Anyone made their own field shelter?

Yep, me! Well, husband and father in law! Its a very good job - much better than I expected! It has hardwood sides with feather board on the outside, an over hang and a sloping felt roof.
It was quite expensive to build and to be honest, all said and done, it's probably not much difference money/time wise to buy a ready made one :)
 
Wow, that sounds very professional!

I wonder whether it is possible to make a safe field shelter on a budget then? I may have to get inventive!
 
I have seen a field shelter made out of the huge bales of straw, really worked for them and they sprayed the straw so the horses wouldnt eat it.

I bought my 24x12ft for £1200 and then hubby reinforced it to make it a little better:)
 
Not had a field shelter built but OH did do me a hay store - built on side of stables - so 2 complete walls - stable as third wall and large door in front - loads of wood for frame - solid as a rock and black roof sheeting - the wood alone cost over £300 (thick wood supports and heavy panelling for sides)- its 12x12 but not as high at one side as sloping to drain off into gutter -
 
My Dad did ours, he's a welder...I have no idea how he did it! But it's still standing so it must have been done pretty well :P
 
If you were on a budget, could you maybe (and not saying this would work as just something I thought of) use telegraph poles on all four corners and just put three sides and a roof on?
 
In the process of making one - is saving me about £1000 I think - should be stronger than the ones you buy as all the walls are thicker and has a good pitch on the roof as we get very strong winds. My dad goes a bit OTT on reinforcing :o
 
Or tarp sides? I thought about this for mine, but then thought if we were going to do it we were going to do it properly. Im still paying the bloody thing off!
 
Can be expensive, even using reclaimed timber like I do. Telegraph poles are excellent uprights, though need to be 3 feet in the ground. 4x2 frame, then exterior ply on the outside. Plastic covered box profile roof, or onduline.

I like the idea of wheat straw bales, but worry about fire, though once the bales get a bit damp they should be ok.
 
I've got one in my field but the guy that owns the field built it so not much help there I'm afraid :o got pics though if that helps! Can't find a good one but you get the idea :) it fits 2 horses happily, it's ace!

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To give you an idea of size, Claude is 17.2. (Not showing off hoss, but he seems to be in them all lol so I apologise!)

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I will try and get a picture sent to me of the straw one, but basically two bales for each side 4 for the long back depending on the size you want and then choose the roof material, I think this one has a sheet of wood or something with holes in the corners and rope threaded through and then threaded down the bales and knotted underneath if that makes any sense at all!! I think a picture would explain it better though:)
 
coss said:
In the process of making one - is saving me about £1000 I think - should be stronger than the ones you buy as all the walls are thicker and has a good pitch on the roof as we get very strong winds. My dad goes a bit OTT on reinforcing :o
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You're saving £1000?! :o
Field shelters down here are barely £1200 in the first place! I seriously want to know how if you're shaving it down that much! :D Unless you're talking a mega structure rather than a standard FS size?
 
Am intrigued by the wheat straw bale idea! Looking forward to seeing some pictures! Do you know what they sprayed them with?
 
I've seen straw shelters as described that house large numbers of out door sows, the roof was canvass in a couple.

With 20 or 30 all asleep in there with the rain and wind blowing, they looked really comfy.
 
I have a protech shelter, it was really good, only problem is that it will not last as long as a wooden one, we need to move it after 6 years and we are not very confident!

If you need one as a cheap, shortish term option then it was very good and the welsh d who wrecked the stables did not manage to trash it!

The main reason I bought it was because its a tunnel! and my mare was always bottom of the pecking order so she was safer in it and I was able to afford the largest size.
 
Pale Rider said:
I've seen straw shelters as described that house large numbers of out door sows, the roof was canvass in a couple.

With 20 or 30 all asleep in there with the rain and wind blowing, they looked really comfy.
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I bet they are well insulated in the winter too. I would be very interested in finding out exactly how to make one of these!
 
It's quite a simple job to construct a field shelter out of straw bales. Lay the bales out as you would bricks to make the walls, then cover them in chicken wire to stop them being eaten. Use rope to attach wooden or scaffolding poles to hold up the roof. Alternatively, pile up large bales in an X shape then the horses will be sheltered no matter which direction the wind is coming from.

This is from the Centre for Alternative Technology, might be overkill though, or it might inspire you to build a house as well as a field shelter!
'How to Build with Straw Bales' Factsheet
The Centre For Alternative Technology publishes a factsheet, 'How to Build With Straw Bales' by K. Beale, containing photos, comprehensive diagrams, project schedules and a valuable contacts listing. This booklet provides detailed information for those wishing to construct a small straw bale building from scratch, taking the reader step-by-step from the first plans to the finished building. No other publication provides so much useful information on straw bale building for such a low price.

"How to Build with Straw Bales" by Kevin Beale is available from CAT Mail Order Department for just �3.00 plus �1.75 p & p.
Email: sabrina@catmailorder.demon.co.uk or tel. 01654 703409.
 
Straw bales, what a great idea!

I remember watching an episode of Grand Designs once where the people built a house from straw. They brought is for 50p a bale and literally built the walls in a day and used a chainsaw to neaten up edges etc. The plasterer then skimmed over it and it looked amazing.

I would be worried about fire too, but if you had the shelter open at both ends, at least the horses could escape from the fire and higher ordered horses.

The chicken wire sounds good to prevent them eating the straw, but I wonder whether there is another way, maybe using a light skim of something to just cover it.
 
My boyfriend and his friend built his sister a field shelter, right on the side of the Pentland hills.

Out of the 5 or 6 shelters on that yard, its the only one that hasn't flooded or been taken down with winds.

Cost a few hundred to do but between 2 people paying for it it was relativley cheap.

Gave it a year to settle in and then put loads of stonechips and mix into it to stop it getting really boggy in the winter.
 
BoolavogueDC said:
You're saving £1000?! :o
Field shelters down here are barely £1200 in the first place! I seriously want to know how if you're shaving it down that much! :D Unless you're talking a mega structure rather than a standard FS size?
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Cost of delivery from some of the field shelter places was £1000 alone because I'm "so far away" - deliveries don't come this far north (good job i'm not further north as there's a lot of scotland above me too! ;) :o) - Also, it is sizable - cheapest I could find (exc delivery) was more than double your £1200!
 
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