Has anyone built a DIY field shelter?

[Muddy unicorn]

We moved onto our smallholding last autumn and have been sorting out fencing etc. I’ve been using our biggest field over winter as it’s slightly higher and a lot drier but it’s quite open to the elements - dry stone walls, some small trees along one side and one large tree (unfortunately a sycamore ) which the horses were sheltering under over winter. As soon as we’ve got the fencing sorted for one of the lower fields they’ll be moving there for the summer. I’d like to add some more trees to the centre of the field but realise that’s a long term project and is unlikely to benefit the current teenage inhabitants. They’re both retired and are out 24/7 unless the weather is absolutely atrocious as they both need to be moving around. When it’s very wet they’ll come and stare at me through my office window and make me feel guilty as there isn’t much shelter in the field. Before I shell out for a proper field shelter I was wondering if it would be a good idea to rig up something temporary - my experience with animals is you spend a fortune providing them with something that they turn their noses up and don’t use … has anyone got any DIY shelter pics/plans they could share please?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Following this as I'm looking to do the same!!

 

[ycbm]

Yes my OH built a 4x2 timber frame with a sloping roof which we butted up to a wall and nailed tins to it. Worked a treat for 30 years and still going strong.
.

 

[cauda equina]

People told me horses don't use field shelters before I got mine but the horses love them
The only time they were wary was when a roof sheet was a bit loose and making a noise so whatever you build make sure it's sturdy and solid

 

[Tiddlypom]

Diy field shelters are fine, but they do need to be at least as sturdy as a stable if no more so. They need to take some hammering from horses itching their arses on them, or copping a kick if multiple horses squabble.

Our first homemade job (since demolished) wasn't sturdy enough.

My horses love their current commercially built field shelters and use them all year round.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

Thank you - I don’t suppose anyone has any photos for inspiration?

At the first livery yard we were at, our horse never used the field shelter but that was probably because there were 17 horses in the field and the shelter could only fit 4 in at a time. Everywhere else he’s been has had a lot of natural shelter.

If the bottom fields were drier I’d swap them over as they’re a lot less exposed but there are areas which are still quite boggy so don’t have much choice.

 

[HorseMaid]

To keep things easier for yourself could you keep an eye out for a second hand field shelter that you can buy cheaply? I managed to bag a double one off FB for £500 which was about 3 years old, have just finished putting it up today and once it's been stained it'll be fab, it would have cost me more to buy the wood to make a diy one!

 

[ponynutz]

Following, we're planning on doing the same

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

We turned an existing building into a field shelter, essentially by taking out a side and are planning to do the same with another one in a different field. We've only been here 30 yrs

 

[dorsetladette]

Yes,

My OH ios a builder/handyman. He brings all the old wood from building sites home so we end up with stacks of 4x2 and shiplap fencing.

We built a 12 x 18 shelter with 2 6ft doors at the front. We made 8 panels of 6ft x 8ft with the shiplap cladding in the outside. 2 for each side, 1 for the middle at the front and 3 across the back. We then used old roof trusses for the roof to hold the whole thing together. We used corrogated steel sheets for the roof and about a million screws and bolts.