dangers of five-bar gates

[pipsqueek]

When I went up to the field the other night to get my two in, I noticed my mare was stood rubbing her tail on the five-bar metal gate to their field, she could have so easily put one of her hinds through one of the lower rungs and dread to think of the consequences. I tie a strand of electric fencing between two posts infront of it now. Just a warning really!

 

[cambrica]

One of my mares managed to get her front hoof firmly stuck between the horizontal and diagonal bars. Took alot to free her. We put plastic coated wire fencing across the bottom of the gate. Good point though.

 

[NoltonSeaShell]

I hate five bar gates, When I was younger (around 11) I wanted to groom my pony so separated it from my dads horse who was 17.2, she got super stressed so I went back down to open the gate to get her, and she jumped the gate from stand still and the gate banged against my mouth, which resulted in chipped tooth and a mouth full of blood. I always section off a part of the field before the gate now so they can't reach it. Im lucky to have to horses that don't mind being separated!!

 

[Dubsie]

We've cable tied panels of metal grid across ours, hung lower than the bottom rung to stop the rabbits getting in the garden.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Creature tried to jump one when I'd just got him and caught a hind. Luckily, the groom was there and managed to free his leg.

 

[ribbons]

A strand of electric tape just in front of gate is what we've done for years. It stops them all crowding the gate at coming in time as well as reducing the risks mentioned above.
I am quite resilient to leccy fence and test it by hand rather than with the tester. Daughter thinks I'm mad. She was howling with laughter the day the gate strand had somehow touched the gate ( metal one) and as I made contact with the gate reaching to un hook the single strand I got a massive belt. More careful now, putting a bit more distance between gate and tape. But my perm looked good!!!!!

 

[Quantock-cob]

This reminds me of a story my OH told me of when he was a vet student and was called out to help with a cow with her head stuck through a 5 bar gate. She was charging around the field. Luckily she was caught and the gate removed and she was fine - but probably a bit more wary about sticking her head through the gate in future!

 

[TBB]

- but probably a bit more wary about sticking her head through the gate in future![/QUOTE] Only if she was an unusual cow! Most of them never learn.

 

[stencilface]

Our gates have a square mesh on the bottom three gaps which should stop this happening, although one of the oldies thinks its great to bash on this at feed time

 

[thatsmygirl]

Everything can be a danger so I don't worry to much although my gate has mesh bottoms so they can't do that. Can only do what you can and the buggers still find themselves ways off getting hurt

 

[cptrayes]

Ever since one of my horses attempted to jump the gate, missed, got a leg through two bars and ripped his leg wide open, I have covered my gates with strong wire grid. Grid on the bottom of the gate wouldn't have stopped that particular accident, unfortunately

 

[YorksG]

We mesh all our gates, even though we don't have standard 5 bar with diagonal strut. Part of our reasoning is to keep dogs in the yard and away from the horses, and to keep sheep and horses apart when we want them to be A local livery yard had a horse that had to be pts following an incident where it got a leg through a 5 bar and degloved the leg, horrific occurance, which imo could have been avoided with a bit of forethought.

 

[cptrayes]

which imo could have been avoided with a bit of forethought.

Yup. I could have kicked myself when it happened to mine, it was an accident waiting to happen Still, better late than never, I guess

 

[Toast]

Mine are forever pinging over 5 bar gates.. i dread the day that they catch themselves or they dont make it over! I use electric now.