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The "Spar" in New Zealand simply means a piece of wood (a spar of wood) attached to the top wire of the fence to give the horse something more solid to jump and something more easy to see to make sure it jumps high enough. This spar is shown pulled down to make the jump low and more inviting and hence easy. Open wire hunters - a term frequently used, simply means, as it implies, that the horse is trained and confident at jumping without a spar. Many fences around Central Otago are suitable for jumping "open wire". Original sheep fences were quite low, made of soft wire which breaks easy should a horse misjudge height, and frequently have rabbit netting which gives a more solid obstacle. However beginner horses and those less confident usually stick to the "spars." Photo courtesy of Roger Gibson |
