Favorite way to secure gates?

[SharonA]

Now, I love winter. I do. But, the gates at my barn are all held closed by metal clasps and fiddling with the snap when it's 20 degrees out and your hands are wet from brushing snow off is no fun.

I'm thinking, for my farm that I'm getting after I win the lottery that I don't play, I might set up the paddocks to have a space next to the gate that a human could squeeze through but a horse can't (so you can get in and out of the paddock without having to undo the gate).

Also, for closing the gates, unless I'm going to have Daniel Craig standing there in a tux opening and closing the gate for me, maybe just a loop of rope tied to the gate and that goes over a post on the fence might be the easiest -- but then you have to rig it so the horse can't lift up the loop in his teeth and release himself. Hmmm. What are others' favorite means of keeping the gates closed?

[Evalee Hunter]

Slam latches.

[mkevent]

I like both of your ideas and do both in areas where the horses can't get loose off the property if they are able to somehow "squeeze through" or lift up the chain. Where horses are pastured, I use the more conventional method which is a PITA in winter-I'm dealing with frozen double-ended snaps myself! I can't wait to hear the logical ideas that have eluded me these past 21 years!!
PS-I don't play the lottery yet expect to win,too!

[FoxChaser]

Kiwi latches or any of the generic variety like them that are out there in Tractor Supply Stores everywhere: http://www.kiwigatelatch.com/ They can't freeze shut. Even with about 2" of ice on them like we had last week, one bang with your hand/ bucket/ shoe/ stick and they're free. They're easy to operate when you're on a horse too; it's what we use in the hunt field.

[shawneeAcres]

Kiwi latches or any of the generic variety like them that are out there in Tractor Supply Stores everywhere: http://www.kiwigatelatch.com/ They can't freeze shut. Even with about 2" of ice on them like we had last week, one bang with your hand/ bucket/ shoe/ stick and they're free. They're easy to operate when you're on a horse too; it's what we use in the hunt field.


this is what we use as well

[tidy rabbit]

We have these on all our gates. Love them. So easy to operate, only need one hand to open and close and will receive a padlock as well.

http://www.horse.com/Sure-Latch-Lockable-2-Way-Latch-BXB10.html?scode=hfroogle

[MistyBlue]

I have the sure latches too. They don't freeze.
However...they're *not* as horse-proof as they claim to be. :winkgrin: A gelding I had figured them out in 2 days...but then he was REALLY nosy and curious and would fiddle with things for hours until he figured them out. It was quite surprising to be vacuuming my living room and look up to see the gelding and mare staring back at me from my front yard, LOL!
Since then I have kept a chain and beaner clip on them as back up...as a just in case. Once in a rare while those clips freeze shut if snow melted and then refroze on them, but they don't freeze as often and as hard as double end clips do and usually a little blowing on them defrosts them in a few seconds. If not, in winter I keep a mini blowtorch in my jacket pocket so I fry it for 3 seconds and it opens right up. The mini blow torch is great for when the frost-free pump handle freezes shut too.

[artisticgold]

We've always used the KIWI latches, they are the best and so easy to use. The slam latches don't work as well up north as the fence posts move when the ground freezes and lifts. They didn't work well for us, as they needed constant adjustment. The kiwi's rock!

[pupakin]

Another slm latch/sure latch fan here. I use them on my gates as well. Easy to open, don't freeze and (as the name indicates) just slam them and they are closed tight. I have added padlocks to mine as an extra precaution (more to keep outsiders out).

[JB]

Love love love the kiwi latches! I have them on several gates. The key to using them efficiently is to get the proper height of the "staple" in relation to where it loops around the gate. Get it wrong and there's too little slack when trying to get the latch on and off the "staple". But get it right and it's easy as pie to latch and unlatch with one hand.

[2DogsFarm]

The Kiwi latches are great - easy to manipulate with hand-in-mitten and generally horseproof.

Sorry, but your idea of a human-width opening in a fenceline makes me shudder. If it's wide nough for a person to squeeze through, you can bet it's wide enough for a horsy leg to get caught in.
My TWH got himself stuck in the wire bracing that runs to the ground from my cornerposts. Got his hoof in, then couldn't get it back out. It could have been a truly ugly accident if he hadn't kept his cool and just stood there until I rescued him. And that opening was nowhere near wide enough for a person!

For gates between pastures (not for perimeter fencing) I saw a place that used nylon dog collars in place of the usual length of chain. I adopted the idea for the gate from my barn to indoor and it works quite nicely. I would NOT use this where a gate opens to possible horsy freedom.

[tidy rabbit]

I've seen lots of fences that have a human walk through, but it's designed like a triangle so horses can't get through.

[JB]

I've seen lots of fences that have a human walk through, but it's designed like a triangle so horses can't get through.

Exactly. My neighbor has really cool walkthrus that are a bit of a zig-zag.

[Bedrock]

I have the walk thrus at every gate on my farm. They are a lifesaver. Ever have a horse come running towards the gate and you wish all of a sudden you were on the other side of that gate! They save time,and when boarders walk into the pastures you don't have to worry about them closing the gate behind them. Mine are slim, I have to turn sideways to get thru, but they work. I have yet to have a horse get caught as they are wide enough but not too wide. Foals are the only concern, they you have to board up the opening.

[PONYPULR]

I always have those hand warmers in my gloves. So I just place one against the frozen snap and it's thawed!!

[manyspots]

Slam Latch here! I think Tractor Supply calls them Sure Latch? Anyway.... haven't frozen all winter with tons of snow and ice. My guys don't fiddle and I have a strand of electric over my gate anyway so they know that area is off limits. If I had a horse who was an escape artist I would do a short peice of rope with a clip.

[theoldgreymare]

We use the Sure Latch's with a chain and clip as a back up for the Houdini's on the farm. The tractor gates and others that are not used regularly get a padlock on them instead of the chain/clip.

[mkevent]

Lots of great ideas! Now I have to choose!
what to do
what to do....

[Foxyrab]

Slam latches and walk throughs (that you have to go through sideways, as someone else said) for gates close to the barn. Chains and padlocks for gates near the road.

[gabz]

I had a walk through - I had to go through sideways, but it was WONDERFUL. and then I got goats. ;)

I use Kiwi latches wherever I can; and the chains around wood posts and through the slot on the metal gates. I use a "beaner" to catch it back on a section of the chain if necessary to "double lock" it. The carbiner (beaner) is much easier to manipulate with gloves on.

For double ended snaps - WD40!! Much less likely to freeze up.

I would love slam latches - but I saw a horse get kind of messed up when a crowd tried coming through. So they are okay in some locations.

[the_other_mother]

I have the walk thrus and they're great. But I also spray my gates latches and snaps with WD40 and they dont freeze.

[hosspuller]

just a loop of rope tied to the gate and that goes over a post on the fence might be the easiest -- but then you have to rig it so the horse can't lift up the loop in his teeth and release himself.

I have a loop of chain that drops over the wood post about 12 inches... But there's a nail opposite the gate protruding about 1" Unless you pull the chain away from the nail as you lift, it keeps the chain loop from being slipped off the post. The nail is protected by the rest of the fence on the post side, so it'll be hard to get snagged by a horse or person.

Easy to use with heavy gloves, and cheap to make.

[equusus]

We use screw eyes in the posts, pry them open about 1/4 inch, attach a quick link to the chain on the gate and use it to hook in the screw eye.
Cheap, easy, never freezes, one handed and I have never had a horse or dog open one.