Scheherezade
Well-Known Member
Worse, it could be Jimbob, the only heir and promising young writer
Do YOU shut gates?
- Thread starter RunToEarth
- Start date
Ranyhyn
Well-Known Member
Quite @ RP.
I may jest but its a serious matter - no-one just plonks a gate somewhere for ***** and giggles, they are there for a reason, close them.
I may jest but its a serious matter - no-one just plonks a gate somewhere for ***** and giggles, they are there for a reason, close them.
Ranyhyn
Well-Known Member
Or John-boy..?
are we quoting The Walton names..? lol
kandm
Well-Known Member
ALWAYS always shut gate around me. Luckily on one hack there is a system with coloured disks, green means leave open, red means SHUT gate. It's a really good system
. But on all other hacks, doesn't matter how uneasy the gates are to shut, I always shut them, basic manners really.
Spudlet
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I could be wrong but I think that's the point of that particular reply...
I almost had a very nasty accident closing a gate, when my horse started behaving like a twonk as he didn't want to stand still, so would have loved to have left it but I DID close it regardless.
I should have dismounted but I was trying to teach him a lesson - ha!
[/ QUOTE ]
I had a twenty minute straight battle with said London pony once - commuters kept stopping and offering to help, and at one point we nearly reversed over a pair of PCSOs who were unhelpfully trying to squeeze behind us (boy did they ever move quickly
)
We did however shut the damn gate
Fortunately my boss was used to hearing these kinds of stories when I hobbled in late for work by that point!
I could be wrong but I think that's the point of that particular reply...
I almost had a very nasty accident closing a gate, when my horse started behaving like a twonk as he didn't want to stand still, so would have loved to have left it but I DID close it regardless.
I should have dismounted but I was trying to teach him a lesson - ha!
[/ QUOTE ]
I had a twenty minute straight battle with said London pony once - commuters kept stopping and offering to help, and at one point we nearly reversed over a pair of PCSOs who were unhelpfully trying to squeeze behind us (boy did they ever move quickly
We did however shut the damn gate
Sarah1
Well-Known Member
Erm, I do...at considerable risk to my own safety as per my previous post!
Ranyhyn
Well-Known Member
Was a QR
Sarah1
Well-Known Member
LOL!
My boy decided he didn't want to wait for 2 seconds for me to shut the gate & the more I aksed him to stand still the more het up he got but I thought 'no, you have to learn'. We shut the gate then he bolted...apparently 'twas I that needed to be taught a lesson!
My boy decided he didn't want to wait for 2 seconds for me to shut the gate & the more I aksed him to stand still the more het up he got but I thought 'no, you have to learn'. We shut the gate then he bolted...apparently 'twas I that needed to be taught a lesson!
Sarah1
Well-Known Member
Ah, I see!!!!!
Mbronze
Well-Known Member
I always shut gates, our yard also is a farm at the back so plenty of sheep and cows. Actually my horse is quite helpful if you open the latch whilst your on her she will push it with her nose
(This probably stems from the fact she is a complete escape artist and loves to open her own stable door)
(This probably stems from the fact she is a complete escape artist and loves to open her own stable door)
rosie fronfelen
Well-Known Member
one of the basic rules of the countryside- of course one should always shut gates.
Smurphy
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
she'll be quite contrary once she has been hit by that car on the road!
[/ QUOTE ]
Why the hell Would I be hit by a car!! The gates arent near a road the lawn isnt even fenced off so it wouldnt keep anything in!!
As previously said, in a different situation I would get off and I have done to close a gate.
You lovely bunch of ppl are always on your high horses and love a good sniping!!!! everything not always cut & dry!!!
she'll be quite contrary once she has been hit by that car on the road!
[/ QUOTE ]
Why the hell Would I be hit by a car!! The gates arent near a road the lawn isnt even fenced off so it wouldnt keep anything in!!
As previously said, in a different situation I would get off and I have done to close a gate.
You lovely bunch of ppl are always on your high horses and love a good sniping!!!! everything not always cut & dry!!!
RunToEarth
Well-Known Member
I was actually talking about Mary being quite contrary...
