Mounted gate opening/closing

Persephone

Persephone

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I am on a yard with amazing hacking, which also comes with a lot of gates!

I am hacking my 4 y/o with my husband walking alongside and gradually teaching my mare about gates. Trouble is she's 17hh and I often can't get down low enough to undo the actual latch.

Getting on and off is not an option at this point in time I don't think so.....

Do you have any marvellous methods or inventions to undo the latches? Am I going to have to buy a hunt whip? If I do buy a hunt whip what is the difference between a ladies and a gents one (I guess the length?)

Also, why so damn expensive! I am amazed non of the horsey manufacturers have come up with a synthetic, affordable gate opening whip!

All polite suggestions welcome :)
 
Hunting whip does it for me :)
You dont need to have the thong or lash on it to start with if you have your hands full already, but the horn is a great utensil for gate opening :)

Keep your eyes open on fleabay as you can occasionally pick them up cheaply
 
Hunting whips are useful but they wont undo catches the best thing you can do is get the horse really good at standing next to a gate while you clamber up it and hop on them.
There is unfortunatly no way round that with a big horse mine is over seventeen hand , my last hunter was 15.3 it makes a huge difference to gate opening.
 
Goldenstar said:
Hunting whips are useful but they wont undo catches the best thing you can do is get the horse really good at standing next to a gate while you clamber up it and hop on them.
There is unfortunatly no way round that with a big horse mine is over seventeen hand , my last hunter was 15.3 it makes a huge difference to gate opening.
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That's what I did with my last horse :D I feel sure I could do it with this one, was just hoping I wouldn't have to :p
 
amymay said:
If you can't reach safely, then you should get off.

And then use the gate again to re-mount.
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This isn't a case of reaching safely, My arms are 12" too short! I'm not even trying :D

Hubby opens the catch then moves away, leaving the gate to, then the mare and I open and shut it, which is a good lesson for her.

At least the gates seem to open, close and be on their hinges, it's just flicking that darn latch!
 
Admittedly a hassle but if there are not too many gates and you tend to follow a regular route, someone local to me last year fixed wire from the catch which stood up right and then bent round in a circle (forming a handle) so from a horse you just grabbed the circle and pulled it up- They were brilliant til they broke!
 
You are doing the right thing training your horse to close the gates. Eventually you will be able to train him to stand still while mounting and dismounting. (Find a dip in the ground and put him in it so that it is easier to get back on).

We have had the gates on our land modified to make it easier to open and close gates from horse back by having a long handle latching mechanism fitted to the gates.

http://www.centrewire.co.uk/easylatches.htm
 
We have a lot of gates round us, some of the catches are too low to safely reach off my mare, and she isn't 14hh! Thankfully she is very good about me jumping back on! Your lucky they are all latches round you, we have a huge number of spring loaded pull jobs, which are just downright dangerous!
 
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