field shelter, ideas?

IrishDQ

IrishDQ

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Mar 14, 2006
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After Christmas we are going to start work on a small arena, so I want to build a shelter as well if possible, for extra shelter in bad weather if necessary but mostly to have a dry place to groom etc!

We are allowed to build a shed but not if it's to be used for housing "livestock" so who's to say the horse doesn't break into the storage shed..... :p

Has anyone built their own? Our neighbour built his own shed, he used thick wooden posts (like telegraph posts) at each corner and the walls are wooden panels between the posts.

I was thinking of doing that and then having a wood/felt roof like what dog kennels have. It would need to be about 10" x 12" for Rolo and I'm going to be buying him a very small companion at some point so Shetland size part could be about 10" x 6". (total shed being 10" x 18")

Whats the minimum height the roof could be? I know in the books it's 10' but is it possible to have it any lower?
 
I know that the field shelters you can buy on skids, for moving around, dont need planning permission, but I think it would be easier to buy instead of build that. They are very reasonably priced.:) THey can be moved with a 4X4 or tractor when the ground gets messed up.
 
When I got my current field, there was already a few shelters there (yay!)....one of them is just amazing though - so simple!
Its made with scaffolding and a big blue tarpaulin - cheap, but effective - and I can change the size, make it taller or longer or wider, just by untwisting the bolts, and sliding the poles accross (I havent needed to though). I think its such a simple yet effective design, and you dont need planning permission, and it can be easily adjusted/moved!

It really is just a few poles bolted toger (normal scaffolding) made into an "oblong" with a waterproof sheet over the top! I think something as simple as pondlining will work too....its just tarpaulin is stronger. The overall structure/building is incredibly strong - I climb all over it to hand hay nets off the top poles, lol.

I have poles going 1/2 way accross the front of the structure, just for extra stability, but I can adjust the opening to make it larger/smaller and theres nothing left over hanging for the horses to catch themselves on! Theres little for the horses to scratch themselves on, nowhere for them to bite, and if there were to be a brawl, then theres no "walls" for them to kick through/pull down! Its incredibly sturdy and surprisingly warm! I often hide in it just to keep warm!

Its just been erected along the side of the field, right in the centre...and its really dry too! No matter how much it pours down outside, and no matter how muddy it gets, the floor of the shelter is always the same - just bare (not muddy or grassy, just dry earth).

Obviously I didnt erect it, but I should think its one of the cheaper options - especially if you want to re-locate at anytime, lol. No tractors needed, no hammers - nothing! (maybe a spanner)... You can take it apart and move it from a-b by hand! The tarpaulin is held in place with string on mine - been there for years, still not leaking, and still going strong!
 
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that sounds simple enough! do you have any pictures of it? Whatever I make has to be relatively not-permanent as our neighbours are evil and would probably report us! :rolleyes:

kturner, I really like those portable field shelters too but unfortunately way over my budget! they are around €2.5k and as I have to pay for the arena etc. as well, the shelter needs to be as cheap as possible.
 
I'll try and remember to get some pics for you today - will pop down when hubby goes off to work!
Ive blocked it off at the moment because Ive got round bales of hay in it, so it might look a little "messy", but at least you'll get the idea....
I have absolutely no idea how much scaffolding is to buy though - think the man who orignally erected my shelter was a builder so he might have got it cheaper...will look online for you now :D
 
ok, looks like it would be best to hunt around a bit for the best deal on scaffolding - I saw one lot going for over 1k, but someone else is selling 10 for £4.99 on ebay - so its definately worth shopping around!
These are probs waaay to far for you to collect, but it shows what is available for you to use!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Scaffolding-Poles-x10_W0QQitemZ190274655052QQcategoryZ55806QQcmdZViewItem


also this may be of use:
http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/scaffold.htm

Think you will also need the plates that go on the bottom for stability, and its also worth putting the poles in the ground for extra stability!
You will also need the bolts and brackets etc.....you should be able to get them all off the net too - or, even better, you can scrounge them off any builder friends you have! :D
 
AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
I forgot to take pics for you!
Will try and remember tomorrow! I got there, looked at it and thought "I must take a photo"......but then I left my phone in the shed whilst I brought the horses in and forgot!
ooops:rolleyes:
 
we built our own, the front is approx 10ft high at the back its about 9ft, we use corrogated stuff

we didnt need planning permission as it hasnt got a concrete base and it has a part open front

we bed it down like a stable
 
Ashlea awaiting your photos.

How is it in the ground? Concrete or just sunk in? Would those square feet be enough to hold it down in wind if it was not sunk/concreted in.

What happens if they have a barney and knock it, by shoving each other around, I would be worried it would fall on them.

