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Discussion on Horse Flipping Gate off the Hinges
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Member:
Terrilyn
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Posted on Friday, Jul 21, 2006 - 9:59 am:
I looked through the information in the fencing section and did not see the issue I'm currently dealing with. So here goes. I'm boarding a horse who is on paddock rest and he apparently gets bored easily. He has figured out that he can lift our gates off the hinges to get out with the other horses...and I'm wondering how in the 10 years I've had horses I never knew to flip the top screw over so that it points DOWN through the hinge so it can't be lifted up and off.
As a result of his gate-flipping, the horse has injured himself twice...yesterday an inch-long wound on the inside of his fetlock...deep....and several days ago a 6-inch long scrape on the right inside hind leg just below the hock (THIS when he cowkicked the gate, lifted it, knocked it off the hinge, and dragged his leg back through!)
Just wanted to share one of my aha moments...lessons learned...whatever you want to call it. I feel really silly, like I should have KNOWN this all along. So in case there is anyone out there with tubular gates swinging free and beautiful and unrestricted by the top screw....get out there and secure them! 
Thanks for listening...and meanwhile, the horse is confined to a stall where I hope he will not find new, more destructive things to do...
I've had horses on this property with the current configuation for 3 years with NO major injuries. Guess I've been lucky.
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Member:
Scooter
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Posted on Friday, Jul 21, 2006 - 10:54 am:
Terri, we had one of those aha moments also when our cattle reached under the gate to get the (greener grass) and the gate just popped off. We knew better, but it's just something you don't think to check (we do now). Terri is right HA members check your gates!
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Friday, Jul 21, 2006 - 11:44 am:
Terri good advice... My vet was out a few years ago.. we were out checking the young ones.. first thing she said... is FLIP THE HINGE ON THAT GATE... She sees more gate accidents from this kind of situation... We did .. and all is good...
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Friday, Jul 21, 2006 - 11:50 am:
We learned this same lesson not too long after we moved here. We woke up early one morning to the sound of horses trotting in the driveway. They were nosing around in the garage, checking out the cars, happily munching the lawn, and tasting the flowers. Luckily, they are all suckers for the sound of grain in a bucket and were easy to catch!
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Member:
Ajudson1
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Posted on Friday, Jul 21, 2006 - 4:29 pm:
We learned that the hard way also with gates. Luckily none of the horses got hurt, just wrecked a few gates
The other biggie is with stall door latches. We use the kind that you lift up and slide thru the part to secure it. I ALWAYS put an eye screw through the handle/latch part and then use a bull hook on the eye screw. This prevents the horses from lipping the latch up and over.
Sara,
I had a big scare many years ago...there were big shadows outside the window and I couldn't see what it was. I was thinking BEAR, or WOLF, (had just moved up here in MI then, was from farm country in MN) Turned out our mare Fancy had let herself, and Willow, out of their stalls, and then also opened the gate and they were enjoying an early morning graze by the bird feeder!! Luckily Fancy was a sweet horse who would come right in the house and never left the yard when things like that happened!
We used to on purpose not hook the stalls with the bull hook when graining them as Fancy would let herself out, Willow out, plus her own colt. For some reason she let all the Arabs out, but left the T Walkers in! It was funny and plus we knew when they were done with their grain.
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Member:
Terrilyn
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Posted on Friday, Jul 21, 2006 - 4:38 pm:
Ah, so I'm happy to know I'm not the only one who learned through experience. Funny how some things you learn at the very beginning as horse owners and you're spared from making that mistake...I never considered the way gates were hung to be a potential hazard or even gave them a second look once I was through putting them up. Thanks to everyone for making me feel a little less silly! (Glad there weren't any horror stories here...just amusing ones!)
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, Jul 23, 2006 - 6:25 pm:
For those not familiar with this important procedure, Terri is talking about gaits that sit on "hinge pins" that have been screwed into a post to hang a gait on. The bottom hinge pin is set first, with the pin facing upward. The gait is set on this pin and a bubble level used so the gait is held level to judge where to place the upper pin. This is done one of two ways depending on your gait type:
If the upper receiver on the gait can be loosened and moved up and down then bolted tightly in place there is no problem. Set the upper pin in a location that once screwed in with the pin facing downward that the receiver can then be slipped up over the pin and tightened down.
If your gait receivers cannot be adjusted because they are welded in place, you must carefully mark the location on the post where to screw the pin in to match up with the receiver when the pin is in the down position. Set the pin and just as you complete the last 1/4 turn you slip the the pin into the receiver. This may take a small pipe wrench to turn the pin from its terminal smooth shaft.
DrO
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