Gates are cut and dry. You open it, then you shut it, otherwise you come trhough the gate no more.
Gates are cut and dry. You open it, then you shut it, otherwise you come trhough the gate no more.
Spudlet
Well-Known Member
You said that you leave the gate open, on purpose, to make a point, and that you can't be bothered to drive out of your way to explain what the problem is to the landowner because you don't see why you should have to.
I'm sorry, but that is pretty cut and dried!
I'm sorry, but that is pretty cut and dried!
Taffyhorse
Well-Known Member
We have one route with a couple of gates on it - nasty little things with silly little latch handles conveniently hidden under a large holly bush that borders the path and with industrial strength springs to shut it - and there are two about a 100 yards apart... So what do we do.
Get off - you can't reach the latch from horseback and if I try Taffy takes great exception to being in such close proximity to the holly bush and tries to b*gger off homeward.
So I get off, flex my muscles to open gate - drag pony through and try and manouvre him round so friend can come past and shut gate - arm muscles by this point rubbery and twitching. Then walk - or rather get towed as apparently, walking on foot is perfectly fine until you're on a narrow bridlepath then suddenly you're a monster and repeat the process at the second gate. Then try and anchor horse long enough for inelegant scramble into saddle and stop it bogging off due to jelly arms...
I would never ever leave a gate open - and it was drummed into me from a very early age, that this is pretty much the most heinous crime you can commit in the countryside.
Get off - you can't reach the latch from horseback and if I try Taffy takes great exception to being in such close proximity to the holly bush and tries to b*gger off homeward.
So I get off, flex my muscles to open gate - drag pony through and try and manouvre him round so friend can come past and shut gate - arm muscles by this point rubbery and twitching. Then walk - or rather get towed as apparently, walking on foot is perfectly fine until you're on a narrow bridlepath then suddenly you're a monster and repeat the process at the second gate. Then try and anchor horse long enough for inelegant scramble into saddle and stop it bogging off due to jelly arms...
I would never ever leave a gate open - and it was drummed into me from a very early age, that this is pretty much the most heinous crime you can commit in the countryside.
Smurphy
Well-Known Member
its not left open on purpose! I try quite hard to close, but its impossible!!
Kat
Well-Known Member
I'd like to thank Smurphey!
Thank you for being the sort of inconsiderate, arrogant, self involved know it all that gives all riders (and other bridlepath users, walkers and cyclists) a bad name.
Thank you for your efforts to encourage all landowners to do all they can to have rights of way removed and to resist efforts to create more. I'll think of you when I'm hacking down a busy road because there is no off road hacking.
When horse people behave badly it reflects badly on all of us. Whether it is following the rules of the road, or the country code, or hunting, or competing, or whatever, we are all like it or not ambassadors for our sport. If you can not use a tiny bit of brain and a tiny bit of effort to represent our sport in a good light then please for the greater good give up, you are giving us all a bad name.
Gates can be in place for a multitude of reasons, keeping animals or children in, as already pointed out but also keeping them out, keeping vehicles out, as a precaution against escaping animals or another gate being left open etc. I hope you have got lots of insurance and will have a clear concsience when you cause an accident, and I pray no one will be killed by your thoughtless act.
Get a grip of yourself and close the gate.
The land owner has no duty to make it easy to use, just to provide access, the gate can be in a terrible state and still legal, lots of landowners purposely leave their gates in a bad way to discourage people from using them. Nothing we can do as users of their land as long as they aren't dangerous. But by "making your point" (which you aren't as the message isn't getting through) you are risking having this right of way blocked for all.
If it bothers you so much contact the gate owner, phone them or leave a note if you can't get off your ar$e to go and speak to them in person. But for gods sake shut the gate!
Thank you for being the sort of inconsiderate, arrogant, self involved know it all that gives all riders (and other bridlepath users, walkers and cyclists) a bad name.
Thank you for your efforts to encourage all landowners to do all they can to have rights of way removed and to resist efforts to create more. I'll think of you when I'm hacking down a busy road because there is no off road hacking.
When horse people behave badly it reflects badly on all of us. Whether it is following the rules of the road, or the country code, or hunting, or competing, or whatever, we are all like it or not ambassadors for our sport. If you can not use a tiny bit of brain and a tiny bit of effort to represent our sport in a good light then please for the greater good give up, you are giving us all a bad name.
