Building Your Own Props
Teeter-totter, Box Pedestal and Pedestal
by Paul Dufresne
Disclaimer : You build at your own risk. The quality is up to you to build. These are very useful props but care and preparation in small steps must be taken to use them safely. Horses stepping off these can crush you if you happen to put yourself in their path (drive them on their own path). Horses climbing onto obstacles can get wobbly with a small height never mind the height of bigger props.

Teeter-totter:

A) 4 pieces – (12-14 foot long) foot 2”x 10” or 3 pcs. 2”x 12” planks (fir is best)

B) 16 feet of 1’X6” or 2”x 4” cleats you cut to go width-wise to hold the planks together. (You can glue these as well if you have no need to take it apart to move it.)

C) 4” x 4” or/and 4” x 6” fulcrums four feet in length. As your horse gets better you could raise the fulcrum by sliding a 2”x6” or 2”x 8” under your original fulcrum.
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D) 60 pieces, 2” decking screws (the type that doesn’t rust).

teeter1
Underside of the teeter-totter

teeter2
Fulcrum in place under the center of the teeter-totter

One foot high Box Pedestal:

A) One 4’x8’ 3/4'” fir flooring plywood (cheaper than buying a regular plywood, good quality but you loose a ½” on the sheet).
-cut groove and tongue off plywood, then cut the sheet in half. The first half will be your top, then cut the second one into 4 roughly 1’x 4’ foot pieces ( I say roughly as you lost a bit of length in the sheet by cutting the tongue and groove off).

B) You need 1”x4”- 16 feet for the bottom (use treated lumber so it doesn’t rot) and 48 feet of regular 2x4 for the rest of the framing.

C) 4 -2x 4 metal joist hangers

D) Box full of 2” decking screws (plywood should be screwed every 6” atleast)

E) Tube(s) of PL 200 or 400 floor glue (glue every piece of wood together).

All top edges of the finished box should be routered or sanded round so they don’t cut into a horse’s leg if they come off the box.

boxtop
Top of Box

boxunder1
Underside of Box

boxunder2

boxunder3
Joist Detail

boxunder4

Wheel Rim Pedestal:

1) Biggest rim you can find (semi truck, aluminum is even better if you can find them)

2) 1” or 2 ply ¾” fir plywood cut to match the top of the rim (when using a 2 ply, glue the pieces together first before installing onto rim).

3) Self-tapping metal screws, screw plywood into lip of rim.

4) You can glue it to the top of the rim as well.

5) Block of wood to support middle of the underside if you want.

6) You could weld small metal flat plates to extend the base at the bottom to further stabilize, no sharp edges. (not in photos)

pedestal top
Top of Pedestal

pedestal bottom
Underside of Pedestal

rim detail
Detail of Pedestal Rim
Handy tools to build props with: cordless drill for screws, table saw or skill saw, caulking gun for glue, measuring tape, pencil, square, paint and brush. It is recommended that you paint them to preserve them. You are responsible for the quality you build. The props in the photos provided are 3 years old and have been used in multiple clinics and exhibitions. Even though they are well trafficked I don’t abuse them.
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