture, and depth. There is no right or wrong way to do this. You can be creative, and even use a paint brush with regular paint if that is what you have.

After the spray paint had time to dry, it was time for my favorite part, taking off the tape! I love this part! This is when you get to “see” the bricks!

And when you are done, you will have a very usable set of boxes that will have multiple applications for creating some great horse jumps!

This project was so much fun, and easy to do. You don’t have to be an expert carpenter, and you can make whatever kind of pattern on the boxes you want. I like making smaller boxes, because the are easier to move, and too jump. But you can make them as big as you want. You are only limited by your imagination.