Is this the answer to our bridlegate prayers ?

Centrewire’s  new Worcestershire Hydraulic bridlegate.

Sue Montila, Chair/Co-ordinator of the Hants and West Sussex Borders Bridleway Group, arranged for Centrewire’s new Worcestershire Hydraulic bridlegate to be installed on a bridleway just outside Funtington, West Sussex

Sue has had feedback from some of the local riders using the Worcestershire Hydraulic Gate and this has been positive.

As the gate itself is quite heavy some riders choose to pull it towards them but there is plenty of time to get through.

Joy Pycroft tested it for us riding Savannah, a six-year-old Dutch Warmblood Cob, who has been in her care since she was three-years old but who she has only owned for 18 months.

“She’s new to gates,” Joy said.

See for yourself how the test went

Said Joy afterwards, “It was 100-per-cent  better than I imagined. It wasn’t scary at all.”

Another local rider, Kate Welch (BHS AI), also tested the new bridleway gate for us. 

Again, she had no problems navigating it even when she was leading a second horse, which is probably not surprising because she has just left the Royal Navy after serving 22 years as a logistics officer to open a small livery and competition/training yard at Jaybees Farm in the village of Woodmancote near Emsworth, Hampshire.

Says Kate, "It’s a huge improvement on the dreadful gate we had previously and so much more efficient. You nearly always had to dismount before which was not always practical, particularly when on a youngster who may have been worried about or spooked by the sheep in the adjacent field, or when you’re on an 18hh giant of a horse!

“It opens both ways, so if your horse is not that obliging reining back then you can push it forward easily enough. Personally, I find it easier to pull it towards me and hold on to the handle until it’s adjacent to my leg and then give it a further push and let go – the hydraulic closing system gives me enough time to get through, even when leading another horse – providing that it is responsive in hand of course as you have to move through pretty swiftly with two in one go! The new gate certainly makes access to that particular section of bridleway much easier and it’s far safer than the previous dilapidated gate.”

 

 

Kate riding Gus (18 hh ISH) and leading Louis (16.3 TB) and the new gate.
Next to it is what Kate calls “the awful gate we used to have to contend with”.

 

Gus competing in the Services class at Royal Windsor 2008 – and being presented to the Queen

 

What do you think?

Tell us whether the Worcestershire gate is the answer to our bridlegate prayers?

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