Gates can be in place for a multitude of reasons, keeping animals or children in, as already pointed out but also keeping them out, keeping vehicles out, as a precaution against escaping animals or another gate being left open etc. I hope you have got lots of insurance and will have a clear concsience when you cause an accident, and I pray no one will be killed by your thoughtless act.
Get a grip of yourself and close the gate.
The land owner has no duty to make it easy to use, just to provide access, the gate can be in a terrible state and still legal, lots of landowners purposely leave their gates in a bad way to discourage people from using them. Nothing we can do as users of their land as long as they aren't dangerous. But by "making your point" (which you aren't as the message isn't getting through) you are risking having this right of way blocked for all.
If it bothers you so much contact the gate owner, phone them or leave a note if you can't get off your ar$e to go and speak to them in person. But for gods sake shut the gate!
OrangeEmpire
Well-Known Member
and yet you manage to open it. Funny that.
Tiggy1
Well-Known Member
Open gates should left as found and closed gates left as found.
Doublethyme
Well-Known Member
I was always taught to leave any gate you come across as you find it, so if its open, leave it open (unless its an obvious situation where even a numpty can see there are animals in the field and someone has been careless and left open) or re-close it if its closed when you get there.
We are on the edge of an estate and the gamekeepers often have the gates open when they are usually closed due to shoots etc or checking animals - they would get mightily pee'd off if we kept closing them when they want them open!
Never EVER would I not close a closed gate, its just a manners thing.
Mind you, I have a bit of a thing about closing gates anyway - one of my pet hates is people who leave their gates swinging open in the field at night when the horses are in, as being the daughter of a fencing contractor, I know its the worst thing you can do to them and they end up dropping on their hinges.
Same with people who insist on clambering over gates at the non hinge end!!!! Sorry I digress!
As for "making a point" by leaving bad gates open - I feel the pain on this one, but the most mature thing to do instead of leaving it open would be to report it to the relevant local authority who look after the rights of way and make sure that appropriate action is done to fix it!!
We are on the edge of an estate and the gamekeepers often have the gates open when they are usually closed due to shoots etc or checking animals - they would get mightily pee'd off if we kept closing them when they want them open!
Never EVER would I not close a closed gate, its just a manners thing.
Mind you, I have a bit of a thing about closing gates anyway - one of my pet hates is people who leave their gates swinging open in the field at night when the horses are in, as being the daughter of a fencing contractor, I know its the worst thing you can do to them and they end up dropping on their hinges.
Same with people who insist on clambering over gates at the non hinge end!!!! Sorry I digress!
As for "making a point" by leaving bad gates open - I feel the pain on this one, but the most mature thing to do instead of leaving it open would be to report it to the relevant local authority who look after the rights of way and make sure that appropriate action is done to fix it!!
Tinkerbee
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
its not left open on purpose! I try quite hard to close, but its impossible!!
[/ QUOTE ]
Well someone managed to close it in the first place.
its not left open on purpose! I try quite hard to close, but its impossible!!
[/ QUOTE ]
Well someone managed to close it in the first place.
Coffee_Bean
Well-Known Member
Yes always. The only one I occasionally don't shut is one in the middle of some woods, in between two others. It is there for no reason, and you cannot turn a horse on the other side because the path is so narrow. Of course if it was doing anything, like keeping livestock in then I would get off and put the chain on, but I admit that I don't bother with this.
There are some really bad gates around us (incidentally big 5 bar metal ones keeping cows in) that you have to pull back to open and they swing back so bloody fast it is dangerous. My horse is very good with gates, so we do usually manage it ok, but if I had a bad horse I would get off. As others have said, it is a two way agreement though, they should be easy to use, but it is still no excuse not to close it if there are cattle in there.
There are some really bad gates around us (incidentally big 5 bar metal ones keeping cows in) that you have to pull back to open and they swing back so bloody fast it is dangerous. My horse is very good with gates, so we do usually manage it ok, but if I had a bad horse I would get off. As others have said, it is a two way agreement though, they should be easy to use, but it is still no excuse not to close it if there are cattle in there.
