2 questions - gate lining & bedding for shelter

[Marnie]

Hello all,

A couple of questions....

Firstly, my pony has a habit of lifting his front foot up and banging the field gate if he isn't getting sufficient attention. I am worried that he is going to put his leg right through it one day. I was looking at Stokboard to line the gate but it does look as though there are some 'generic' alternatives and I wondered if anyone has any suggestions of products that they have used successfully.

Secondly, it is my first year with a field shelter. The shelter is on a concrete pad and has rubber mats down and I didn't know whether to put anything else in there for bedding. I didn't really want anything that is going to blow around which I think woodshavings would do, I don't know if anyone has any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Tiddlypom]

A weldmesh infill welded to the gate (assuming that it’s a metal farm gate) is the most robust solution. You can buy such gates.

I have rubber mats over concrete in both of my field shelters. I don’t put any bedding in either of them because both shelters have wide double entrances and, depending which way the wind is blowing, the rain would saturate any bedding. The horses still love their shelters and use them a lot.

ETA One in, one out but still under the overhang just now - it’s vile here today.

 

[dorsetladette]

My old yard had scaffold debris netting over the gates to stop ponies putting feet through. Double thickness seemed to do the trick. My parents always hung a wooden board on metal gates - marine ply I think.

Bedding wise I use straw in my shelters. I never used to put anything down, but they do use it and lay down a lot in it which I think is nice for them. Often 3 are all asleep in the shelter together.

 

[ihatework]

Metal mesh for the gates.

I’m planning on using straw pellets in my shelter, I’ll feedback next spring how successful (or not) that proves to be!

 

[Highmileagecob]

A length of scaffold netting stretched across the gate and held in place with cable ties will do the job. Ask any scaffolder if they have an end of roll!

 

[tda]

Weld mesh would be best, but marine ply for a slightly cheaper option. Or buy a different gate, i have a couple where the bars are closer on the lower bars for this exact reason.
I just throw some wood or straw pellets along the back wall in case anyone wants to pee, it helps a bit

 

[AdorableAlice]

I use gale break for my gates and replace any with the cross members for tubular steel gates.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I use gale break for my gates and replace any with the cross members for tubular steel gates.

Oh yes one of our RC members lost a homebred youngster when he severed a tendon putting his leg through a gate with cross members.

 

[Suechoccy]

No bedding as otherwise you have to muck out, and they will use it to pee on so it will stink, as will the rubber mats. The rubber mats on their own give a nice soft surface to stand on, and they may lay down on it too, and you can easily clear any poos from it.
I've used a variety of materials on my gates because my youngster likes to paw and poke a front hoof through for attention. One metal gate has a sheet of onduline roofing secured to it by poking holes in it and threading thin lengths of cord through to attach it tightly to top and bottom of gate. Another metal gate has 2 pieces of thin rubber mat (1m x 0.75m) hung from it with cord threaded through holes drilled through the rubber. One wooden gate had sheets of ply and particle board screwed to its bottom half and old thin rubber gym mats with cord threaded through drilled holes to the top half. I did try yoga mats but they are too thin and their weight means the holes you make in them soon "run" and tear.

One thing to watch with ply/mdf/particle board is they can be heavy and make the gate very heavy, more so when wet.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Forgot to say, our shelter floor is mud control mats, over hard-core and we put shavings down as bedding. The prevailing wind is from the west, the deep shelter is open to the east, do shavings don't blow around much. It does get wet at the front if it's raining from the east.

 

[Marnie]

Thank you all, some really helpful suggestions and thoughts!

 

[Highmileagecob]

Go for a lightweight solution, otherwise the gate will drop on its hinges and you will end up dragging the gate to open and close. Even some gardening mesh will do for a quick fix, the windbreak stuff with small holes.

 

[meleeka]

If you use metal mesh on the gate, be sure to use something that you can bend round the ends. Mine got her foot stuck in the teeny gap I had at the end and I'm lucky she's still here, as the gate came off it's hinges

 

[Tiddlypom]

The safest and most horse proof bet is to get weldmesh which has been welded to the gate.

Like this.

Fully Meshed Galvanised Gate - David Musson Fencing Ltd

IAE fully meshed gate. Fitted with a keyhole/pendulum sliding bolt. Comes with 2 x 6" eye bolts and a spring bolt, perfect for keeping smaller livestock.

www.davidmussonfencing.com