Re: RC: I took a licken and kept a ticken

[BMcCrary27@aol.com]

In a message dated 01/21/2000 5:51:49 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
Dbeverly4@aol.com writes:

<< BTW, I 
 prefer reins that are all one piece -- just for this reason. >>

I, too, prefer one piece reins, but you have to be very careful not to catch 
them on something .... like the Lud McCrary unpatented gravity gate latch!  
My husband has created these great gate latches, easy to open from horseback. 
 They are pipes with a T for a handle; the latch fits inside anothe pipe, 
slightly larger diameter, which in turn is bolted at an angle onto the gate. 
There is a deep notch chiseled into the gate post to receive the latch.  The 
latch must be lifted out of the notch and it then drops by gravity back into 
the notch when you close the gate.  A VERY clever horse with good teeth can 
open it, but many of our horses are not that clever (only Charlie, who has 
learned to beat the system).  Anyway, one day Lud is opening the gate and 
passing through, then his one piece rein get caught on the T handle of the 
latch, his horse pulls back, the latch doesn't come away from its tube fast 
enough so the entire gate is lifted off its hinges.  It was almost a 
disaster, but fortunately all survived without injury or even unhorsing.  But 
I still prefer one piece reins, as I would be very inclined to drop one of 
the two piece reins.

Barbara