Do you have taupauline on the sides too, probably answered when photo comes.
 
oooh i have no idea how to answer your qustions but let me know how it goes and how exspensize it ended up being as i'm hoping to have my ponyypiee living out next yearr! GCSE's=NO time:(
 
kturner said:
Ashlea awaiting your photos.

How is it in the ground? Concrete or just sunk in? Would those square feet be enough to hold it down in wind if it was not sunk/concreted in.

What happens if they have a barney and knock it, by shoving each other around, I would be worried it would fall on them.

Do you have taupauline on the sides too, probably answered when photo comes.
Click to expand...

oh, really sorry my love - got some pics then forgot to put them on here.

Theres only a couple because phone died:rolleyes:

Its sunk in, I've got a feeling no concrete was used though - just because they were on a budget.....but I cant say for sure!

Ive got a feeling that if you dig the "square bases" under the ground a good couple of feet or so, and then fill in with mud/sand, then it would be fairly sturdy - obviously concrete would be even stronger though.
ive got tarpaulin on the top, back, and left and right sides - front side is free of tarpaulin, but still has the bars accross for extra stability - I use the bars to hand haynets etc.....and I also block the entrance when I dont want the horses to get the big bales of hay.

ALthough the one in the field could do with a new tarpaulin, its still waterproof and holds the wind off great (despites one of the "ties" being undone, so there is a small gap ( you can undo the ties and take off the sides, leaving only the top covered in my shelter :D)

My tow are always having barneys (well, my gelding corners my filly and is just plain mean to her).....but when they were both in there, there was nothing they could do to knock it down.....its just poles! Nothing to knock down really - its not like they would be hitting a wall, or a door or any thing, if they kick the tarpaulin, then it moves (like kicking a bag)....its not going to split unless its put on really taught! (obviously dont leave it too loose if your horses are really scared of the noise and movement of it on windy days [then again, its good for desensitising too!]).

There is no way they can kick it down, run through it (there is a bar in the way). Id say it has much more "give" in it than a regular wooden shelter does - if a horse kicked that, he could knock a hole through it. Also, if you have a crib biter, then theres nothing (but a steel pole) to chew....so chances the horse WILL NOT crib bite in there.

You can put the tarpaulin on as many sides as you want. Even the front (as long as there is a gap large enough to let the horses in/out.) I dare say you could even use the tarpaulin as a door by tying the sheet either side and removing it as and when you need to - a bit like a circus tent/marquee. If you do decide to use a door, and the horse is likely to "push on it", then attach a stable chain....that ties from one side of the door, to the other, so the horse cant get out. That will work a treat on the poles because the horse would have to use an incredible amount of strength to push that down. If you still think it wont work, and you really wanted to keep your horse in, then I would consider electric tape, and plastic protecters (unless you wanted to run a current throughout ALL of the scaffolding too, lol).

My horses are locked out to protect hay at the moment, but even when they do have free access, I dont tend to lock them in.....but i would definately consider using the stable chain (not sure of name) accross the door if I needed too to keep them in there for what ever reason.

My phone wont upload for some reason...I'll try again, and then make another post with the pics for you :D
 
heres a couple of pics for a general idea...I ought to get some better ones, but wont be a ble to do that until end of the month because Im away visiting family.

remember that its about 8-10 years old, so really needs replacing, but it will give you a rough Idea......Its not too dissimilar to what I think Joyscarer posted...only its made from scaffolding and not as "new" looking :D

Infact I wonder if Joyscarer's ones would work out cheaper? I relaly do not have a clue because I didnt erect this shelter - and its really old.....but its big, and fits two horses comfortably - one just under 17hh, and the other just over 16hh :D


p.s. those shots were off the actual scaffolding to give you an idea - I didn want to get a pic of the shelter as a whole, but phone died....

The wooden slab on the floor is purely an aid to hold the "pallets" in place that I am using ot block the entrance to stop horses eating all the hay. The horses have been banished to the other side of the field, so they cant get caught :D

I do have all sorts of this hanging off the bars (mainly empty hay nets), but nothing that is holding the structure together, so theres nothing the horses can get caught on....and very little for the horses to itch on, should they suffer with sweetitch etc.

The first pic shows how the corners are - nothing really to catch on, and the second shows the "bare side" that also has the entrance so the horses can see out. Its simple enough to cover with tarpaulin if I wish to though - simply tie it on (the tarpaulin has reinforced holes round the edge, so just tie it all together with rope)!
 

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Absolutely marvelous. Now I know what to do when I get the field. Years to come of course.

This is definately simpler and can be changed as you wish. Will check out the prices of scaffolding now.

Thanks.

PS How big is your enterance, does it matter for stability how much you leave open at the front???
 
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