Pony Cave field shelters - has anyone used one?

ElleSkywalker

ElleSkywalker

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I am looking for a mobile type field shelter, but as I only rent my house am not too keen on buying a wooden one as it might be difficult to take down if we move.

I found a big tent type mobile field shelter called a Pony Cave on the internet and wondered if any one has any experiance of them? :confused:
 
Have never seen or used one but having just had a quick look I can tell my pony wouldn't go into it, also the cost is not so cheap to tempt IMO.

I'd rather look for a second hand wood one or buy some wood panels and fashion a do it yourself job or in my case a pay someone else to do it themselves job.
 
pony-kid.jpg


This?

Interesting. Never seen one of those before.
It does appear quite flimsy looking but that could be deceptive, you'd have to be certain to position it correctly otherwise it would be in the next County on a windy day! I imagine ponies would use it if they had no option, some will go in anything, I knew a mini that used to go in an old caravan for shelter :eek:

Personally, I'd prefer to look at Pro-Tech shelters, just as mobile but slightly more robust looking. Now that type I do have experience of, very popular here, and they stand up to a lot of wind and snow.
http://www.fieldshelters.net/
product1.jpg
 
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Yes thats it, the size does worry me as the little boy and pony in picture are quite small, but apparently horses as big as 16.2hh stand in front, not in it and acts as a windbreak.

I like the look of the other one, looks as little tougher and harder to blow away, am a little concerned that if facing the wrong way and a big gust came the Pony Cave would blow awayyyyyyy!:eek:

Alternatively anyone know of any decent cheap moveable field shelters, wouldn't mind spending the money on a proper one, but really don't want to move and leave 2k of field shelter behind!
 
I know a yard that uses white tent type things with three sides and winches them in to the ground and puts rubber mats on the base. Seems to work and the horses use them!
 
Thanks all, still undecided, is a shame no one has acctually got one or seen one in the flesh,!

I also love the X shape roofless shelters they have at the army camp in Melton, as in summer at anytime of day there is always shade and any wind/rain direction there will be shelter, but no idea how to make one or where to get one from! I did find insturction on how to make one in an old horse book suggesting using straw bales and stakes, however with current price of straw....... maybe not!
 
I've known a few yards with the 'X' type shelters, although they were all bigger yards, so maybe they were built on site? I reckon a decent carpenter could make one, so it would be a matter of finding a tame one:D

I think the Pony Cave would be less than ideal for a spooky horse, thinking of how noisy it is in a tent on a windy night:eek: You can get shelters on skis that you can move about I think, proper wooden ones but mobile, so I think you could take them with you if you move? How about something like that?
 
I'd rather purchase 3 or 4 of 6ft x 6ft garden fencing panels & put them in an L-shape just behind (outside)your current fencing. Securely fixed to proper fence posts, they will provide a very good wind break & be more secure than the lw item shown in the link. Obviously no roof, but pretty good wind shelter tho.

Couple of large rubber mats for the floor - or maybe builders sand mixed with shavings, which works pretty well - and you are sorted :)
 
Wonder what they X shelters are made of, fence panels? planks?? OH's Dad is a dab hand at a bit of carpentry, and once made me 2 stable doors in a morning so not impossible that he could whip up a x shelter for me!

Anyone got any pictures of ones they have used/seen?:)
 
The ones I have seen are made of planks. They need to be pretty sturdy to cope with bum scratching:p and the planks need to have gaps between them to let the wind through to an extent (rather than being blown over), but not so large as to let the horse's put their heads through.

I don't have any pics, but if it would be helpful I'll see if I can take some tomorrow and PM them to you. If this would be useful, if you could drop me a PM to remind me as I probably won't be able to find this post tomorrow I'll see what I can do:)
 
Quote from Enfys -
"Personally, I'd prefer to look at Pro-Tech shelters, just as mobile but slightly more robust looking. Now that type I do have experience of, very popular here, and they stand up to a lot of wind and snow."

Very interested that you say these stand up to the wind - I looked into field shelters last year and wondered about these but we are at the top of a hill (near a trig point or two) and mobile field shelters have been known to blow like a leaf across fields up here!!!

I can't imagine using the Pony Cave - it would be eaten, scratched on and when it fell flat pooed on before it flew off into the tree tops! :)
 
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