Jigs, that's too funny, But also soooo true.
We have gates that open either to the inside or the outside of the trailer, when backed up to the chute we fold em to the inside of the trailer (usually only one) run whatevers to be loaded up the chute and whoevers handy shuts it. Sometimes it's me, sometimes lil lilly, sometimes one of the guys. Just whoever's not doin somethin else at the time of loadin. Also depends on if the trailers packed tight or if it's just a few head. If it's a tight load, Lil Lilly aint the one that gets to shut the gate. Usually one of the guys that's runnin em up the chute, and when the last one's loaded they'll slam it shut.
but to hold it open, we usually use a piece of feed sack string, that way it's easy to yank and break it to shut it.
If the gates are swung to the outside, we usually just loop a tie rope around it, not tied just looped around it, with someone on the outside holdin the rope ends, so it can easily be swung shut without any hangups.
I sure would like to have a trailer that had slidin gates.