how to secure gates from thieves

[myhorsefred]

Hi everyone, I've spotted a property I'd like to buy (when I eventually sell my smallholding that is!) but the only worry I have, is that the field access gateway backs onto a bridleway. brilliant for hacking, but the gateway is out of sight of the house and would be easy for someone to come and steal horses from the field.

It is a really quiet rural part of Wales, and this would probably never, ever happen, but I am just cautious.

I know you can put a padlock and chain around the gate, but i've been told that if someone really wants to, they could lift the gate off the hinges.

I've been thinking about electric gates, or maybe two gates both with chains, but was wondering if any of you have some good ideas please?

thanks

 

[Diddleydoo]

I'm sure there will be better suggestions but in the meantime you can have the top hinge on the gate fitted upside down. This stops it being lifted off the hinge.

 

[WelshD]

There is a way of fixing gates so they cant be lifted off the hinges. I think its something to do with putting the hinges on upside down

Personally I would secure the gate both ends with those thick chunky motorbike chains you can buy, I think there is a Thatcham approved one

To be honest though if they want the horses they will simply break down the fence, all you can hope to do really is make it harder for them

 

[Polos Mum]

The simple way is to have the top hinge and bottom hinge facing opposite ways so it can't be lifted off (ie one points up and one points down), then secure with a chain (motorbike chains are best as very difficult to saw throught).

Could you move the gateway so it is visable from the house? - we did with our house.

Also freezemarking (and having signs up) might deter them.

If someone is 100% determined not much will stop them - but unless you own a £50k competition horse that woudl be worth their while (or a mini that can easily be put in a van) then the statistics on actual horse theft are very low.

 

[FairyLights]

Either put one hinge upside down so gate cannot be lifted off or do what I do, a chain and lock at both ends of the gate.

 

[Highlands]

Nothing is 100% secure, if you buy chain off a roll they cut it! I am tempted to try Aldi bike chains at £9.99 each, with a padlock!

 

[HaffiesRock]

Our yard gate has a chain on it like I have never seen before! It is so thick and heavy I cant even lift it and its only long enough to go round the post bottom of the gate. Where my yard is, its asking to be burgled. Its on a main road in the country, but its very quiet in the evening. Luckily, our gate is directly opposite a drug rehab centre so there are plenty of security people who keep an eye on the place for us. Could you put up some CCTV? Or even a sign and a dummy camera to put people off?

 

[Honey08]

I would turn the hinge over.

What is the fence like either side - it would be easier to cut through a fence anyway.

Would you use this access? If not, perhaps get rid of it and build a dry stone wall along the boundary if you don't use it.

Really though you're probably worrying about nothing.

 

[Spottyappy]

This site gives excellent descriptions of padlocks which are not easy to bolt crop:
http://www.nothingbutpadlocks.com/products/high-security-padlocks
You can also buy chains which are virtually impossible to bolt crop.
As others have said,turn the hinges that the gate hangs from, upside down, so it can't be lifted off them, too.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Don't forget to freezemark the horses.

 

[Sprig]

I would take sensible precautions such as fitting the gate so it can't be lifted but I would not go too mad with cameras etc - you could really draw attention to yourselves and people will think that you really must have things worth stealing.

 

[hnmisty]

My friend's dad bought a new gate for one of his fields, padlocked it. Day or two later, gate gone. bought a new gate, padlocked it... day or two later, gate gone. Got various dead gates and made them into one vaguely healthy gate. Padlocked it...day or two later, padlock gone!

Your best bet is to move the gate into sight of your house, if you can. If not, hinge upside down. I'd avoid CCTV- most people know/take their chances that there's no camera.

Also...do you actually need the gateway? Is there another entrance into the field? If so, you could just block it off.

 

[OWLIE185]

Reverse hinges on the gates and the padlock should be in a metal box which is welded to the gate so that there is no chain at all. (Chains can be easily angled ground or bot cut off).

Always Freezemark your horses on a part of a body where it can be seen when being ridden.

