Makeshift (cheap) Field shelter - straw bales???

[HelsB]

I am needing to sort something out as a temporary field shelter and had the following idea:

Use the hedge as the back of it and 2 large oblong straw bales on top of each other at each side, then a frame with a tightened green tarp over it as the roof. All strapped down correctly etc so it is safe.

Has anyone tried this sort of thing or similar? Or another cheap and cheerful type of thing that doesn't look to scruffy?

 

[jendie]

Sounds Ok to me but if you lived here the roof would last minutes before being blown away!!

 

[HelsB]

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Sounds Ok to me but if you lived here the roof would last minutes before being blown away!!

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I think hubby was talking about ratchet strapping it down like they do with the pig shelters!

 

[Aoibhin]

yup we used to do windbreaks that way, never put a roof on though cos as Jendie said out here id be chasing it every few hours.
we put wooden posts into bottom bales & then lowered the top bales onto them so they were ancored together, we used to do a big H shape using 10 bales so they had shelter from most sides

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

as aoibhin says, if you do it it needs to be substantial sides and pegged together, otherwise risk that instead of being windbreak it could blow over onto the horse, which is not the intended benefit....

 

[Toffee44]

Personally I wouldnt bother with a roof. I used 4 round bales of straw as a wind break when I first had the field. If it helps my dad and grandad speant most of the summer building a really good shelter and my pony never goes in she jsut stands at the side

 

[nijinsky]

A friend of mine uses those enormous straw bales that go off to the incinerators (sp)? put up in a x shape, can't remember how many high, horses have shelter from all sides then.

 

[happihorse]

Not sure how stable it would be if horses rubbed on the bales and / or the wind gets under it - could be nasty.

Can you not just put rugs on them?

 

[HelsB]

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Not sure how stable it would be if horses rubbed on the bales and / or the wind gets under it - could be nasty.

Can you not just put rugs on them?

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Would definitely make sure there was no way they could fall over, stakes in the ground or something.

I'm actually wanting it for summer shade rather than winter shelter, they do wear rugs in winter.

Big H or X shape sounds good but field not huge and behind some houses so was hoping for it to look a little more discreet than that so as not to get complaints.