Pop up awnings, horseboxes and ponies

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MyBoyChe

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Do the 3 mix well together? Am seriously considering putting compact day living into our 3.5t van, I know it will compromise the payload but I only ever carry 1 and if it works will not be looking to sell on, our search for a decent 5/6.5t is going nowhere fast :( Does anyone use a pop up awning with a lorry or van for shelter for them and ponies. Have considered having a pull out one fitted but they are quite pricey and was wondering if a pop up garden one would be safe. Pros and cons please. My biggest worry is it taking off and panicking all the surrounding horses although we would bang in ground fixings. Your thoughts or other bright ideas?
 
I have a 3-5 ton lorry for going to Polocrosse with my sons mare, I tow a caravan with this lorry, have done some long trips in it with no problems, and I have a pop up gazebo 3 x3 in size and none of the horses, who are penned at the side of the caravan have ever looked twice at it... One even tried to get in there as it's where we put the feed and our chairs and table for meals and evenings socials.!!! If horses are allowed to see something and they learn then it will not hurt them... Of course Polocrosse horses are used to being penned at tournaments, and are mostly very chilled out
 
Bear in mind that the pop up ones that you find for gardens on ebay quite cheap are rather flimsy and wouldn't be that great. Go for a good canvas type perhaps?
 
I have an awning on the side of my equitrek , its the roof of my stable from when I was doing carriage driving
It was fitted by our local lorry garage and the brand was I think flammia .
It's the same as the ones you see on motor homes .
It was easily fitted someone handy could easily do it.
 
Something to think about then. M is the type who will stand anywhere if theres a haynet close by so as long as it was well anchored and we face away from others as much as possible it might work. GS, do the Fiamma ones flap about much or are they fairly steady and rigid? I was also wondering about taking a small section of tape with me and a few posts and making him a mini paddock (if space allowed) to doze in between classes rather than on the van. I always worry when he is tied up about him getting free and thought a small enclosed area would at least help me to catch him before he wandered off. Is this something people do or is polocrosse the exception.
 
MyBoyChe said:
Something to think about then. M is the type who will stand anywhere if theres a haynet close by so as long as it was well anchored and we face away from others as much as possible it might work. GS, do the Fiamma ones flap about much or are they fairly steady and rigid? I was also wondering about taking a small section of tape with me and a few posts and making him a mini paddock (if space allowed) to doze in between classes rather than on the van. I always worry when he is tied up about him getting free and thought a small enclosed area would at least help me to catch him before he wandered off. Is this something people do or is polocrosse the exception.
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No it's normal at carriage driving competitions .
 
I currently have a drive away awning which I use for staying away for the weekend. I have a Renault Master and it fits over the ramp and gives us loads of space , we then corall the ponies next to us. The ponies get used to all the goings on !!
 
We use two 3x3m pop ups at events as shelters. Never had problems with them flapping of blowing away, we just hammer them down with multiple pegs and use the ropes as well for extra security. None of the horses have been worried by them and on a particularly wet weekend, we even put one in the yards with GK and plaited him up under it - he fell asleep even though it was a bit windy.

There are some pictures of our set up on my blog, the link is in my signature. :) Look at the posts "Left Leg! Left Leg! Dammit", "Moora... In the Mist" and "Sigh -Another Letter". I can't remember my photobucket password to load pics directly to my reply.
 
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