So angry and worried

carthorse

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Jan 6, 2006
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The pony that is in the field with Luka belongs to a friend and she has a friend who sometimes comes up for her kids to ride him. They strike me as the sort who talk a great talk but know very little, and do even less. Anyway they came up last night to ride, as did his owner, and when I saw her I asked her to mention the gate to them as last time it hadn't been shut properly - it's tied shut with a rope.

Well I went up this morning to find them both out the field. Thankfully they hadn't gone far, but they could easily have got out onto the road or onto a bridleway and from there miles of open land and as the crow flies busy main roads. Called YO immediately thinking they'd broken the fencing somehow, but when we got to the field the gate was wide open and from where and how the rope was it was clear they hadn't even tried to tie it shut, just pulled an uncatched gate to!!!! YO called the other owner and it was clear from what I could hear that she was just making excuses and then saying "they're only kids". YO has said something will be done and I believe her because she was livid, but I'm now going to worry that they've been up and left the gate undone again, or something else equally idiotic. The gate was tied shut when they turned out, it was quite obvious it needed doing!!!!

Aaaaand breeeeaaaathe!
 
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Yeah the "they're only kids" just doesn't cut it. I'd be livid and worried too. All you can do is hope that the YO makes sure they reinforce the point to the other owner with the kids and let them know that it could be dangerous and end badly if they do escape. Argh. So ruddy careless.
 
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The “only kids” excuse does not wash. If they are too young to understand and remember the importance of tying the gate, their mother - or another adult - should be with them.
 
On the other hand security in big cities is a top priority. I have never ridden on a yard where gates were fastened with a rope. Ours have metal latches and anyone not on horseback (like my OH) needs a security code to enter and then a permit to wear while walking round the yard.
 
Well they need a proper talking to for sure.
I am also in the camp of why is the gate being tied with rope to secure. I dont know what your gates and latches are like but to me it sounds like the gates/hanging posts or slamming posts could do with some better securing mechanisms.
 
No - "only kids" does not cut it. I've had 2 generations of children come to the yard, and I drum it into them right from the start, if they don't listen, they don't get to come. Youngest one atm is just turned 4, he knows not to go behind the horses, NEVER go in the field without a grown up, and wait in the barn when we bring the horses in. If they can't do something simple, like close a gate properly, then they shouldn't be there - and what on earth was the parent thinking???
 
No that ‘they’re only kids’ doesn’t fly, they are YOUR responsibility so man up and check they have done things right!

So fecking annoying. Blame the kids for the fact you can check they are doing it right 🙄

Glad Luka and friend are ok x
 
No the gate isn't great, but we also have ropes or chains on all the gates as a back up since ponies have been known to fiddle catches but we've never yet come across one that can undo a rope tied on the other side of the gate. There's never been a problem with this gate being undone before so in that respect it's perfectly secure.

The kids aren't young kids and were quite old enough to get aggressive about it tonight. And mum's response was there's no cctv to prove it was them! Says a lot for the attitude really. YO did have words with them but it was like water off a duck's back. Tonight I pointedly stayed and checked the gate after they turned out, and I will continue to do that, if I can't YO will.
 
No the gate isn't great, but we also have ropes or chains on all the gates as a back up since ponies have been known to fiddle catches but we've never yet come across one that can undo a rope tied on the other side of the gate. There's never been a problem with this gate being undone before so in that respect it's perfectly secure.

The kids aren't young kids and were quite old enough to get aggressive about it tonight. And mum's response was there's no cctv to prove it was them! Says a lot for the attitude really. YO did have words with them but it was like water off a duck's back. Tonight I pointedly stayed and checked the gate after they turned out, and I will continue to do that, if I can't YO will.
That's a shame their have that attitude. Could you say something about insurance and liability if they do escape and something gets damaged / harmed? Or would that make things worse? Sometimes if folk think it might cost them - they can sharpen up their attitude pretty quickly.
 
I’d be so mad, there’s no excuse for that. Hopefully yo can get the gate sorted with a latch to help but I’d be checking behind them too, I don’t know what else you can do really if the other owner won’t acknowledge their failing.
I was impressed (so much so that I took pictures for future reference) with these gate closures I saw in wales, perhaps you could rig one up? so if all else fails at least it would be very difficult for the horses to open and get out of the gate.
It’s a simple weight on a chain that shuts the gate unless you’re holding it open 97811312-D975-4C13-AB75-01DBFA272490.jpeg
 
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We have a weighted gate on a bridleway across the valley. Its a pain in the butt when your trying to get through riding. There still only any good if the slammer post meets it properly. The one ive ridden through certainly doesnt. The latch isnt even close.
 
@Jessey would that keep the gate shut if a horse rubbed against it? I'm trying to get my head around exactly how it works and if it would work on gates that open both ways, which our gates do so that if a horse rushes or panics it doesn't get caught. I also have visions of the young Shetland getting into a mess with the chain, but maybe I'm visualising it wrongly.

Right now, having seen their attitude, I wouldn't even trust them with a latch! There is one on the gate but where the post has shifted slightly it's not a good line up, there was no attempt at using it though, it was still pulled right back (they're safety bolts so that when you lead a horse through there's no part sticking out).

These are the sort of idiots that would walk through a field of livestock opening but not shutting gates then complain about the farmer if he shouted at them. Or report him to the police for threatening behaviour.
 
Our main field gate is a tie shut one, it's only out onto the yard but we still tie it shut (no horses have access to it overnight as they are all in fields within main field) People do occasionally forget to tie it so we introduced a loop tied to the gate that rather than tying you just put over the top of the gatepost. I'm not sure I would trust horses not to get out of that though so not much help. If it was my yard I'd be banning the friends until the owner takes responsibility!
 
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@Jessey would that keep the gate shut if a horse rubbed against it? I'm trying to get my head around exactly how it works and if it would work on gates that open both ways, which our gates do so that if a horse rushes or panics it doesn't get caught. I also have visions of the young Shetland getting into a mess with the chain, but maybe I'm visualising it wrongly.

Right now, having seen their attitude, I wouldn't even trust them with a latch! There is one on the gate but where the post has shifted slightly it's not a good line up, there was no attempt at using it though, it was still pulled right back (they're safety bolts so that when you lead a horse through there's no part sticking out).

These are the sort of idiots that would walk through a field of livestock opening but not shutting gates then complain about the farmer if he shouted at them. Or report him to the police for threatening behaviour.
I didn't realise your gates swing both ways, I don't think it would work unless you had a gate that opens into the field only. It would be easy to test with a leadrope and bucket of water as the weight - you want to open the gate fully and tie the rope at the top about 1/3 from the hinge and taught to something outside at similar height, then put your bucket of water in the middle of the rope and it should pull the gate shut as the weight pulls the rope down to the floor - for a gate that goes both ways you'd need one on either side and equal weights to hold it at the closed point - but, if they are likely to push the gate they could push it open - unless they are good with the optical illusion that the gate is shut. If it were me, I'd probably figure out to make the gate one way for now so I could do something like this, or another latch.
 
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