Hanging gates in corners

[Simkie]

Recently did some fencing here and hung quite a few gates, many of them in corners. We had all of the old fencing down, so fence guys did not see how gates were hung before, and we didn’t talk about orientation. They hung gates closing into the corner. From a fencing strength perspective, I get it–the gate is pulling parallel to the run of fence and shutting on the post with the force parallel to that run. But I haaaaaaaate trying to move horses through the gates like this, and lose the ability to secure the gate open against the fence that makes the corner. Fence guys are coming back to deal with some issues with the latches, and I’m very tempted to ask them to turn all the gates around.

But curious what other think about gate orientation. I made some drawings Which do you prefer?

Some technical details: gates are 12’ long, and all carry slam latches–so the open end is supported by the post, when the gate is closed.

Opening into the corner:

Or opening away from the corner:

[IMG2=JSON]{“data-align”:“none”,“data-size”:“full”,“src”:"https://i.imgur.com/7cnD0MK.jpg)

[Marla_100]

definitely the second way- opening away from corner.

[jvanrens]

Agree with away from the corner, especially if you have a couple of horses out together and one decides to be an asshat to the horse that beat them to the gate.

I can see why the fencing guys did it this way though since the end post is normally braced better to hold the weight of the gate. Will the post the gate is being moved to need to be reinforced to hold the weight? Don’t need it sagging…

[Bluey]

We hang gates opening into the corners, because that way you can use the gate as a wing when penning.
Just be sure it will fold all the way back against the fence for when you want to leave it open.

There are rare spots where the gate is ok hanging from the end post, not the one of the fence it closes.
This way is stronger if something hits it, they won’t be as apt to break thru, like if all is holding is the latch.

When it comes to someone else than the one that will use the pastures hanging gates, you have to be there, because others may not know how you prefer them.
Happens to all of us, people have their preferences and all work fine, for each one of them.

One other reason we prefer to hang gates in corners by the fence post, as an end to fences, is that in some places, like with four gates all closing on one corner in the middle, you can catty-corner two gates and let stock go back and forth across pastures.

[Simkie]

@Bluey

We hang gates opening into the corners, because that way you can use the gate as a wing when penning.
Just be sure it will fold all the way back against the fence for when you want to leave it open.

So you hang the gate on the side of the post instead of inside the gate opening? Yeah, I thought about that, but a) I like the gates to swing through and b) we’re miles past that now as posts are obviously all in and moving the hinges to the side of the post will leave too much space between the gate and the closing post. The way the gates are hung now leave the gate sticking out at 90 degree from the fence when open all the way. There is no physical way to allow them to fold back on the fence with the hinges inside the gate opening.

@jvanrens all gates have a slam latch, so are supported on the closing end by the closing post. I don’t think we’d need to reinforce anything since the gate isn’t just hanging on the hinge post…

[Jarpur]

Hmmm, our gates are hung as are Bluey’s for the same reasons, but they also open all the way flat against the fence. Having a gate open only 90 degrees would be aggravating, and I think it could lead to some problems, too.

[Simkie]

@Jarpur

Hmmm, our gates are hung as are Bluey’s for the same reasons, but they also open all the way flat against the fence. Having a gate open only 90 degrees would be aggravating, and I think it could lead to some problems, too.

The way the gates are hung now, I cannot ever just leave them open. There’s no way to secure them.

With the hinges in the corner, I can swing the gate back and chain it to the perpendicular fence.

[Simkie]

Another drawing! This one isn’t an option for me, but figured we might as well add it to the pot since others are talking about it.

[foggythistle]

I prefer Option B (opening away from the corner). I’ve fetched horses out of both types, and Option A is more conducive to being run over by an anxious-to-come-in critter. Also more room for a crowd of more than one to maneuver to get themselves into the right position or away from the local bully.

[TMares]

@Simkie

Or opening away from the corner:

This is safer in my experience, as so many have said as well. I have been smashed by idiot horses, this is safer.

[lorilu]

B. I dont want to be caught between a gate and a fence. I also just had fencing replaced, and some of the gates were hung the “wrong” way for me… fence guy reversed them (since he hadnt asked which way to put them he felt responsible… ) In one case it involved a new bigger post; the other gates were smaller and he just reversed how they hung since they did not need a fat post. Your 12’gates def. need a fat post!!

