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Post by mrsfields on Dec 29, 2012 21:53:59 GMT 1
hi there,
i need to put in some gates at the entrance to my field/track and am wondering what size to go for... the access is about 8 metres wide, and is mostly used when bringing two horses in and out, but i need to allow access a couple of times a year for a tractor + hay-making machinery, so need to make sure the gates are wide enough...
can you recommend a suitable width?? i was thinking of a 4 or 5-metre gate just for the tractor which would mostly stay closed, plus a 2-metre gate for everyday use with the horses - would that be ok? would a 4-metre gate be too narrow for a tractor/baling machinery?
would appreciate any advice! cheers!
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Post by kizi on Dec 29, 2012 22:10:57 GMT 1
When we fenced here they told us allow 10 feet, our lane is 12 and really wouldn't want to be any narrower. That's balers, mowers, loaders etc I think 10 feet would be tight!
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Post by antares on Dec 29, 2012 22:19:52 GMT 1
My gates are all 14 ft at least, the ones that are at an angle to the lane ways are around 18ft I think
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Post by bertie666 on Dec 29, 2012 22:35:17 GMT 1
12 ft is the standard - hence why most 5 bar gates are 12 ft = )
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Post by specialized on Dec 29, 2012 22:49:05 GMT 1
12' is adequate for all but the largest machinery ie combines etc.
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Post by clipclop on Dec 29, 2012 22:58:36 GMT 1
12' is adequate for all but the largest machinery ie combines etc. Ditto presuming the access is ok. My main yard gates are twin 12' ones to make 24' as the turning in is tight and narrow. Anywhere else on the yard they are just 12'. Sent from my ST18i using proboards
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Post by mrsfields on Dec 29, 2012 23:30:16 GMT 1
ah that's great! thanks so much everyone! just checked on the conversion chart and 12' is about 3.6 metres, so a 4-metre gate on a straight lane should be fine then! thanks!
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Amanda Seater
Grand Prix Poster
Listen to your horse you may be surprised what he may tell you about yourself
Posts: 3,866
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Post by Amanda Seater on Dec 30, 2012 9:15:58 GMT 1
make sure the lane is wide enough to turn into a 4metre gate. Even with our gates at 30 foot ( 2x 15foot) it was tight to get my pickup and a 18 foot trailer of hay out as the track was only 10foot wide with a tree at the edge in an awkward spot.. tractor and baler were fine (big baler and tractor)with a little less.We now have this gate with a 4 foot pedestrian gate to go beside it. SO consider the total length of any possible vehicle and loaded trailer, the space it needs for its nose tail to come round and at what angle. All our other gates are 12 and 15 feet as there is a straighter approach If in doubt as the contractor to take a look
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Post by taklishim on Dec 30, 2012 19:53:03 GMT 1
if you want to take advantage of a wider gateway you could have say a 12ft gate for tractor access and an 8ft gate for horse access both closing onto the same post. You could then make the closing post removeable ie you lift it out to give a really wide gateway. This is what we have done on several gateways to improve tractor and trailor access. (obviously if you do this make sure you have plate or something handy to put over the hole when you take the closing post out to make sure a horse doesn't put it's foot down it.)
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Post by mrsfields on Dec 31, 2012 12:48:56 GMT 1
thanks so much for the advice! the turning up to the access is quite wide, about 12 metres at the widest spot on the bend, then gradually narrowing from about 8 to 6 metres along the straight bit of lane into the fields...
until now, we've just been using triple electric fencing gates, but i need something more solid to keep our neighbour's dog out really (we have free-ranging guinea fowl - thanks to Amanda's suggestion several months back for natural tick control! they've actually been brilliant at keeping the ticks down! but unfortunately our neighbour's dog got onto our land a few weeks ago and killed two of them, so i've been keeping them shut in their run until we can get gates sorted)
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