 

[Suechoccy]

Weld a big blob/nut/washer on top of each gate hinge. Stops it being lifted off.

 

[bonny]

Just stop being paranoid ........?

 

[myhorsefred]

Thanks everyone. I knew you'd have brilliant ideas!

It is the only access to the field, but as someone suggested, maybe I could also close up that part of the field with a wall and move the gateway closer to the house.

Just need to sell my place now!

 

[myhorsefred]

Bonny, thanks for your reply, but I think taking sensible steps to look after your animals and being paranoid are completely different things.

 

[SNORKEY]

Hi, I'm an equine liaison officer for the police. Unfortunately there isn't a chain or padlock on the market that can't really be chopped off, unless you pay a lot of money. Even then they still seem to get them off if they want to. Good advice putting the hinges up the wrong way. But best thing is to put them off as much as you can. I don't know if your local police are the same but we provide country watch signs saying 'your being watched and all items are security marked'. Call your local police and ask, im sure they have something similar they will give you.
Paint your post code all over rugs and freeze mark if you can. If not at least micro chip and have good recent pics of your horses.
Tbh I've not delt with a stolen horse in the past few years, its more items like rugs, hay, feed and tack that get stolen.
I'm sure your be fine

 

[bonny]

Bonny, thanks for your reply, but I think taking sensible steps to look after your animals and being paranoid are completely different things.

You are being paranoid, you are worrying about a property that isn't even yours and presumably might never be.....and about a non existant problem. Like the post above says, tack, trailers etc are a target but not horses in a field. A locked gate would solve your problem, if you are worried.

 

[ludlow]

Reversing the hinges worked for us and my paddock is right next to my house...they didn't take the horses but just climbed over the gate, broke into the stable block and took all the tack, rugs and even the haynets that were out! Luckily the horses were unharmed. They were certainly prepared as the tack room hinges were unscrewed, ditto the padlock hasp. I'm set back from a lane and have a bridleway running past and unfortunately we have been targeted quite a bit (oil theft x3, outbuildings broken into etc) but sadly its common in this area, usually in May & October with the nearby fairs. Police advice was just to secure things as best as possible but not to go OTT as people will then think there is something really worth taking.

 

[Dizzleton]

You are being paranoid, you are worrying about a property that isn't even yours and presumably might never be.....and about a non existant problem. Like the post above says, tack, trailers etc are a target but not horses in a field. A locked gate would solve your problem, if you are worried.

Wow Bonny; very naive. As she stated she was looking at a property and was enquiring how to secure the gateway if she went through with the purchase.

Horses from fields are stolen quite regularly (every time I log into Facebook, there is another plea to help find a stolen horse) I would not chance my horse being in a field where he was easy to steal; I would take every measure to secure the field and ensure his safety!

 

[bonny]

Wow Bonny; very naive. As she stated she was looking at a property and was enquiring how to secure the gateway if she went through with the purchase.

Horses from fields are stolen quite regularly (every time I log into Facebook, there is another plea to help find a stolen horse) I would not chance my horse being in a field where he was easy to steal; I would take every measure to secure the field and ensure his safety!

Actually horses are not stolen regularly and I'm not being naive. Also add that my horses are in a field, along way from any houses, in an unlocked field and it's never crossed my mind that someone would steal them.....

 

[Enfys]

I'm sure there will be better suggestions but in the meantime you can have the top hinge on the gate fitted upside down. This stops it being lifted off the hinge.

Catch 22 on this solution. Yes it stops the gate being lifted by thieves, but at the same time if you ever get a horse stuck in/under one you can not get the gate off. I refuse to have hinges reversed.

Metal gates - electrify, lock and alarm them, CCTV too if need be. It won't stop them being rammed of course. A friend of mine had her gates alarmed and chained, so the thieves drove straight through the unprotected post and rail fencing by the side

 

[moodymare123]

My friends gates were stolen, with no intentions of stealing the horses, leaving no gate and them roaming along the country lanes at night, luckily a driver found them unharmed. I would also paint your gates in a unique way as thieves will be less prominent to stealing them.