Jump Making Material Ideas You can find things cheap or free you can use to make jumps!
Tires - stack for standards, or half-bury for a rolltop, or hang on a solid pole for a "rounder" rolltop
Barrels - as standards, rolltops
Planks - like a pole or like a filler. Get a 10' long board, cut a square out of each end to leave place to hang it. Get flat boards or they won't hang straight.
Straw bales - They even make covers for them to look like walls and stuff. I don't know why you couldn't make your own with plastic garbage bags.
Buckets - you already have some!
Logs - Single fallen tree log is the classic X-Country jump. If you want it bigger, rest each end on a small log, maybe with a notch or tied with twine to prevent rolling (Hanging Log jump)
Short logs/firewood - Stack side-by-side or on end.
Rocks - pile them up.
Railroad ties. Stack in a pyramid. They're heavy but don't roll.
Branches - big ones for poles, bundle small ones.
Pallets - So many ways to use these! Find behind industrial areas near loading docks, behind hardware stores, all over. Usually people are happy to give you as many as you want. Some are much sturdier than others. Watch for staples and loose nails.
Jump Blocks (big plastic blocks with notches for resting poles). I have heard of folks using rugged plastic tubs. I suppose you could add sand inside to stabilize.
Crates - use like jump blocks
Saw Horses - as standards
Wooden ladder - gate
Lattice - hang or lean on pole as a "gate"
Plastic slide (from a swingset) - on the ground like a liverpool. Or lean against a pole.
Fence poles - any leftover rails
PVC - 3" or 4" for poles
Windsurfing Masts - Your old aluminum or epoxy ones, since you only sail with carbon masts, right?
Cinder blocks - Stack and rest poles. I wouldn't put poles in the holes though.
Christmas tree (bind the branches of live ones with twine to shape, or take apart fake ones)
Doors - Lean against a pole for a half-coop, or hinge 2 together for a free-standing coop. It may already have the hinges!
Traffic Cones - I've heard of people using them for standards but cutting holes at different levels.
Tarps - Wrap around a frame (PVC with connectors, or even just 2 poles) and hang as a scary "gate".
Table cloths, sheets, fabric - hang over pole, anchor with ground line to reduce flapping. Or sew/velcro as a loop around 2 poles for a panel. I found all kinds of super-fun fabric at the thrift store - 10' x 4' canvas printed for $2!!!
Pumpkins - Line up under jump, stack as accents.
Sand Bags - You can fill them with something lighter than sand, but the sand-filled ones stacked up would probably not move!
The Scrap Lumber Bin - Home Depot has a bin in the back for scraps for 51 cents. You just have to check often to find good stuff - you never know!
Also, if you buy lumber there, they will cut it for you for FREE! (up to I think 4 cuts, but it depends on how busy they are and who's helping you.) So you can get those 8 foot 4x4's cut in half on the spot.
Also, lattice scraps, 2x2's for the "jump cups", 2x4's for standard feet.
Construction Sites - They scrap lots of 2x4 and 2x6 pieces. You can get lucky and find pieces already the right length - no sawing for you! I keep a little stack of scrap lumber around.
Oops Paint - Mis-tint. Exterior Gloss is best. If you aren't too picky about colors, all the home improvement stores sell rejected paint in sizes from samples to gallons, for huge discounts! Like $2.50 vs $18 for mis-tint exterior paint and primer in one!
Artificial Christmas Trees - Use branches for brush boxes. Mini-tree branches stuck in holes in landscape timbers are good filler.
Christmas Garland - Get brave and try the sparkly kind.
Plastic Flowers/Plants - as filler, on standards, vines or garland around poles.
Pinwheels or Flags - instead of plastic flowers in the holes of the landscape timbers.
Plastic Plant Pots - Stick in plastic flowers or plants for accents or filler.
Another use for fake Christmas tree branches - group a few to make an accent tree! The pot is plastic, from a thrift store.