Field Shelter or Stable Block?

[Laur]

I am looking into renting a field and there are currently no stables or shelter there. So I have been looking into the different options available to buy one but I really need some ideas as to what would be the best. Obviously its a big investment as they are not cheap so I need to make the right decision!
I have two horses and at the moment they are out 24/7 in summer and stabled at night in winter. Part of the reason we want to rent a field is so we have the choice of being able to leave them out in the night in the winter (current yard does not allow this).
The horses are going to need a shelter but we need somewhere we can shut them in in the night if the whether is poor - is it safe to shut two horses in the same field shelter (they get on well and obviously it would be the size of two stables (24' x 12'). I'd appreciate any thoughts on this and what you guys do?!

Thanks!

 

[Enfys]

A field shelter that size will be fine, all you will need is two or three 12' gates.
One gate to half it ( or build a partition wall) and two at the front. Job done That's what I do anyhow, works fine for my lot.
You can block the gates with ply or buy the mesh filled ones so horses can't stick their legs through.

 

[perfect11s]

I am looking into renting a field and there are currently no stables or shelter there. So I have been looking into the different options available to buy one but I really need some ideas as to what would be the best. Obviously its a big investment as they are not cheap so I need to make the right decision!
I have two horses and at the moment they are out 24/7 in summer and stabled at night in winter. Part of the reason we want to rent a field is so we have the choice of being able to leave them out in the night in the winter (current yard does not allow this).
The horses are going to need a shelter but we need somewhere we can shut them in in the night if the whether is poor - is it safe to shut two horses in the same field shelter (they get on well and obviously it would be the size of two stables (24' x 12'). I'd appreciate any thoughts on this and what you guys do?!

Thanks!

I wouldent shut two together in a small shelter! if they can go in and out as they wish thats ok, even best freinds sometimes bicker and I would think they might injure themselves if one felt trapped, two stables would be better and then a simple shelter as well, this is asuming you can get planning permision for this !!! you can get portables which isnt ideal as you dont have a foundation and floor.....

 

[cm2581]

I wouldent shut two together in a small shelter! if they can go in and out as they wish thats ok, even best freinds sometimes bicker and I would think they might injure themselves if one felt trapped, two stables would be better and then a simple shelter as well, this is asuming you can get planning permision for this !!! you can get portables which isnt ideal as you dont have a foundation and floor.....

Place ground protection rubber mats under and around a 'moveable' field shelter to avoid ground poaching and also so you can avoid planning consent. It would also be unwise to erect permanent buildings on rented ground (even with the landowners consent) as you can't then take them with you! Waste of your money if a year down the line the land owner terminates the lease! The suggestion of the field shelter with the gates is the best option and many manufacturers sell such combinations!

This is an example

http://www.saltirestables.co.uk/EZ/sstb/sstb/page180.php?PHPSESSID=p96mot7od125c1n9kk50mjgmf4

 

[Laur]

Thanks for your responses. I hadnt really thought about obtaining any planning permission as I thought if they were wooden they didnt need planning consent? I think I probably will put the matting down as we are going to have a lot spare when we move. That sounds like a good idea to have a gate dividing the two sides, im going to look at a few places that make them today as im sure the quality probably varies a lot! If in the future we did move we would take them with us anyway.

 

[Sleepeeze_dad]

You need planning if it's a permanent structure or has "foundations or groundworks" and that as far as I am aware includes the self build ones where you plant old telegraph poles in the corners.

This is why the field shelters on metal skids (mobile field shelters) have become ridiculously popular.

 

[Honey08]

We have two that are on metal skids, and can be towed around (and we've done it several times). You don't need planning permission for them. We put rubber mats in ours, but don't see why they couldn't be towed onto concrete anyway.. I'd have a gate that can be folded back inside them to enable you to divide it in half (I wouldn't shut two in together..) and have a stable door on the front. We have a normal stable door with a part next to it that opens too - so you get a doorway extra wide for when its a field shelter, and enables us to roll a large haylage bale in it if we need to (we use ours as hay stores when the horses are stabled more in winter..)