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Post by highlanderpony2002 on Dec 12, 2011 17:59:25 GMT 1
depends on how many I am leading if all four I tend to just get them a way into the field and let go. They stand for you to remove their headcollars anyway and it is hard to turn them all at once. One at a time or two in one hand I turn back towards the gate to make sure the others dont get out passed them
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Post by Sophie and James on Dec 12, 2011 20:57:11 GMT 1
Going into the field walk him away from the gate and turn back. I make him wait until I have shut the gate. Then he has to turn his head to the right to let me to get his headcollar off. I won't walk around him to do this.
Having dealt with horses whose habit is to bolt at the gateways I cannot abide bad gateway manners. It is so dangerous.
Coming out there is often a narrow gap onto the track with electric fence on both sides so I can't turn him. He stands with his rope over his back while I shut the gate. He has never walked off. I think the secret is to have a routine and stick to it.
Sophie
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Post by gem on Dec 12, 2011 21:52:23 GMT 1
i take him to the field - some days I loose him facing the gate; some days i loose him facing away - either way he always follows me back to the gate for his sweetie
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Post by helenj on Dec 13, 2011 16:23:26 GMT 1
Sort of in the middle, but may be due to layout. I walk through the gate, and push it to, but the horse ends up parallel to it, so neither facing the field, nor the gate, then have quiet rub and take off headcollar.
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HelenG
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 231
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Post by HelenG on Dec 13, 2011 16:43:11 GMT 1
i must have too much time on my hands. I make jinks wait outside, unlock gate, push it open wide (he has a fat belly!), horsey in, turn around to lock gate, turn him back around to go to top of hill (about 5m away), stand with attention on me, headcollar off and stand back to see him go full pelt up the field! It might be safer for me to have him face the gate but it wouldn't be safer for him. He'd spin on the spot and then have hooves flying everywhere trying to get up the hill.
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Post by marychick on Dec 13, 2011 17:00:02 GMT 1
Depends what kind of mood mine is in- if she looks like she wants to find a post to windsuck on i'll walk her to the middle of the field and wait until decides to start eating grass before I let her go to distract her. If I think she's just going to find the other horses I will turn her towards the gate and let her go. Either way mine has impeccable manners so not worried, with other peoples horses though I always turn to the gate- just incase!
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Post by jules26 on Dec 14, 2011 13:10:18 GMT 1
Thank you for all your replies - it has made interesting reading. I guess there is no right / wrong way - we all have our preference for varying reasons. Ultimately safety is the key issue. I have seen horses suddenly spin round and knock the handler over when they have been released facing the gate. Others seem to let them go when standing far too close to the fence/gate and have no space to move out of the way quickly if the need arises. A friend turned her 4 yr old out who proceeded to leap around and then kicked her in the face, smashing her jaw and leaving her unconsious on the ground (and all alone!) She had to undergo surgery and have her jaw wired - she could have been killed. I guess the bottom line is that no matter how well mannered our horses are they are still unpredictable and can take fright in a split second.
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Post by dalesfan on Dec 14, 2011 13:19:34 GMT 1
Mine take themselves to the field as they are in a herd of 4,and usually I'm there by myself. I have a secure lane so I can just open the field gate,let them out of their stables and then follow on to shut the gate. They let themselves in too
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Post by mandal on Dec 14, 2011 13:41:29 GMT 1
I don't tend to lead them in a head collar these days to the field, just open the gate. I do ensure I'm not crowded and if horses do get too close I ask them to step back and wait both going out and coming in. If I use a lead rope/head collar I turn about 90%. I was taught to turn 180 (towards the gate) but 90 works well for us. Having them at home makes life so much easier.
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varkie
Grand Prix Poster
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 4,913
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Post by varkie on Dec 14, 2011 13:43:19 GMT 1
I guess there is no right / wrong way - we all have our preference for varying reasons. Ultimately safety is the key issue. I have seen horses suddenly spin round and knock the handler over when they have been released facing the gate. Others seem to let them go when standing far too close to the fence/gate and have no space to move out of the way quickly if the need arises. When I did my exams (a few years ago, mind!) we were taught that the right way to let a horse loose was to take it into the field, close gate, then walk into the field, turn horse to face gate, let horse go and then immediately step back while facing the horse. In this way, there is no open gate for horse to run out / get caught on. You are not going to get caught in a gate scrum if there are other horses in the field or you are letting multiple horses go. Horse is turned to face gate so that it cannot buck as it runs past you, as it could if it is facing out into the field, and kick you in the head. And you remain facing horse and step back after letting horse go, to prevent getting kicked in the head if horse spins & bucks. I do think this is the safest method of releasing a horse. And I do stick with it, with unknown horses/anything likely to go rushing off. Even with a horse that is familiar to you / that you think you know the behaviour of, it only takes one time, one kick in the head - and it's game over!
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Post by mandal on Dec 14, 2011 13:48:34 GMT 1
Yes, I agree that making space is crucial for safety. I too go into the field if I'm leading, I don't let go near the gate.
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Post by gilly on Dec 15, 2011 7:01:15 GMT 1
With Ginger I know he isn't going to go belting off, so providing there are no other horses lurking around the gate I just open the gate, take his headcollar off and he walks in. If he wasn't the horse he is I would go in the field with him and close the gate before letting go of him, but I know he's not going to go anywhere
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Post by sarahbing on Dec 15, 2011 11:11:21 GMT 1
I guess there is no right / wrong way - we all have our preference for varying reasons. Ultimately safety is the key issue. I have seen horses suddenly spin round and knock the handler over when they have been released facing the gate. Others seem to let them go when standing far too close to the fence/gate and have no space to move out of the way quickly if the need arises. When I did my exams (a few years ago, mind!) we were taught that the right way to let a horse loose was to take it into the field, close gate, then walk into the field, turn horse to face gate, let horse go and then immediately step back while facing the horse. In this way, there is no open gate for horse to run out / get caught on. You are not going to get caught in a gate scrum if there are other horses in the field or you are letting multiple horses go. Horse is turned to face gate so that it cannot buck as it runs past you, as it could if it is facing out into the field, and kick you in the head. And you remain facing horse and step back after letting horse go, to prevent getting kicked in the head if horse spins & bucks. I do think this is the safest method of releasing a horse. And I do stick with it, with unknown horses/anything likely to go rushing off. Even with a horse that is familiar to you / that you think you know the behaviour of, it only takes one time, one kick in the head - and it's game over! I couldn't agree more. We cannot eliminate risk from horse ownership, but we can work towards minimising it. The less often we take a risk, the less likely we are to get hurt, Simples ;D I think this is one of the BHS's strengths. How many of us have their safety messages drummed into us from an early age and are still around to tell the tale?!
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Post by wabuska on Dec 15, 2011 12:08:50 GMT 1
A. Always.
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marvin
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 1,069
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Post by marvin on Dec 15, 2011 12:19:33 GMT 1
I lead him throught the gate and let him go he is usually well behaved and just waits till I take off the head collar.
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