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You are in... Forums > Welcome To Your Horse Forum > The Yard > Opening a gate from horseback.

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kevinhiatt

Joined:

Aug 10

Posts: 5170

kevinhiatt says:

Opening a gate from horseback.

How many out there can open a gate from Horseback, as I have been doing this for a long time as was I taught todo so at Porlock when I was 16, Sabrina easily understood what I needed her todo and after a couple of tries did it as you need to be able to move the horse forward and back working as a team, gets you  closer to each other. I did not think anything of it but got surprised comments from some of the other horseowners who had seen me do this especially when one gate had a clip on a piece of string and was a long steel field gate nothing horserider friendly about it.

Gypsy Gold does not chink & glitter.It gleams in the sun and neighs in the dark.Tonka & Lara my beautiful horses RIP, Nelson & Chloe the cats.

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  • Posted 2 years ago (27 March 2012 12:29)
SuzyA

Joined:

Mar 09

Posts: 810

SuzyA says:

Re: Opening a gate from horseback.

I do!  and he's a realy gent.  When opening our field gate which is padlocked with chain, he cooperates nicely so I can reach the padlock to unlock it, backs up nicely when opening the gate towards us, and he seems to know precisely if there's enough room for us to go through, coz if it's not he will stay still till it's open enough.  Our gate bangs shut on us, and then he will quite happily get into position and stand nicely whilst I lean right over, just with the reins looped through my arm, whilst I lock up again.  We have been doing this for fourteen years now, so we are well practiced!  But he is fine with any gate, turn on haunches, turn on forehand, forward, back, stand - you name it

[This Reply has been modified by the Author]

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  • Posted 2 years ago (27 March 2012 12:57)
equi

Joined:

Jan 09

Posts: 2781

equi says:

Re: Opening a gate from horseback.

 I can do it on Jago but i cant reach down enough on Sonny 

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  • Posted 2 years ago (27 March 2012 13:02)
sammyseshi

Joined:

Jun 06

Posts: 692

sammyseshi says:

Re: Opening a gate from horseback.

I have taught all my horses to help me open gates. I was practicing with Buddy just doing the yard gate from first backing him, now he'll let me do *most* gates we come to out hacking etc and is getting better all the time. I dont' understand when people can't do it, obv sometimes lke equi the horse is just too tall (ahem Equi surely you could just school him to kneel down for you?! ) or over excited in some situations. All in all Buddy is brilliant at it, even pushing it closed with his chest

 

Another thing I have practised with him, in hand and now ridden, is letting the gates swing closed on his bum, just gently. I have seen some horse EXPLODE when a gate touches them from behind, which is sometimes unavoidable. But Buds doesn't react bless him.

My babies have hooves :)

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  • Posted 2 years ago (27 March 2012 13:11)
kevinhiatt

Joined:

Aug 10

Posts: 5170

kevinhiatt says:

Re: Opening a gate from horseback.

This is great so many, but once met up with a group a Western Riders in Sutton Park who made comments about the great difference in tack between English and Western, but Tonka and I showed them up as was the only one able to open a gate from horseback and did not dismount, after that became friends, and one of the riders was frightened when she tried my Saddle as not used to nothing in front.

Gypsy Gold does not chink & glitter.It gleams in the sun and neighs in the dark.Tonka & Lara my beautiful horses RIP, Nelson & Chloe the cats.

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  • Posted 2 years ago (27 March 2012 13:14)
Tommytank

Joined:

Jan 10

Posts: 1954

Tommytank says:

Re: Opening a gate from horseback.

 Tommys a pro at gates, i get the catch and he bashes them open with his head, or curls his neck around them and pull them towards us if its a towards us gate. for a big old unit he's pretty nimble on his feet with the turning on the forehand stuff 

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/536812_10150975524292219_1369322372_n.jpg

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  • Posted 2 years ago (27 March 2012 16:44)
lauralou15

Joined:

Apr 10

Posts: 453

lauralou15 says:

Re: Opening a gate from horseback.

 Sadly I am one that can't open the gates :( Guinness doesn't have the patience to do it he just wants to bash through them and when they don't open he backs up like it bit him or something, same with closing them he will only bash them and most of the time thats too hard and they fling back open again! 

 

Believe me I have tried and tried to get him to do it and we can just about manage the yard gate that has an extra long handle and the one other gate on our hacking route that has an extra long handle....other than that we just can't do it and i have to get off!

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  • Posted 2 years ago (27 March 2012 17:39)
greyandbay

Joined:

Mar 10

Posts: 2943

greyandbay says:

Re: Opening a gate from horseback.

Both Bracken and Grouse were quite good, especially Grouse who was quite agile.

There was one gate that I never managed though - it was a metal gate on a farm track, and the hinges had sagged or something, so the bit that opened stuck on the ground and you had to lift it up to open it - I've watched my daughter and a couple of friends manage it, but I never seemed to have the knack or the strength to pick it up and push it open, let alone close it again

The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man - Winston Churchill

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  • Posted 2 years ago (27 March 2012 17:49)
lydiarose

Joined:

Oct 10

Posts: 783

lydiarose says:

Re: Opening a gate from horseback.

 Taught Woody how to after about 2 weeks of trial and error. When I got him he would rear up full height when I asked him to go out, now he pushes it with his nose and spins for me to close it! ^^

Woodhouse JT <3

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  • Posted 2 years ago (27 March 2012 20:51)
kevinhiatt

Joined:

Aug 10

Posts: 5170

kevinhiatt says:

Re: Opening a gate from horseback.

It is surprising how a horse loves a challange at times as they love to be mentally challanged and will go out of their way to help.

Gypsy Gold does not chink & glitter.It gleams in the sun and neighs in the dark.Tonka & Lara my beautiful horses RIP, Nelson & Chloe the cats.

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  • Posted 2 years ago (27 March 2012 21:00)
lauralou15

Joined:

Apr 10

Posts: 453

lauralou15 says:

Re: Opening a gate from horseback.

 if anyone can give me tips on how to give him more patience to stand so I can open gates with him that would be great! such as do you take them straight on as in your horse facing the way your going or do you take it sideways so you have to lean towards your legs rather than the horses neck?

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  • Posted 2 years ago (27 March 2012 21:23)

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