I’ve decided to do a center aisle barn with a lean-to roof over a 12’ run-out from the stalls. I know a lot of people love that set up but what I haven’t been able to wrap my head around is what type of closure do you put at the end of the run? Do you want to be able to open it fully to back a truck up for maintenance? If so, then where do you “park” the gate when it’s left open?
Or is a smaller gate preferred? And again, how do you park it open in a way that is safe for horses?
I make sure that any gate I have is hung so that it can be folded back flush and secure against a surface when opened. If I had 12 ft wide runs I’d be inclined to have 12 ft gates for ease of access/install. I have had gates that left spacing that concerned me between the pipes of the gate and the fence boards from a trapping of hooves perspective when they were folded back. I have moved or doubled boards to solve this when it is a high traffic area, that said I have TBs and WB’s with finely honed skills to maximize vet bills and minimize work time.
I did 12 foot runs with 12 foot priefert gates that swung into the run and latched back against the side of the run. Worked great.
Like others have said, I also try to have my gates installed to swing flush with a fenceline/wall to secure them open.
Sometimes, though, that just isn’t possible - such as when you don’t measure perfectly when setting posts and you NEED the gate to “fill” the gap between the too-wide spacing of the gate posts. In those instances, I use a gate anchor to stabilize the gate in the “open” position. I have safely used the anchors to hold the gates open so horses/livestock can come and go freely through the opening. The anchors WILL move if a horse/cow bumps into the gate, but usually just a few inches or so, and they never give out and let the gate swing free.
https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=D6756757-5E18-4251-8B41-78374B9110EB
I also use the anchors to support wider gates, so they don’t sag.
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