_April_
Well-Known Member
I always close gates - so should everyone it's just the done thing isn't it!
When I was growing up some walkers left our horses field gate open and they all got onto the main road.
Luckily a man with a baby in his arms (!) somehow caught a hold of my 13.2 pony and my mum's TB wouldn't leave her and the other pony in turn wouldn't leave the TB so it worked out ok.
Could have been awful if you think about it.
All our gates were padlocked from then on so they ruined it for themselves.
When I was growing up some walkers left our horses field gate open and they all got onto the main road.
Luckily a man with a baby in his arms (!) somehow caught a hold of my 13.2 pony and my mum's TB wouldn't leave her and the other pony in turn wouldn't leave the TB so it worked out ok.
Could have been awful if you think about it.
All our gates were padlocked from then on so they ruined it for themselves.
ISHmad
Well-Known Member
Of course we close gates. It's common sense and courtesy to do so. You and your family must be absolutely furious about whoever was irresponsible enough to have not closed your gate behind them. Shame you can't track them down really.
D
Donkeymad
Guest
Sorry, I've skipped most of the replies, but there is never any reason NOT to shut a gate that you find shut. It is a MUST.
qwertyuiop
Well-Known Member
How good it the catch on the gate. Some farm gates are so badly maintained that you need to dismount, pick the gate up (as baling twine does not make a good hinge) and tie/chain it shut.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
QR- though I have read the rest.
I am assuming that it is also possible that said rider thought she had closed it but it hadnt quite caught? ie just a mistake.
this is coming from someone who has done that before
on farm, granted didnt do it again!
I am assuming that it is also possible that said rider thought she had closed it but it hadnt quite caught? ie just a mistake.
this is coming from someone who has done that before
Spot_the_Risk
Well-Known Member
Our mare might still be alive if someone had shut a gate. The gate between two fields was left open by walkers, Risky had only just moved yards, and when all the horses got together, she was kicked on the hock and never recovered, sadly PTS a few months later when her injury was deemed unrecoverable.
latottwirl
Well-Known Member
There are quite a few riders around here who have a horse, keep it in the country, hack in the countryside and yet see farmers as pests who are out to get them with their pesky gates, animals and tractors. How dare those landowners who make their entire living off the land shut the gates so as to keep their livestock in the fields/stop the lovely-dovely riders from hacking on the crops.
This attitude has seen quite a few of our gates left open and cattle escaping 3 times. We SAW one woman do it, approached her (and said "Excuse me, you've just let the cattle out, can't you see!?") and she said "I couldn't get through without opening the gate and he doesn't stand to close it again...if you get lots of riders up here, why don't you just leave it open?" Lazy cow, get off your horse you towny idiot and close the gate. How would she like it if I walked into her office, tipped her desk up and tipped everything off it then said "Sorry, I couldn't get past without moving it! Why don't you move it outside so the route to the loos is clear?"
9 out of 10 riders, including most on here, are responsible and countryside-educated people who realise that gates are not there just to be annoying, but to keep livestock in. However there is that 10% who think that as a rider, they are the most important thing in the countryside.
This attitude has seen quite a few of our gates left open and cattle escaping 3 times. We SAW one woman do it, approached her (and said "Excuse me, you've just let the cattle out, can't you see!?") and she said "I couldn't get through without opening the gate and he doesn't stand to close it again...if you get lots of riders up here, why don't you just leave it open?" Lazy cow, get off your horse you towny idiot and close the gate. How would she like it if I walked into her office, tipped her desk up and tipped everything off it then said "Sorry, I couldn't get past without moving it! Why don't you move it outside so the route to the loos is clear?"
9 out of 10 riders, including most on here, are responsible and countryside-educated people who realise that gates are not there just to be annoying, but to keep livestock in. However there is that 10% who think that as a rider, they are the most important thing in the countryside.
mon
Well-Known Member
The another annoying thing is bridleways that have been made onto b.o.a.t.s and hence churned up by bikes and/or 4x4s and where bridleways cross roads which are dangerous so that you take your and your horses life in your hands just to continue on your way,