[Bluey]

@Simkie

Another drawing! This one isn’t an option for me, but figured we might as well add it to the pot since others are talking about it.

That ^ is how our pasture and pen gates are hung practically every place, with the rare exception.

Always open gates to the lower side, so they swing around easier, don’t hit higher ground if your gates are on uneven ground.

Always hang gates on the inside of the smaller pen, because there will be more hitting a gate in smaller pens if crowding happens.

Always put gates where you have watched is best for flow, is not always when we would think it is because it looks more even to our eyes to square things up.

When cross fencing bigger pastures into smaller ones, look for trails where they like to travel around and see if where you cross fence that is a good place for a gate, as they will naturally follow that path.

Any gate in corners will mean some dance around it being a corner if we have more than one horse there to manage.
In bigger pens with broodmares, we had a gate about the middle of the fence, not a corner.
Easier there to run machinery thru and to sort who to bring in first from others, without everyone piling on each other in the corner with the first ones nowhere to go.
In corners being able to use the gate to sort, with the gate as in the quoted post, helps not have some horse get behind the gate and make it hard to open to the inside as you are trying to let only one horse thru.
If opening to the outside, all of them may rush you before getting one out and closing it again, better to sort thru as Simkie’s drawing above.

[clanter]

as for the way there are currently, to me too many entrapment points … I would have them swapped around

We went to double gates (opening is 16 feet) …two eight foot panels… have a center holder in the ground that allows use of either panel while the other remains in place…or both panels can be opened

[mroades]

My advice would be to never ever hang the gates in the corners but I guess it’s too late for that. I hope you get it worked out

[Simkie]

@TMares

This is safer in my experience, as so many have said as well. I have been smashed by idiot horses, this is safer.

Yeah, this is really my big thing. It feels sooooo unsafe to have that opening in the corner.

@mroades

My advice would be to never ever hang the gates in the corners but I guess it’s too late for that. I hope you get it worked out

Why?

”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹For gates that swing through, there’s no other place in the fence where they can be secured back along a fence line. You can hang them like the third drawing, but need to know you’re doing that when you set the posts, and lose the option to have them swing both ways.

[lorilu]

@Simkie

Yeah, this is really my big thing. It feels sooooo unsafe to have that opening in the corner.

Why?

For gates that swing through, there’s no other place in the fence where they can be secured back along a fence line. You can hang them like the third drawing, but need to know you’re doing that when you set the posts, and lose the option to have them swing both ways.

I just had a gate installed in the middle of a fenceline that swings entirely open and can be chained to the fence. The posts are set slightly closer than typical so the gate can settle against the post when horses push on it (you know they will). Of course it doesnt swing both ways tho.

[jawa]

None of my gates swing both ways. They all swing into the pasture or into the sacrifice paddock. I get a gate that isn’t likely to be pushed through to a space I don’t want the horses going and I get a gate that will swing all the way back to the fence line should I need the entire opening. None of mine are in a true corner. I have 2 paddocks either side of my barn and the fence line juts out in front of the barn 3 or so feet. This allows an easy angle to enter and exit with equipment. The gates in the sacrifice area are along the middle of that space.

I wouldn’t want a gate that can only go perpendicular to the fence line. That seems like an accident waiting to happen.

[CanteringCarrot]

I prefer B.

I had my horse in a field with option A at a boarding facility and it was fine, because the place wasn’t mine. My horse lived with one other in a huge field and I didn’t have any major gate crowding issues, but it always felt awkward to me. Said horse knows to walk through a gate when told and stand and wait for me on the other side. So it was easier with him as I’d manage the gate/his fieldmate if needed, and he’d exit. If my horse did not have this feature installed and there was a big group by the gate, it would have been a pain in the arse.

[Simkie]

I’m surprised to hear how many people have gates hanging like the third option! Yeah, agree that’s a cool way to go, but just have never seen it anywhere :lol:

We really can’t do that with the posts in place, but I do think I’ll have the fence guys flip the gates around so they don’t open into the corner. It does just feel so unsafe, and I’m relieved to hear that’s not just me being paranoid! Thank you all for your input!

[xeroxchick]

Do a slant so that horses can’t trap another one in the corner and ruin your gate. Gates swing open both ways.