Hurdle

Hurdle

A hurdle is a moveable section of light fence. Traditionally they were made from wattle (woven split branches), but modern hurdles are often made of metal. Hurdles are used for handling livestock, as decorative fencing, for horse racing and in the track and field event of hurdling.

Types

*Traditional hurdles are made from wattle, usually of hazel or willow. Hurdle-making is a traditional woodland craft, done by placing upright sticks in holes in a log and weaving split branches between them. Historically they were used to pen livestock or to separate land in open field systems, but they are now popular as decorative fencing for gardens. In medieval England such a hurdle was sometimes used as a makeshift sledge, to which a prisoner was tied to be dragged behind a horse to a place of execution.
*Modern livestock hurdles are used for sorting, handling or loading animals where permanent fencing is impractical or uneconomic. They are made of steel or aluminium, and vary in size. For sheep, they are usually convert|6|ft|mabbr=on long and convert|3|ft|mabbr=on high, while for cattle they are commonly convert|9|ft|m|abbr=on or more long and convert|5|ft|mabbr=on high. They are usually joined by pins or hooks, both to each other and to handling facilities such as a cattle crush. While individual hurdles are easily knocked over by animals, when joined in a ring or to solid objects they make a secure fence. Single hurdles are often used a temporary gate or to block a gap in a hedge. Hurdles are often supplied in a set together with a mobile cattle crush and a trailer for easy transport.
*Hurdles used as jumps in horse racing are similar to traditional hurdles.
*The barriers used in track and field hurdling vary. A bar firmly attached to two posts is used for long-distances, while a light metal frame on a stand is used for sprint hurdling.

ee also

*Wattle and daub
*Fencing

External links

* [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Hurdle Britannica 1911 entry]
* [http://www.hurdle.co.uk/ English Hurdle]
* [http://www.willowfence.co.uk/willow_fences.htm Willow Fences]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Hurdle — Hur dle, n. [OE. hurdel, hirdel, AS. hyrdel; akin to D. horde, OHG. hurt, G. h[ u]rde a hurdle, fold, pen, Icel. hur? door, Goth. ha[ u]rds, L. cratis wickerwork, hurdle, Gr. ?, Skr. k?t to spin, c?t to bind, connect. [root]16. Cf. {Crate},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hurdle — UK US /ˈhɜːdl/ noun [C] ► a problem that you must solve or deal with before you can make progress: face/overcome a hurdle » The first hurdle she faced entering the job market was one of confidence. a hurdle to sth »Lack of preparation and lack of …   Financial and business terms

  • hurdle — ► NOUN 1) one of a series of upright frames which athletes in a race must jump over. 2) (hurdles) a hurdle race. 3) an obstacle or difficulty. 4) a portable rectangular frame used as a temporary fence. ► VERB 1) run in a hurdle race …   English terms dictionary

  • hurdle — [n] barrier, obstacle bar, barricade, blockade, complication, difficulty, fence, hamper, handicap, hedge, hindrance, impediment, interference, mountain, obstruction, rub, snag, stumbling block, traverse, wall; concepts 470,674 Ant. clear path,… …   New thesaurus

  • hurdle — [hʉrd′ l] n. [ME hirdel < OE hyrdel < Gmc base * hurd , wickerwork, hurdle, akin to hyrd, door, Frank * hurda, a pen, fold < IE base * kert , to plait, twist together > L cratis (see CRATE), Gr kyrtos, bird cage] 1. Chiefly Brit. a… …   English World dictionary

  • Hurdle — Hur dle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Hurdleed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Hurdleing}.] To hedge, cover, make, or inclose with hurdles. Milton. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hurdle — index bar (obstruction), barrier, deterrence, deterrent, encumbrance, handicap, negotiate, obstacle …   Law dictionary

  • hurdle — noun 1 in a race VERB + HURDLE ▪ clear, jump, jump over ▪ She cleared the first few hurdles easily. ▪ fall at (esp. BrE), hit (esp. BrE) ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

  • hurdle — {{11}} O.E. hyrdel frame of intertwined twigs used as a temporary barrier, dim. of hyrd door, from P.Gmc. *hurdiz wickerwork frame, hurdle (Cf. O.S. hurth plaiting, netting, Du. horde wickerwork, Ger. Hürde hurdle, fold, pen; O.N. hurð, Goth.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • hurdle — I UK [ˈhɜː(r)d(ə)l] / US [ˈhɜrd(ə)l] noun Word forms hurdle : singular hurdle plural hurdles 1) a) [countable] an upright frame that a person or horse must jump over during a race. The sport of racing over hurdles is called hurdling, and a person …   English dictionary

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