Gates on Bridleways?

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minigal

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Is there any laws regarding gates on bridleways? My favourite ride has 4 gates which have nice big handles which are easy to open but they are on springs which make the gates close very quickly. It's fine on my bombproof veteran but I have a four year old and I can't go up there for fear of the gate hitting him as it closes!!

Or any ideas on how to teach him to do gates like this?- I have no school!!
 
There is a lovely BW that I would like to use more often, but has two gates that are completely unopenable unless you get off! Is this allowed?
 
I taught mine on bridle gates by getting off and making them walk and halt precisely when needed so I do not need to let it go until we are through. Then I rode at the gate with no intention of going through, but just making her halt and walk calmly and precisely and also getting her used to the noise of it opening and closing etc. took a few days of me getting off to do it but now I can do them without dismounting on my 4yr old. :)
 
I taught my old cob by filling a pop bottle full of water and placing it on a wall or fence post then would teach the horse to stand while I picked up the bottle and while I put it back again, this got him used to me leaning forward and reaching out for something

If you put the bottle on something freestanding then you can get the horse to pivot round it as if you were going through a gate

failing that its practice, practice, practice in the real life situation, makes for some very dull hacks while you ride as far as the first gate and stand by it then progress each day
 
Thanks guys!! Pony is perfectly happy to open "normal" gates, he doesn't mind me leaning forward/pulling latches etc, I'm just loathe to take the risk of these gates shutting on him (or my leg) they do swing to very quick!!

My next idea was to go with someone on foot to catch gate if needed (that will be long suffering OH then...!)
 
I hate those types of gates. One swung shut on a haffy mare at the yard. It ripped her numnah and stabbed her in the ribs. She panicked and ran, thankfully she didn't get stuck, or she would have been in serious trouble. She still had the dent in her side (numnah saved her from ribbed skin) a few weeks later!

I avoid those gates when I can. I'd rather open, then have to turn and shut, rather than open and scurry through, it puts them in such bad habits!
 
WelshD said:
I see sorry. Are they very heavy? could you use a sturdy riding crop to keep the gate at arms length?
Click to expand...

They seem to vary! There's one that needs all my strength to swing and some that need a very light nudge.
Though your bottle idea is fab! I'm going to have to steal that one :P
 
Nah said:
They seem to vary! There's one that needs all my strength to swing and some that need a very light nudge.
Though your bottle idea is fab! I'm going to have to steal that one :P
Click to expand...

Gate opening and slip rails used to be a common part of local hunter trials when I was a kid - I practiced a LOT! lol
 
I remember those 'hunter trials' ! It took hours of practice to find practice gates and be able to open and shut it mounted! I also remember that being on 'gates' was a duty every member of the local drag hunt had to share, so we must have gone through runs with lots of stock and gates in those distant days!
 
There is a gate on our local bridlepath that opens onto a bridge on the one side & on the other there is usually around 40 young bullocks. These critters form a mob around you, it's not safe to get off & VERY difficult to open the latch, rein back into the cattle, go through the gate, not letting said cattle through. The only way to give yourself a little space is to yell at them & wave a whip about, which my youngster does NOT like. The cattle are boisterous to say the least so I only use the path when the sheep are in there for a few weeks. I get fed up about it now & then.
 
I dont think it is unreasonable for a gate to be on a bridleway IF it is there to keep in livestock or similar (who may not be in that field all year but part of it), but not if it serves no purpose other than boundary marking of some kind.

If it is self closing it MUST not create an impediment to use of the bridleway by lawful users which clearly primarily means horses. A self closing gate which closes too quickly or powerfully sprung would potentially be classed as discouraging use and creating a hazard.

Who owns the land ? I woud get in touch with your rights of way officer at the local council (usually under environment and leisure dept). If they arent helpful, contact BHS access officer for your area or your local Local Access Forum at county council level for help.

There is a balance between the need to keep in livestock and the need to allow access by cow sized animals ie horses but the gates should be set so that it is possibly to use them as easily as such mechanisms can permit. Often they are adjustable but people install them just out the box without doing any tweaking.
 
Give me a self closing gate any day better than ones that drop several inches and are impossible to lift. The joys of gates are part of hacking out.
To get your youngster used to gates maybe hitting his bottom do what I am doing with my youngster (2yrs) when turning out in the field let the gate rest on their bottoms and build it up to a little bounce my baby is totally un bothered maybe something to do with the size of her arse lol. People may think that it a bit dangerous but to train her not to over react later in life if a gate hits her bum has got to be good.
 
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