wrong to let horse push gate open with chest?

D

darkhorse123

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 June 2011
Messages
865
Visit site
Im learnign to do gates and somoene saw me unlatching one then letting my cob push it open straight on.
Was told i shouldnt let him do this as he will do it with all gates
So - do you agree?
(He stands while i bend to unlatch and only pushes it when i ask him to walk on)
 
I don't see any problem with letting him push it open as long as you're asking for it :) my pony will stand while I unlatch it then push it open with her nose if I can't reach and I ask her to walk on. But in the school if she thinks it's time to go back into her stable she will try and push the gate open so I suppose it may have led to a bad habit..! To be honest as long as you can turn him away if he's not supposed to be opening the gate (like when you're coming out of the field) I don't see a problem with it :) x
 
If he is only doing it when you're asking him to, I don't see it being a problem. If you were trying to unlatch the gate and he was barging it before you asked, or tries to barge gates you don't wish to go through or in school etc, then I would worry.
 
How ridiculous - cant think of a single horse I have owned that wasnt well used to helping out now and then by pushing a gate open for me. Not one of them became gate hooligans either!:rolleyes: So long as he is doing it only when you ask him to then just count yourself lucky that you have a cob that is happy to work in partnership with you!:D
 
ty everyone!
No he doesnt push till i ask him - he stands beautifully while i lean to unlatch it. He never ever pushes at inward turning gates - we cant do these yet (thats the next aim) but stands patiently when i ask while others open these ones.
Ty youve all made me feel better - I couldnt see the harm when I know he waits till i squeeze him on to do it but doubted this when someone said it leads to constant gate barging :D
 
grumpyoldmare said:
Oh dear you obviously are at the mercy of an 'expert' very keen to impress their vast knowledge on anyone new to horse ownership. Smile sweetly, nod knowingly and do exactly what you were going to do anyway!:D
Click to expand...

This ^ is very good advice :D

My big fuzzy is a poppet with gates, knows when it needs a shove or to wait - and will cheerfully turn on forehand to close gate if required. We have 1 gate to negotiate when we go out one particular route & she just shows off to others about how good a gate-opener-shutter she is, am sure I'm just the eejit she picked up en route :D:D
(and NO, never have a problem with field gates at home from her)
 
Technically the horse should not be able to push the gate if you are doing the procedure correctly!
You should approach the gate from the hinge end so the horse is standing parallel to the gate. Then, whether the gate comes towards or away from you, you have a hand on the gate and either pull it towards the horse so the horse moves sideways and the, still holding the gate, you ride around it holding it open for anyone else coming through. Ditto if it goes away.

The reason for not going head on is in case the horse tries to jump it.

That is the technical reason but, many gates (around here) need two hands to open them and my horse will stand head on whilst one hand lifts the latch and the other lifts the gate and horse pushes!
 
My horse wouldn't dream of helping open a gate - that is what her personal slaves are for! That would be us lowly humans, lol!
 
Foxhunter49 said:
but, many gates (around here) need two hands to open them and my horse will stand head on whilst one hand lifts the latch and the other lifts the gate and horse pushes!
Click to expand...

Thats the sort we have down the lane; the main gate is tight up to P&R fencing at each end with a big bush overhanging slightly & there is no way we could do that one the BHS way....:o
 
Foxhunter49 said:
Technically the horse should not be able to push the gate if you are doing the procedure correctly!
You should approach the gate from the hinge end so the horse is standing parallel to the gate. Then, whether the gate comes towards or away from you, you have a hand on the gate and either pull it towards the horse so the horse moves sideways and the, still holding the gate, you ride around it holding it open for anyone else coming through. Ditto if it goes away.

The reason for not going head on is in case the horse tries to jump it.

That is the technical reason but, many gates (around here) need two hands to open them and my horse will stand head on whilst one hand lifts the latch and the other lifts the gate and horse pushes!
Click to expand...

ty so so much! I havent attempted ot open an inward facing gate as the explanations i have read did not make any sense - yours makes perfect sense! I shall try this tomorrow ty :)
ps - there is more chance of me winning the next euromillions than my big lazy cob jumping any gate lol - would take far too much of his precious energy :D:D:D
 
Police horse are trained to lean on/against people but they don't go round leaning on anybody when not asked to, so why should your horse lean on gates when not asked to!
Horses are cleverer than some people give them credit for, I'd carry on as you are and ignore the "experts" at your stables.
 
It's a very useful trick especially when you are riding 18hh and have used the hook of a hunting whip to reach the catch in the first place because you can't reach any part of the gate with your hands.

The only word of caution I would give, is to ensure the horse doesn't rush through a partially opened gate if he hasn't shoved it far enough to get through safely. As long as the horse listens I find it a very helpful trick.

My hunters were also taught to stand alongside a gate or in a ditch to allow me to get on - very helpful when you drop the whip you were using to open the gate in the first place !
 
lol we have cow gates on the track on the farm which are swinging sticks with electric tape on to stop the cattle going through, except the leccy is not connected so I've taught my big girl to just walk through them, :eek: saves me having to get off to pin them back :p We also walk across the cattle grid:eek: well it's now so full of mud and gravel that you can't really tell it's a cattle grid;)
 
In TREC, you get points deducted if the horse pushes the gate - this was questioned on one of the Trec forums, where iirc the conclusion was that the horse could conceivably injure itself on the gate - by loose nail or splinter or some such - and therefore it was better not to have them push it. Also, it's harder not to let go if you don't do it as foxhunter describes, so you loose marks there too - but that's not a concern you would have on a hack! :D

Mine both push gates if I ask them too. I think it's a bit far-fetched to worry about injury, but maybe that's the sort of source your "friend" got the information from?
 
JFTD said:
In TREC, you get points deducted if the horse pushes the gate - this was questioned on one of the Trec forums, where iirc the conclusion was that the horse could conceivably injure itself on the gate - by loose nail or splinter or some such - and therefore it was better not to have them push it. Also, it's harder not to let go if you don't do it as foxhunter describes, so you loose marks there too - but that's not a concern you would have on a hack! :D

Mine both push gates if I ask them too. I think it's a bit far-fetched to worry about injury, but maybe that's the sort of source your "friend" got the information from?
Click to expand...

Lol, i lost my marks on Trec because i let my horse 'help' me with the gate, didnt realise i shouldnt have done, always taught my horses to push open & close gates with their chests.
 
my boy always helps me opening up the gates, he can do it better than i can and is very pleased with himself when he does it. He definitely knows how clever he is. :)
 
My boy always helps me open and close gates with his chest, nose, bottom etc. He never pushes without being asked and is quite happy to push them open for me or let me do all the work. I think it's an invaluable tool to have in your kit whilst out hacking! Ignore the 'expert' and carry on as you are! :)
 
ty everyone - he doesnt wear a martingale or breast plate so cant get tangled up.
I will definiteley carry on letting him show off his little party peice - he loves doing it, gets all proud with himself :D
 
My concern with the way you are opening gates would not be about teaching him to push gates over generally, horses can learn to do things on command and do them only when asked. My concern would be potential for injury, so I'd learn the "proper" way and save this way for times when there is no other option.

Think about:
Potential for horse to get caught on the gate (bridle, bit, reins, martingale etc)
Potential to get a leg through the gate
Potential for the gate to injure the horse (nail, broken wood, barbed wire etc)
Potential for the horse to squeeze through too small a gap, damaging you, your saddle, the horse, or getting a stirrup caught on the gate.

The "proper" way is the "proper" way because it is safest, but there is no denying that sometimes it isn't the practical way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top