Flooring for field shelter

[Marnie]

I have just ordered a 24 x 12 foot mobile field shelter that will be placed on a concrete pad - it is being delivered / built next week.

Can anyone who has anything similar advise what they put down on the floor? I was thinking rubber matting - any suggestions on what type?

If anyone has similar, do you use any form of bedding as well as rubber mats? If so, what type? It will be fairly sheltered as the concrete pad is behind an existing cow barn, but I don't want to end up with bedding blowing around everywhere.

Any thoughts welcomed!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Just a heads up, if for planning purposes the field shelter is required to be fully mobile then the planners will take a dim view of it being sited on any sort of hardstanding.

I’ve got two permanent field shelters (both with full planning permission), and in both of those I have rubber mats over a concrete base. Both of my field shelters have a double entrance for safety purposes (always an exit if a horse gets crowded), and on occasion the rain can blow in and any bedding would get soaked, so I don’t bed them.

Rubber matting is much more horse friendly than plain concrete.

Enjoy your new shelter, my horses love both of ours.

 

[Marnie]

Just a heads up, if for planning purposes the field shelter is required to be fully mobile then the planners will take a dim view of it being sited on any sort of hardstanding.

I’ve got two permanent field shelters (both with full planning permission), and in both of those I have rubber mats over a concrete base. Both of my field shelters have a double entrance for safety purposes (always an exit if a horse gets crowded), and on occasion the rain can blow in and any bedding would get soaked, so I don’t bed them.

Rubber matting is much more horse friendly than plain concrete.

Enjoy your new shelter, my horses love both of ours.

Thanks - the shelter has 2 entrances so that is good. Thank you for your experiences re: the matting and bedding, that is really helpful.

Re: the planning - the shelter will still be fully mobile, we will strap it to the barn behind to stop it blowing / moving but it won't have any permanent fixings / bolts etc.

 

[dorsetladette]

I have mine on a dirt floor. after a couple of years it goes solid like concrete. I've then put rubber mats over it and in winter I bed it down with straw.

Mine has 2 openings for emergency exits if needed. But at 18x12 easily fits 3 ponies and 2 large sheep in it. It's like a nativity scene in winter.

 

[cauda equina]

Mine are mobile (on metal skids) but haven't been moved for a while
I put stable mats inside when the ground turned into a dust bath - EVA ones which weren't a success as I didn't leave enough room for expansion and they bulged, and then ordinary rubber ones which are working well

 

[Marigold4]

Thanks - the shelter has 2 entrances so that is good. Thank you for your experiences re: the matting and bedding, that is really helpful.

Re: the planning - the shelter will still be fully mobile, we will strap it to the barn behind to stop it blowing / moving but it won't have any permanent fixings / bolts etc.

I think there is still a planning problem here though. The idea is that you move the shelters around every few weeks to different sites in your field. If you put down a concrete base, it shows you do not intend to move them. This is guidance from the National Timber Stables website.

In order for a council to regard a field shelter as being a mobile building through and through, they will usually expect the following:

• That the shelter is moved regularly.
• That it must have the appropriate means of moving it.
• That if a base is put down, you will seek advice on the need for planning permission.

 

[Caski]

May I suggest that you contact your local council planning team and seek pre-application advice - that way you pay a lot less than for a full application, and have a qualified view of the situation.

Better to check than make an expensive mistake.

 

[Jambarissa]

In reality people rarely move portable shelters and no one appears to care but agree that the concrete base would make it breech planning.

Have you considered mud slabs? They don't need planning and can be moved if ever needed. Would be fine to top with rubber mats.

 

[Max123]

I have crushed stone that I compacted down with rubber mats on top.

 

[cauda equina]

I just put rubber mats directly on the ground

 

[ihatework]

I’m planning on the fieldguard draining/cushioned mats on mine

 

[Petalpoos]

I had rubber matting and put bedding at the back of the shelter. I put 30cm planks across the entrances to stop the bedding creeping away.

 

[blitznbobs]

Mudmats …
Mobile and work really well

 

[Marnie]

Thanks for the flooring experiences - really helpful.

I will check re: the planning - just to note that the concrete has been down for a number of years and hasn't been put down specifically for the purpose. It is just very handily alongside my paddock which is being extended to incorporate the concrete plus a patch of previously waste ground that has been seeded. The shelter can be put elsewhere if needed.

 

[rextherobber]

May I suggest that you contact your local council planning team and seek pre-application advice - that way you pay a lot less than for a full application, and have a qualified view of the situation.

Better to check than make an expensive mistake.

I would advise against this line, it's clearly going to be a shelter on skids, as a previous comment says, no one moves them anyway, and if you involve the planning office they'll probably get over keen and insist on bat surveys and other ridiculous stuff. They really can be a nightmare. I actually had to point out that bats don't "live" in thin air, they may fly through it, but they need something to live in, and there was literally nothing there..

 

[Squeak]

I've got some shelters just on dirt and some that have concrete bases. The dirt ones are fine but they are points of the field where water wont drain in to them. In the summer I worry about the horses constantly stamping their legs on the concrete with the flies (I had never thought to put rubber mats down in there but will look in to it) but it does work well.

I don't use bedding in them either. It would blow away and horses can pee outside in the grass and any poo can be picked up far quicker and easier without bedding, it also saves a fortune in bedding.

 

[Mouse&Bay]

Personally, I like sand. Let’s urine through, easy to pick poo out without losing all the bedding. You do not want horses eating from sand, so no hay in there. In the winter, nice to add some straw to add some warmth for horses lying down.

 

[meesha]

Mine is rubber matted with shavings but is sheltered from wind. If you want them to lie down it in u will need a good amount of bedding or some really cushioned rubber. If they are walking in and out with shoes I would worry they would trash softer rubber (I have the thick bobbled black mats, warmer than concrete but v hard).

I would personally avoid the planners, if u get caught do retro application ...it's not illegal to put something up without planning (but you can be asked to take it down in theory)

 

[Tiddlypom]

The planners are unlikely to get involved unless you have nosey neighbours who put in a complaint.

 

[Sandstone1]

I have a lovely mobile field shelter which the horses love. I had to put mud mats inside this winter as it got so wet. In front is very muddy so I need to rethink what I am going to do for next winter. Can not really afford the amount of mud control mats to make a large enough " Patio" area in front. Any ideas?