| Gates |
July 9, 2008
by Bonnie Davis
|
|
I have no idea why I get so concerned about the state of gates. To me, a gate should always be closed. Especially at a barn, around a corral and most of all, a pasture gate!!
On a trail, I can ride through or open and re-close a gate with no problem. But at the barn -- I've GOT TO CLOSE THAT GATE!!
We have paddocks off stalls so when I clean paddocks and leave, I shut gates. Both stall doors and paddock gates are shut and latched. There are no horses in the stalls -- they're out in pasture. But I still HAVE to close that gate.
My daughter, Becky, tends to get a little upset with me sometimes. When bringing horses in they all come to the pasture gate and wait to be let through. If I leave the paddock gates open, they'll walk into their respective paddocks and stalls as they come into the barnyard. But if I've closed the paddock gates, they wander on by and attack the hay stack.
Becky keeps telling me "leave the paddock gates open" but I keep closing them. She's given up telling me. It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks so now when she goes to bring horses in from pasture, she walks by the paddocks and opens gates. I'm not allowed around that end of the barn after she's opened the gates!
The biggest problem I have is with the pasture gate. When I drive through I always wait a couple minutes to figure out where the horses are before opening the gate. Then when I feel sure they're 40-acres away, I'll open the gate, dash back to the truck, drive through, run back to the gate, close and latch it. Success again. I got through the gate without all the horses stampeding down and out as I'm trying to drive through. They've never rushed the gate when I'm driving through. But you never know.
I have to push the manure cart through another gate and out into the pasture. Becky pushes the cart in and out of the gate without closing it. If I'm there I almost have to tie myself to a post to keep from running over and shutting the gate. Why? I don't know. The horses are all standing under the trees. Watching. They could care less. It's not time to come in so they stand in the shade.
When I push the manure cart out into the pasture, I HAVE to close the pasture gate after I go through. Even though the horses are off in the corner -- the gate has to be closed. And latched while I dump the cart.
While Becky opens the gate, pushes the cart into the pasture, dumps it, then goes back through the gate and relatches it, I visualize the horses sneaking along like in an old cartoon when I open the gate. Slinking along the ground like snakes. ALL of them hiding behind one 6-inch tree trunk. Then as I open the pasture gate, push the cart through, turn to re-close it -- a mass equine rush for the gate. Freedom!! On to the hay stack. Well, you get the idea about my gate closing paranoia.......
Stay safe on the trails!
Bonnie
|
|
|
| Bonnie, I'm just like you! Keep closing those gates, it's a wonderful
habit. |
| Posted by Alice Stevens |
| I am just as obsessive as you are for good reason. At the barn where I used to be we had a main gate that led out to the road. That gate was supposed to be shut at all times. TWO TIMES while I was there, a horse escaped through a pasture gate and instead of going to the barn like you'd think he would, he ran right through the gate... which had been left open for just a minute because someone else was leaving or some other excuse. Luckily he was caught and didn't get hit by a car. The second time a different horse did the same thing... got loose and took a beeline through the open main gate. He also was caught before he got hurt. I can't pass by a gate that's open--I have to shut it! |
| Posted by Susie Stout |
|
|
|
Technorati
Stumble It!
