Field Shelter shelter alternative ideas?

[Ashleigh_]

I bought my first horse about 4 weeks ago, everything was great and he is settling in fine. My only problem has been the weather, the ice the snow and constant rain and extreme winds haven't given me or my friends (other liveries on our private field livery) a chance to ride.

I haven't even been able to book a saddle fitter since there is nowhere inside i can take them to shelter from the weather! (they do have trees and walls to shelter but its nothing substantial - all rugged they do fine up there)
I feel like i'm not really getting the chance to bond with him properly, he is very affectionate when i'm in his field and poo picking - he does follow me i just want to spend hours grooming him and fussing.

Anyway - our field is rented from a farmer (same guy for years) and we are not allowed to build stables (which we dont need or want) but we could do with a place thats sheltered to tie up and groom.
At the moment we use a really battered old trailer for a tackroom and feed store etc which works fine.

I just wondered if anyone had any ideas, we thought about gazebo's and that i don't know if it would work. Heres what we have at the moment, model'd by lovely OH and Ronnie. We even thought about an over hang for the trailer?

We cant really afford moveable wooden shelters at the moment so thats ruled out

Student living aye!

 

[mainpower]

Keep an eye out for lorry bodies, they are often free to collect.

 

[Enfys]

One of these?

Gazebos are too light weight, these are designed to stand up to a bit of weather.
No planning required as they are completely mobile. Even mine would take only an hour to dismantle, although it took an awful lot longer to put up.
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/sh...c=1#Post5175885

 

[lewisangier]

I would probably construct an overhang on the trailer.
if not, buy for fence posts, with ground stakes, and put fence panels between them in a square shape, leaving one space free for an opening. The panels are cheap, so easy to replace. And the posts only have them ground stakes on them, so they wont ruin the ground. plus be able to take out. As for a roof, Id probably use another panel, but with felt nailed on top to stop rain rotting the roof. Ive actually built and used one for a while before my stables were built a few years back. PM for more instructions if needed. =D

 

[Minxie]

I use a converted container and it was the best £300 i've ever spent.

I got a 20ft x 8ft one and had the middle 10 feet cut out with a strip of smooth metal welded around the edges to make sure nothing sharp. They are remarkably easy to drill holes into and I've put up hay net rings and installed some push on lights from Ikea - £5 for 2 (I put up 4). Although it had originally come with lighting wired in the roof but as I didn't have a battery at the time to connect it to i didn't bother using it.

The best thing is that it has its own seriously solid wooden flooring so its off out of the mud. I'd bought some cheap rubber cow matting and its meant I can muck it out properly.

Seriously it is fantastic. No matter which way it is raining the ponies tuck in behind the bit of 5ft siding and there is no roof to blow off. A couple of small rust holes appeared and I simply painted red oxide on it and put a bit of flash tape over it - £5 for 10metres.

Its a shame your not closer as I'm hoping to sell mine as the ponies have moved to a new field and the owner has stables which are open so no need for another shelter.

I wish I'd got my container years ago as it would have saved me a large fortune in unnecessary stabling.